Cannabis use has roots that stretch back over 10,000 years. It was one of the first plants humans cultivated. In all those millennia, marijuana didn’t undergo many drastic changes. However, live resin is what the potential of THC looks like in the 21st century.
This is not your Grandpa’s ganja. Sticky nugs are evolving into even stickier extracts. The buzz surrounding these new cannabis products is quickly growing, and it has many old-school stoners and cannabis connoisseurs scratching their heads.
If you’re wondering how to smoke live resin, you’re not alone. It’s not very often that an innovation to marijuana comes around. Being experts in all things bud, we wanted to clear the air and explain what live resin is and how to enjoy its benefits. It’s time to leave those rolling papers in the dust and dive into the potent new world of live resin!
What is Live Resin?
Before we explore how to smoke live resin, let’s look deeper at what it is. Live resin comes from technological advances in butane hash oil extraction (BHO). Unlike many concentrates such as shatter and diamonds, live resin is the product of fresh marijuana.
The fresh flower is immediately frozen, locking in the unique taste and smell of the strain. The extraction of most cannabis concentrates comes after the plant is dried and cured, but this process exposes its trichomes to heat and light that can alter the terpene profile.
When learning how to smoke live resin, you’ll discover the texture is much more malleable than other concentrates. It’s generally wax-like and dark yellow. It yields a smoke that is more complex in flavour and aroma than other types of concentrates.
Not to Be Confused With Rosin
One vowel makes a world of difference. Live resin and rosin are not the same, though it’s an easy mistake to make when learning what live resin is. Simply put, rosin is a solvent-less process of extracting cannabinoids from marijuana plant matter.
While live resin is always a syrupy or waxy product, rosin has many different consistencies. Both options cater to cannabis users who want to experience the true flavours of their favourite strains. Rosin appeals to those who want to avoid solvents. Learning how to smoke live resin results in the strongest terpene profiles.
How to Smoke Live Resin
It’s perfectly fine to be intimidated by using concentrates. After all, it seems like an entirely different substance! However, once you learn how to smoke live resin, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is! The fundamentals of this are the same as smoking or vaping, and many of the tools are the same, too.
Dabbing
For many concentrate lovers, dabbing was their how to smoke live resin introduction. Dabbing is similar to smoking from a bong, but because of what live resin is, it requires a few different tools. In totality, these are known as a dab rig.
You can think of the process of smoking live resin almost in reverse of smoking flower. Resin requires hotter and more sustained temperatures than flower, so heat is applied to the dab rig first. Generally, a butane torch heats the area of the rig called the nail. A scooping tool is then used to apply the resin to the nail.
Vapor should immediately emanate from the resin—this is what you’ll inhale through the pipe. We recommend using a carb cap to place over the resin to ensure that valuable THC doesn’t drift away while you’re inhaling.
Vape Pen
For a more straightforward approach to how to smoke live resin, many stoners reach for vape pens. Depending on your pen type, the process will differ slightly.
Dab pens (also known as wax pens) have a small, electronic heating element similar to a rig’s nail. To use these, simply turn on your device, add the resin, and inhale! For an even easier experience, many brands manufacture live resin cartridges that load into compatible pens.
In Your Bowls and Joints
Don’t worry, old-school smokers. You can experience what live resin is while still using your trusty pipes and joints. Think of the concentrate like you would salt or sugar while cooking. When used as a topping to your bowls or joints, it can enhance your flower’s flavour and add to the potency of the smoke.
Benefits of Live Resin
Now that you know how to smoke live resin, let’s explore its benefits. There’s a reason why live resin is what cannabis and concentrate connoisseurs prefer—it’s notorious for top-shelf tokes!
Potency
While flower and pre-rolls often tap out within the 20% THC range, live resin can be over four times stronger. Not only does this send your smoke sessions blasting off to legendary heights, but it also means a little can go a long way. Regular smokers enjoy concentrates as an effective delivery system for THC that helps them conserve their stash.
Terpenes
Flavour is what live resin is best known for. Because flash freezing locks in terpenes before heat, light, or oxygen can diminish them, live resin is one of the most effective expressions of how a strain tastes. You’ll love resin if you appreciate the nuances of your smoke’s aroma and flavour.
Entourage Effect
Flash freezing has another benefit—it keeps all the chemicals in cannabis intact, enabling the entourage effect. While most smokers attribute the effects of weed to THC, scientists are discovering that terpenes and cannabinoids work in tandem to create the unique effects of each cannabis strain.
The Last Dab
Congratulations, you now know how to smoke live resin! We hope you enjoy the benefits of more THC, terpenes, and taste! Now, share your knowledge—and your bowls!
Stock up on live resin, dab rigs, and more at The Joint, the best cannabis store in Canada! We stock the largest selection at unbeatable prices. Stop by one of our convenient locations today, or shop online for same-day shipping!
