Kief

Kief is the loose, powdery accumulation of detached trichome heads separated from dried cannabis flower through mechanical sieving, agitation, or grinder collection. It typically tests at 2–3× the cannabinoid content of the source flower, commonly 25–50% THC, because trichome heads concentrate the cannabinoid and terpene biosynthesis. Consumer-grade kief comes from grinder screens (around 100–150 µm) and kief boxes; commercial kief is produced in tumbling drums fed through graded screens. Kief is regulated as a concentrate in Oregon and similar states because it is mechanically separated trichome material with no solvent involved. Industry usage distinguishes casual, unrefined "kief" from deliberately micron-sorted "dry sift," though the two terms overlap heavily. Etymology traces to Arabic kīf (كيف, "pleasure" or "well-being"), historically a Moroccan term for both the product and the state of contentment it induced. Kief is commonly sprinkled atop flower in a bowl or joint, pressed into traditional hashish, or pressed under heat and pressure to produce rosin. → See also: Dry sift, Hash, Kief box, Rosin, Pollen