Your First Dab Sesh

Dabbing is smoking weed concentrate from a dab rig

If you don’t smoke weed, but want to try your first dab anyway...don’t. Or, at least understand this: If you’re not fluent in smoking weed already, then don’t start off dabbing first. It may be overwhelming if you don’t know what to expect. Smoke weed first. Not just a hit off a joint, pipe or one-hitter. Take a bong rip.

The bong, by design, delivers more smoke per toke to seasoned partakers. Bongs have a large chamber. The chamber can be liquid and/or ice cooled to tame the harshness and high temperature of the hit. The chamber is where the hit is stored, until you are ready to draw it in. 

Dab rigs do the same thing, but a dab rig delivers an even MORE potent hit. Dab rigs are very similar to a bongs. One of the main differences between a dab rig and a bong is what you are smoking in it. You smoke weed concentrate in a dab rig. You smoke weed flowers in a bong, generally speaking. 

Marijuana has many nicknames; bud, flowers, green, grass, herb, hippie lettuce, nuggs, pot and many others… When many people say weed, oftentimes what they are referring to are the weed flowers (buds). This is the most commonly smoked weed. It’s usually consumed in papers, cones, blunt wraps, pipes and bongs. Marijuana concentrate comes in many forms too; wax, oil, budder, shatter, rick simpson oil, hash and many others. What goes in a dab is NOT buds. A dab can be a number of different concentrates.

There are so many different ways to enjoy the benefits of cannabis now. It’s our responsibility to become aware, and to be as specific as we can be in our language. Legal marijuana is widely available now, both recreational and medicinal. There are more and more options on how you can enjoy your cannabis too. Legal marijuana information and resources are widely available. Talk to your budtender. Dispensaries employ knowledgeable and helpful budtenders. Their mission is to help you make the most of your eating, smoking, and dabbing sessions.

I’m already a bong-ripper so let’s get to the dabbing already.
All of these marijuana concentrates are made from the marijuana plant. They are transformed into a much more dense form. Weed concentrate is more dense in size and shape than weed flowers. AND, weed concentrate is more dense in THC content than weed flowers...waaaay more dense. Remember, THC is the component in the weed that makes you feel high.

The top shelf marijuana flowers (weed) you’ll find available in medical and recreational dispensaries (in states where it is legal), usually clock in at around 20%. Concentrates are usually 40% - 80%, and can get even higher! Concentrates can have four times the THC than buds...so concentrate can be four times stronger than buds. Weed concentrate tends to be more expensive than weed flowers.

Have a seat.

Do your first dab with someone you trust, that has already dabbed. Also, please be seated on the couch when you do your first dab. Have a glass of water handy.

Light it up.

Fire up the torch. One of the essential tools in dabbing is a butane torch. Light it and hold it to the banger bowl. You'll want to have a good grip on the dab rig with one hand, while holding the torch in the other hand. You'll want to heat the entire bowl, evenly, so you'll need to be able to move the dab rig around, while making sure you are clear of the heated part.

Move the flame around so that the bowl heats evenly. You should hold the flame to the bowl until the bowl is very hot. You will know when it is fully heated when the bowl appears to glow. Then, turn the torch off, and put the torch down. Never leave the torch on when it's not in your hand.

Cool it down.

Give the bowl one full minute to cool down. This is very important. Pro tip: If you have a clock with a second hand on the wall, this is an easy way to time a minute. Use your phone, or a timer, or whatever, but wait for a full 60 seconds for the bangor bowl to cool. You don't want to inhale a hit that is too hot Be very careful with the torch and the super heated bangor bowl. Don’t get burned. Proper cannabis usage alleviates pain.

Dabbing

Now that the bowl has been super heated, and cooled a bit, take the dab tool and scoop out a little concentrate into the dab bowl. All you need is a tiny bit. One hand should be holding the not super hot body of dab rig, clear of the hot part. The other hand is scoops the bit of concentrate directly from the concentrate jar, and into the banger bowl. Scrape the concentrate off the tool, and into to bottom of the bowl. Now put the dab tool down, on the dab mat, and pick up the carb cap. Immediately start drawing in slowly and steadily.

You’re taking a toke, your first dab. Use the carb cap to cap the bowl, and control how much outside air you let in, as you try to evenly cook the concentrate. If you are using terp pearls and balls, swirl the bowl around to cook it evenly. You can hold your hit for a long or little as you like. You should be feeling the effects of the dab almost immediately. The desired effect is the same high feeling you would get from smoking weed, but even more intense. 

Exhale and enjoy.
After you have dabbed, just put all the tools down, sit back, and relax. Just let the buzz wash over you. Some dabbers say that not only do they feel higher dabbing than smoking, but the effects tend to last longer.

Clean Up.
Many dabbers clean their bowl with a q-tip and alcohol after each hit. It’s best practice to clean your glass with glass cleaner as needed.

Summary:
There are many ways to enjoy cannabis. Besides eating and smoking, dabbing is very popular. If you are ready to dab, ask advice from someone who has been there. Consider this a how-to for your first dab sesh.

Disclaimer:
This is not medical advice. You know your body. For example, if you have asthma or allergies or other respiratory conditions, you might want to consult your medical Dr. before smoking or dabbing. Maybe try an edible instead of smoking.

And, don’t buy weed from anywhere other than licensed dispensary. Really. It’s tempting, but it is illegal, and untested. The weed you get at a State licensed dispensary is tested by an accredited lab. The results are printed on each and every marijuana package. It’s the law, and it’s there to protect us.