*DISCLAIMER*
Currently, The SNCC has not licensed any producers that produce cannabis concentrates.
Cannabis concentrates will be an integral addition to the Six Nation’s regulated cannabis industry in the future.
There is currently NO anticipated date for when customers can expect to see SNCC-licensed concentrates in licensed retail locations.
Follow our social channels for updates.
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Cannabis concentrates (also known as extracts) are inhalable or ingestible products made from extracting cannabis flowers. As a result of extraction, concentrated forms of cannabis are made into products like cannabis oil, wax, hash, distillate, etc. Cannabis concentrates are legal for sale under the Six Nations Cannabis Control Law (SNCCL) when sold through SNCC-licensed retail stores and produced by SNCC-licensed manufacturers.
These products, because concentrated, have higher levels of cannabinoids like THC and CBD and are usually known for having long-lasting effects that are felt shortly after consumption.
What are Concentrates?
Concentrates, which are also commonly referred to as extracts, is a type of cannabis product made up of multiple different variants based on the extraction method of the cannabis. There are many methods of extracting cannabis, which have created an abundance of concentrates types. All of these methods have the goal to extract and isolate the cannabinoids and terpenes, some concentrates aim to isolate certain compounds more than others. Other products are referred to as Full Spectrum because they keep all of the original plant compounds in the final extract product.
After extraction, the concentrate will vary in texture and form but can come out as a thick honey-like liquid, a crumbly substance similar to cheese, a glass-like solid, and so on. Depending on the method of extraction and the way it is cured and stored, the concentrate’s final form is always different from other methods.
What’s the difference?
Cannabis users can orally ingest certain concentrates or orally inhale its vapour when heated up, but extracts are very different from consuming edibles or smoking cannabis flowers. Extracted cannabis products have a much higher concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes, hence the name concentrates. The high level of plant compounds left in these products makes them much more potent than regular cannabis products. While 30% is regarded as high for cannabis flower, cannabis concentrates on average come in at anywhere from 40% to 90% depending on the extraction method.
“A cannabis extract, that is a cannabis retail product — or that is contained in a cannabis accessory that is a cannabis retail product — must not contain a quantity of THC that exceeds 1000 mg per immediate container, taking into account the potential to convert THCA into THC. “
(SNGRCC: Division V: Cannabis Extracts and Cannabis Topicals, 146 (1) )
How Do Concentrates Work?
Despite concentrates being much more potent than other cannabis products, the body breaks it down the same way it does when inhaling cannabis flower smoke or orally ingesting an edible.
This means inhaling concentrate vapour hits the user just as fast as cannabis smoke would. The cannabinoids in the concentrates vapour are instantly absorbed through the lungs and to the brains producing the product’s effects that are felt within minutes of consumption. These effects may last longer than that of cannabis flower smoke because of the higher potency.
When ingested orally, the body processes edible cannabis through the digestive tract. The cannabinoids are metabolized through the blood and liver and are released into the brain and nervous system, generating the experience. Digestion is different for everyone, based on factors such as weight, metabolism, and food consumption. These effects are felt anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours after consumption, with some users not feeling the products peak until 4 hours after consumption. For some, effects may last up to 12 to 24 hours which is why it is always recommended by health officials to Start Low and Go Slow by taking 2.5 mg and waiting at least an hour before taking more.
What Are The Types of Concentrates?
There are many different concentrates, all of which have different extraction processes distinguishing them from one another. One way that is used to classify extract from each other is whether or not they used solvents in their extraction, meaning there are both solvent and solventless concentrates.
Solvent Extracts
Shatter, Wax, Crumble, Oil, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), Live Resin, Distillate, and more!
These are known for using solvents like ethanol to extract cannabinoids and terpenes from the cannabis plant. When done right, these products are completely harmless to the user as the solvents have been safely disposed from the product during the extraction process. Users can consume solvent extracts by SNCC-licensed producers and be confident that it’s safe because the producer has to follow the SNGRCCL and Six Nations of the Grand River Cannabis Control Regulations (SNGRCC).
Solventless Extracts
Hash, Ice-Water Hash, Freeze-Dried Hash, Live Rosin, Rosin, Dry-sift Kief, and more!
These are known for being extracted without the use of any solvents, but instead use things like heat, pressure, ice, water, and sifting tools. These products contain all of the original cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant since nothing has been modified or changed from the plant in the extraction process
How Do You Consume Concentrates?
Cannabis concentrates come in a solvent form and produce a vapour, unlike cannabis flower that produces smoke. Because of this, the methods of inhaling this cannabis product require many different consumption devices.
Rig
Similar to a bong, the rig is a multi-piece glass apparatus that uses water to filter out the vapour with water. Rather than flame being put to the concentrate, a torch is used to heat up a glass piece named the “nail” which resembles a deep glass bowl. The user puts a small piece of the concentrate into the nail after it’s been heated to the desired temperature. Before inhaling, a glass topper piece is put on top of the nail to keep the vapour in the rig. The heated nail evaporates the concentrate as the user is inhaling, producing a vapour that produces effects almost immediately.
There are also electronic rigs, where the user chooses their exact temperature using the device’s buttons and screen. Instead of a glass nail, it is replaced with a quartz or ceramic bowl. This can be easier to use, require fewer tools, and be a less overwhelming experience for the user.
Vapourizer
Cannabis concentrate pens have gained a lot of notoriety over the last few years, solidifying themselves as one of the newest and most popular methods of cannabis consumption. Unfortunately, due to the black market concentrate vapes being filled with contaminants which made people sick, they have been affiliated with being unsafe for consumption. The SNCC can promise cannabis users from Six Nations Territory that SNCC-licensed cannabis products are safe and free of contaminants.
Concentrate vapes are usually disposable and sold with the concentrate already in them, most commonly distillate, live resin, or live rosin. They either come without the battery as a single cartridge or come with the battery as a full unit product. Either or, they are disposable after the concentrate has been finished. Vape cartridges have to be hooked up to a compatible battery, in order to use. Vape batteries operate on either a button or inhale mechanism that triggers the coils inside the cartridge to heat up, producing vapour from the concentrate. Batteries also sometimes have different temperate options for users, allowing them to choose whatever they find most comfortable.
There are also concentrate vapes that aren’t disposable and are sold without concentrate the user drops their own concentrate inside of the vape coils, closes it up, and uses the batteries mechanisms to inhale the vapour produced.
These vapes are a discrete and easy-to-use cannabis consumption method that doesn’t require the user to inhale too much to feel the effects that are felt shortly after inhaling.
Ingesting
While the idea of how cannabis users consume concentrates is usually thought to be a rig or vape, ingesting them orally is always a method of consumption depending on the product.
Similar to edible cannabis products, some concentrates too can be consumed orally. Notably, products like oral sprays, oral oils, sublingual strips, and capsules are made with concentrates which have been prepared to be orally ingestible.
RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) and Distillate are two cannabis concentrate that can be consumed orally, as the THC in both of these products has already been activated through decarboxylation.
Just like edibles, these products can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours to feel, with effects potentially lasting 12-24 hours. As always, it is recommended to be sure of your dosage before consuming any of these products, and as always to Start Low & Go Slow.