What are Dabs?

Dabs, in the simplest terms, are a processed form of marijuana where the THC concentration is much higher than in the flower form or even in traditional hash. Dabs are also known as wax, oil, or any of a dozen names based on the particular form the concentrate takes, such as honeycomb, shatter, or budder.

As dabs are becoming more popular, discerning budtenders are needed to help people manage their dosages and make recommendations to help people get the right medication or high for their purposes.

A Surge in Popularity

Dabs first started to become popular on the West Coast. Originally, budtenders sold dabs by request only, but now it’s out on the shelves in the open on the shelves. And it’s flying off those shelves: California budtenders report that dabs now account for 40% of sales at dispensaries there. The phenomenon is also spreading across the country, and as it spreads a number of scare stories associated with it are seen as a threat to the legalization movement. However, it remains less popular in other areas. Denver budtenders often report sales of dabs as being 10% or less of total sales, though that number is growing and varies greatly from shop to shop.

How Strong Are We Talking Here?

The concentration of THC in dabs varies widely, though it seems that even cheaply and poorly made dabs have a THC percentage of 60% or more. More purified forms can reach concentrations of 90%. Even though buds are a lot stronger than they used to be (15% THC compared to 5% that was common in the 1970s), that’s still a lot stronger than you can get smoking the flower.

Vaporizing dabs, too, can be more versatile because you don’t need as much material, and it’s easier to put them in things like vaping pens.

A Real Danger or a Generational Shift?

There are a lot of warnings coming out of the marijuana community about the use of dabs as being potentially dangerous, or, at least, not natural. They point out that the processing used to make dabs contaminates the marijuana, and that the use of nails—metal posts that are heated to vaporize the concentrate—leads to further contamination.

There’s also a sense that this might be a generational shift in marijuana usage. You get the sense when older users complain about youths eschewing the traditional 4:20 toke for the 7:10 vape. People who grew up smoking weed and promoting its natural source and health benefits are unhappy that the younger generation is going for an unnatural concentrate that doesn’t meet their standards of what quality marijuana should be.

In the marijuana industry, budtenders have to take the active role in ensuring that the right customer or patient gets the right product. This requires experience, judgment, compassion, and the ability to assess a person’s experience and needs.

If you think you have what it takes to be a quality budtender, we can hook you up with budtender jobs across the country. Please contact Ms. Mary Staffing today to learn more.