Cannabis Linguistics: Translating the Lingo of the Culture
What do I mean when I say Cannabis Linguistics. To break it down simply; Linguistics is the study of language and Cannabis is cannabis. I intend to speak about the lingo and terminology that has evolved and been passed downthrough the years that refers to cannabis.
You may be thinking as you read into this, “why is this important?” Well if you are new to the world of medical cannabis/medical marujuanayou may hear some terms that don’t make sense and it’s important for you to have a good understanding so you get the treatment that you need.
Others might say, “I already know what this means, I don’t care.” Well you should stick around too, cause at the end we will have a special talkon something important for you folks.
Something else that I want to mention is: usually when we think of “slang” or “lingo” it will bring up thoughts of something bad or inappropriate. This isn’t always the case, as some of these terms could be referring to the weight of productsthat you want or the dosage format.
This beginners list should get you through a first time trip to a medical dispensary.
Terms and Lingo:
Bud/Flower
Portion of the cannabis plant that has the highest concentration of cannabinoids
Leaves & Stems
The actual leaves and stems of the cannabis plant
Gram
1 gram of actual cannabis flower or concentrated product; about the size
Eighth
1/8th of an ounce (3.5grams of product)
Quarter
¼th of an ounce (7grams of product)
Half
½ of an ounce (14 grams of product)
Ounce
1 ounce (28 grams of product)
Cart/Pod
Cartridge for a vaporizer pen
Budder
Concentrated product that has the texture of cake batter
Shatter
Concentrated product that has the texture and appearance of caramel brittle
Diamonds
Isolated cannabinoids in a crystal like form
Rosin
Concentrated product that was made from heated and pressed flower
Hash
Concentrated product that has a thick paste or pressed playdough texture
Kief
Concentrated product that has the texture of a coarse powder
Dabbing
A method of consuming certain concentrated products; requires special equipment
Strain
The “brand” of plant and how it is “scientifically” classified
Chemovar
Classification based on the cannabinoid content of the product
Bong
A form of water pipe for the smoking of flower
One Hitter
A pipe that will allow for the packing of a single inhalation of flower product
Bowl
A form of pipe used to smoke flower
Blunt
A hollowed out cigar wrapper packed with
cannabis flower; may sometimes be mixed with
tobacco
Joint
A marijuana cigarette that you roll yourself
Pre-roll
A pre-rolled marijuana cigarette done by the
dispensary
Zig-zag
The paper used to roll joints, can be made of many different materials
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol-The major cannabinoid that produces marijuana’s effects and side effects
CBD
Cannabidiol-Another major cannabinoid found in marijuana
Indica
A species of cannabis thought to produce body relaxation effects
Sativa
A species of cannabis thought to produce energizing and creative mind effects
Hybrid
A genetic cross between cannabis species to obtain benefits from both
Terpene
The hydrocarbons found in plants that give them their specific odors
For patients who have never been exposed to marijuana before some of these terms can look very foreign. Add that to a bad experience (feeling rushed, overwhelmed, or embarrassed) and you now have a mixture that may cause you to not want to pursue this therapy option further.
Now if you’re reading this and you just happen to be a first time medical cannabis patient don’t fret or feel overwhelmed. This process takes time to get familiar with. Think of
your new experience as a trip to the pharmacy. The pharmacy uses a lot of weird names for medications, insurance jargon that no one understands; but this time you get to go into the pharmacy.
Let your budtender show you around. Talk to them, tell them about yourself, your conditions, and most importantly how you want to feel during and after treatment. (If you have more in depth questions ask if they have a pharmacist or patient care specialist who can help you.)
Allow yourself to be treated like a patient. You don’t have to know all of the lingo. That brings us to a bit of a rant.
There are a lot of critics out there who would love to take medical marijuana down again. It’s extremely important that patients and people who use cannabis recreationally TAKE IT SERIOUS!! By creating a sub-culture that creates its own words for something that is already in existence (especially if the slang/lingo you create sounds “inappropriate” or “illegal”) you are cheapening the value of a therapy that has potential. In order to protect this type of medical treatment it needs to sound just that: “medical”, “professional”,
and “legitimate”. By doing this you prove that the methods are viable and are not someone’s idea of how to get high legally.
Enough ranting from me. If you have questions or need resources to look up other words or terms that you heard in your adventure to the dispensary there are several websites that can be very beneficial. We want to give a big shout out to them right now!
https://cannigma.com/
https://www.leafly.com/
https://keytocannabis.com/
https://weedmaps.com/
So until next time, have a great day!