As a registered medical marijuana patient, you’ll have access to a variety of different cannabis products at Louisiana pharmacies.
Cannabis oils, which can comprise concentrates, topicals, CBD oil, and RSO, are not only differentiated by their type, but also in the way that they’re made.
Cannabis oils can be made by using any number of techniques, and the way that an oil is produced will affect its flavor, taste, and use.
Some products are made using solvents such as chemicals or liquids, while other cannabis oils are made without using solvents. Some products are full-spectrum while others are considered live extractions.
In this article, we’ll look at the different types of cannabis oils including how they’re made, and which cannabis oils to look for at your local Louisiana pharmacy!
The Different Types of Cannabis Oils by How They’re Produced
Different Types of Concentrates & Vape Cartridges
Cannabis oils are one of the most versatile creations in the cannabis industry, and they can take many different forms.
We’ve already explored the different types of cannabis oil products, and now we’ll look at the different categories of these products based on their production.
Concentrates are one of the biggest categories in cannabis oil products because the extraction method that is used to create hash entirely changes its composition, taste, and aroma.
Wax isn’t made the same way that full-spectrum oil is, and live resin is made using a completely different process than rosin.
The wide variety of cannabis products offered may seem overwhelming at first, so we’ve broken it down into a simple list of different types of concentrates based on how they’re made.
Full-Spectrum, Live Resin, or Rosin? List of Different Concentrates Based on How They’re Made
There’s no standardized discount available on cannabis, and each pharmacy will have their own unique discount or reward programs available at their discretion.
Alcohol – Not as widely used as a solvent for cultivators nowadays, often used by home-based extractions for tinctures & topicals.
Badder – Can be solvent-based or solventless, whipped under heat to create a consistency similar to that of cake batter .
BHO – Butane Hash Oil, a mostly outdated way of making sauce or distillate, though butane is still commonly used for solvent-based concentrates.
Bubble Hash/Water Hash – Solventless extraction made by using water, ice, and filters to form trichomes into a paste.
Budder – Like badder, but typically wetter and smoother, can be solvent-based or solventless.
C02 – C02 is a common solvent used to make many vape cartridges and some types of wax. Often cleaner and better tasting than BHO or distillate.
Crumble – Dried oil that crumbles, very little moisture. Can be solvent-based or solventless.
Diamonds – Diamonds, aka THC Crystalline, are crystalline structures that form in the production of distillate. When extracted, these hard crystals offer some of the highest concentrations of THCA, reaching up to 99.9%. Commonly paired with sauce, solvent-based.
Distillate – Distillate, also known as sauce, is the generic oil that is produced using solvent-based extraction methods, regardless of the chemical used.
Ethanol - A solvent used to separate and isolate terpenes and cannabinoids, commonly used for tinctures and certain full-spectrum products.
Full-Spectrum – Products that maintain the highest concentration of terpenes and cannabinoids possible, typically using C02 extraction, hydrocarbon extraction, and includes solventless extractions like heat pressing.
Isolate – A completely isolated compound at its highest level of potency, such as 99.9% THC, typically flavorless and without aroma, but with maximum strength.
Kief – Dried trichomes that have fallen off the cannabis plant, can be acquired through solventless extraction.
Live Concentrates – Concentrates that have gone through a freezing process to preserve cannabinoids and terpenes, can be solvent-based or solventless.
Rosin – The prime choice for concentrate enthusiasts, rosin is a solventless extraction method that uses heat presses to extract the oils from cannabis flower. Often preferred for its enhanced flavor.
Shatter – Typically solvent-based (BHO), shatter is a hard and translucent form of wax that appears more like a pane of brown glass.
Solvent-Based – Concentrates that are made using chemicals or additives to remove or separate compounds like cannabinoids and terpenes. Solvent is removed entirely from the product before it’s ready for consumption.
Solventless – The preferred choice for many patients, solventless concentrates are made without using any additional substance to extract compounds. Common solventless methods are heat pressing and water hash.
Sugar – Concentrate with consistency of sugar, often 70% – 90% THC and most commonly solvent-based.
Wax – One of the most common types of concentrates, wax is often the baseline to making other types of concentrates. Often solvent-based, wax has the consistency of soft honey.
Why Cannabis Oil Production Matters to Medical Marijuana Patients
Solvent-Based vs Solventless – The Pursuit of Flavor & Cleaner Hash
Perhaps one of the most controversial topics relating to hash is whether patients should use solvent-based concentrates or solventless concentrates.
Solventless concentrates do offer the natural extraction of cannabinoids and terpenes without introducing harmful chemicals, though solvent-based concentrates will have their chemicals removed before they’re ready to be consumed.
Solventless concentrates are hailed as the king of flavor and aroma, so if you’re looking for the cleanest product and best flavor, Live Rosin is the best choice for you.
Live rosin is a solventless extraction that is frozen to keep the terpenes and cannabinoids at their maximum potential and offers an unbelievably strong and pleasant flavor.
Solvent-based concentrates are far more common, however, and they are most likely what you’ll find at Louisiana pharmacies.
Full-Spectrum Concentrates, CRC Technology & Synthetic Terpenes
With the wide variety of extraction methods available to cultivators, it’s no surprise that many companies choose to cut corners.
It’s important to look out for methods that might not benefit you as a patient as much as they do the processors, and a few types of cannabis oil products are notoriously prone to these practices.
Full-Spectrum products tend to benefit processors more than patients because the term itself is pretty broad. These extracts are often used simply as titles, though there is no difference between this product and any other cheaper option.
While this isn’t always the case, if you’re noticing little differences between the full-spectrum options and regular distillate, it’s probably best just to stick with distillate.
CRC, or, color-remediation column technology is another common trick that cultivators will employ to make undesirable, unattractive concentrates look brighter and more appealing, while the quality stays the same. These concentrates are relatively easy to spot as they’re typically bright yellow and may taste harsh or unpleasant.
Synthetic terpenes are another potential red flag to be aware of if you are shopping for medicine at the pharmacy, though there aren’t any requirements for synthetic terpenes to be listed on medical marijuana products in Louisiana.
Terpenes can be botanically-derived or synthetically-derived (made in a lab), and while there’s limited information regarding the safety of synthetic terpenes, most patients prefer to consume only the compounds from the cannabis plant.
Get Your Louisiana Medical Marijuana Certification Today
Louisiana’s medical marijuana program allows patients to consult with a physician online to obtain a medical marijuana certification.
Beat the lines and get your medical marijuana certification in Louisiana today, and you can even get certified for medical marijuana online for ease of use and convenience.
For questions about Louisiana’s medical marijuana program, or how to become a medical marijuana patient in Louisiana, consult with one of our trusted doctors and book an online medical marijuana appointment today!
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Louisiana Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (833) 253-2943, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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