Dab

A dab is both a small dose of cannabis concentrate and the act of consuming one. Dabbing means flash-vaporizing concentrate on a preheated surface — usually a quartz banger, nail, or ceramic chamber — and inhaling the resulting vapor through a water pipe or electronic rig. Because plant material has already been removed during extraction, dabs deliver a much higher concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes than flower combustion. Concentrates typically test at 60–90% THC and distillates can exceed 90%, compared with 15–25% for flower. The surface is heated (traditionally with a butane torch, increasingly by an electronic heater), allowed to cool to a target range, then a rice-grain-sized portion of concentrate is applied with a dab tool. A carb cap is placed over the surface to restrict airflow and trap heat. Low-temperature dabs, around 500–600°F, emphasize terpene flavor; high-temperature dabs above 700°F produce larger vapor volumes but degrade flavor and can generate irritating combustion byproducts. → See also: Shatter, Wax, Live resin, Rosin, Distillate (Part 3), onset and duration (Part 5). ---