Educational Feature ►
Soil to Oil
What can the Missouri cannabis market expect to see from concentrates .
by Rocco Scarcello , contributing writer
While many medical marijuana patients across Missouri have become familiar with the different cannabis products available and how they could help a patient achieve optimal effects , a new wave of consumers will be flocking to their local dispensaries when the adult-use recreational market opens in February . Many people know what to expect from smoking flowered marijuana but could feel less certain about the effects of concentrated marijuana products , leaving them feeling less certain that choosing one will benefit them as desired .
Per WeedMaps , cannabis concentrates are similar to more commonly concentrated products , such as orange juice concentrate . After the most desirable parts ( cannabinoids and terpenes ) are distilled down , the result is a purer collection of cannabinoids and terpenes , which give the cannabis its taste , effects , and more .
There are multiple ways to achieve a concentrated form . While the process the concentrated form was created can impact potency , shelf-stability , and taste , the final product can still be similar in nature regardless of whether , for instance , your sugar was created through Butane Hash Oil ( BHO ) or with CO2 .
While learning and understanding the differences between methods of creating the concentrate can be important — especially to a seasoned concentrate user — it is often more critical for a beginner to learn what even constitutes a “ concentrate ” product . It can be confusing if over-analyzed , but ultimately , it helps to realize that “ flower ” refers only to the marijuana put into a smoking apparatus ( such as a pipe or joint paper ). At the same time , concentrated products would include anything else made with the refined parts of cannabis , except for edibles , tinctures , and rubs / topicals , which are their own entity . This list does , however , include popular product types such as wax , shatter , sugar , cartridges , and diamonds , but is not limited to just these as more products continue to find their way from cultivation lab to consumer storefront .
Among non-concentrate smokers , a common rebuttal when asked why they haven ’ t tried concentrates is , “ I just like smoking flower .” There is absolutely nothing wrong with this ! However , when analyzing the trends of other markets , we can safely assume that concentrates will begin to make up a larger portion of the Missouri market as 1 ) more Missourians who previously didn ’ t use marijuana when it was illegal incorporate themselves into the adult-use recreational market , and 2 ) traditional flower smokers begin to branch out into products to which they have not been accustomed or exposed .
“ The most obvious “ why ” is that concentrates are more popular in established cannabis markets ,” FlowHub reports , “ perhaps due to the fact that beginners are more likely to stick with familiar products like edibles and flower .”
Despite still trailing flower in total sales across the country ’ s legal marijuana sales , there is indication that concentrates will pick up in popularity with the recreational market hitting Missouri . FlowHub reports that from a national perspective , in 2021 , flower only contributed to 59 % of sales , while concentrates and edibles combined
Many varieties and brands of edibles , tinctures , rubs , and topicals are now available in Missouri .
Drinks ►
◄Flavored Suckers
◄ Transdermal Patches
▲Gummies
�Potato Chips
�Balms and Ointments
50 January 2023