As parents of teens, many of you may have overheard the terms honey oil, wax, dabs, budder, shatter, or black glass. These terms don’t refer to a new brand of candy or soft-drink. Instead, they are street names for marijuana concentrates that are becoming more popular among teenagers recently. Surprisingly, about one in four teens admit to having tried marijuana concentrates at least once. What is even more alarming is that seven out of ten kids who use marijuana also use the concentrates. With that in mind, let’s look at what they are and why we should be concerned about teens using marijuana concentrates.
How is Marijuana Concentrate Made?
Several different methods are used to extract THC. The butane extraction process involves stuffing cannabis plant material into a pipe or glass container. The material is heated with a butane torch or lighter. The THC content from this process can be as high as 80 to 90%.
The final consistency of the concentrate is what determines the nickname. For instance, shatter refers to the glass-like consistency that shatters when handled. Budder, wax, or sap are the names to describe other textures of the concentrate that result from this process.
Also, with the butane method, the final product contains traces of contaminants from the butane along with pesticides or other ingredients.
How Do People Use Pot Concentrates?
One popular method of ingestion involves infusing the concentrate into food or drinks. However, smoking is the most popular method. Teens may use water or oil pipes to smoke pot concentrates. However, ingestion via electronic cigarettes, known as e-cigarettes, is gaining popularity. This method is a smokeless and odorless way to ingest pot concentrates without detection. It also produces an instant high. Teens refer to this as dabbing or vaping, which sounds harmless, but can be quite dangerous.
Is It Dangerous? Effects of Dabbing or Vaping
The most pronounced effect of dabbing or vaping is that the high concentration of THC causes intense psychological and physical side effects similar to those experienced with plant marijuana abuse. Overall, these effects include anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks, and hallucinations. The product can also cause increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure. Users can also experience withdrawal symptoms and risk of addiction.
The dangers of teens using marijuana concentrates are not yet fully known. However, experts agree that a young brain that is still developing can suffer adverse effects with repeated marijuana use. Lasting effects experienced by heavy pot users are learning disabilities, poor memory, and depression. Some chronic users of marijuana have respiratory and lung issues similar to those of long-term cigarette smoking.
Do Teens Face a Risk of Addiction to Pot Concentrates?
The risk of addiction is due in part to the highly concentrated THC levels. THC is the part of marijuana that causes a “high”. High doses of THC increase the risk of addiction, psychosis, and cognitive impairment.
In many cases, parents are unaware that their child is using marijuana concentrates. As a precaution, the FDA has imposed tighter restrictions of e-cigarettes in hopes of reducing marijuana abuse.
Article Source: bestdrugrehabilitation.com
