With recreational cannabis sales slated to begin on Oct. 17, many Canadians are understandably still hazy when it comes to essential weed words like 鈥渟ativa鈥 and 鈥淐BD.鈥 To help you navigate the lingo of the new legalized landscape, here鈥檚 an easy guide.
What鈥檚 the difference between 鈥榗annabis,鈥 鈥榤arijuana鈥 and 鈥榟emp鈥?
鈥淐annabis,鈥 the word used in , refers to a genus of Asian flowering plants in the Cannabaceae family -- a family that also includes hops and hackberries -- that have been cultivated for millennia for their medicinal and psychoactive properties.
鈥淐annabis鈥 is frequently used interchangeably with the word 鈥渕arijuana鈥 (sometimes spelled 鈥渕arihuana鈥), a term that originated in Mexico but is viewed by some as being racially-charged.
鈥淗emp鈥 primarily refers to cannabis plants raised for commercial purposes, such as making textiles, rope, cosmetics and food products like hemp seeds, which are high in protein and essential fatty acids. Hemp usually has negligible levels of the chemical compound that gets you high.
Then what鈥檚 鈥榙ope,鈥 鈥榩ot鈥 and 鈥榳eed鈥?
Depending on where you are from (or what decade you were born in), common slang terms for the cannabis plant (or the dried parts of it that are smoked) include bud, chronic, dope, ganja, grass, green, herb, Mary Jane, M.J., pot, reefer, skunk (for cannabis with a very distinctive smell), trees, wacky tobaccy and weed. There are many, many more.
What does 鈥榮ativa鈥 and 鈥榠ndica鈥 mean? Are there different types of cannabis plants?
There are two main cannabis species: Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica. 鈥淪ativas鈥 tend to have more energizing and cerebral effects when used recreationally whereas 鈥渋ndicas鈥 tend to have more sedative and physical effects.
In terms of physical differences, indica plants are darker, shorter and bushier than sativas, which are tall and lean. A third species, Cannabis ruderalis, is rarely cultivated.
There are different types of sativas and indicas, which are called 鈥渟trains,鈥 and these often have marketed names like 鈥淪our Diesel鈥 and 鈥淏ubba Kush.鈥 鈥淜ush,鈥 a term sometimes used interchangeably with cannabis, can refer specifically to indica strains that originated from the Hindu Kush mountain range that straddles Afghanistan and Pakistan.
A 鈥渉ybrid,鈥 moreover, refers to a plant that is a genetic cross between different cannabis strains. Hybrid strains, which can be indica- or sativa-dominant, are bred to combine desired traits from their parent plants.
So what are 鈥楾HC,鈥 鈥楥BD鈥 and 鈥榗annabinoids鈥?
Put simply, 鈥渃annabinoids鈥 are a class of approximately 100 known chemical compounds that are responsible for both cannabis' psychoactive and therapeutic effects. The most significant cannabinoids are delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (or 鈥淭HC鈥 for short) and cannabidiol (or 鈥淐BD鈥).
THC is the psychoactive compound that causes you to get 鈥渉igh.鈥 It can often be seen as tiny crystal-like 鈥渢richromes鈥 on the plant. CBD is responsible for many of the plants鈥 physical effects and has been used to treat anxiety, pain, inflammation, insomnia, nausea and even epilepsy in the medical world. When cannabis becomes legally available for recreational use in Canada, products will be labelled with THC and CBD percentages. The higher that number is, the more potent the product.
You may also hear the term 鈥渢erpene,鈥 which refers to a broad class of organic compounds that give cannabis strains their distinctive flavours and aromas. The 鈥淏lueberry鈥 indica strain鈥檚 terpene profile, for example, is said to give it a sweet, berry-like taste. Terpenes are also believed to impact different strains鈥 effects.
How will cannabis be sold?
The female cannabis plant鈥檚 dried flowers are what are most often used by recreational users. Also known as 鈥渂uds,鈥 dried cannabis flowers tend to be dense and sticky. They also contain the highest proportion of cannabinoids in the plant. Rather than being bright and pretty like roses or daisies, cannabis flowers look more like clumps of dried oregano. The plants鈥 leaves, stalk and stems are seldom consumed recreationally.
Cannabis oil, which will also be available on Oct. 17, refers to a product in which cannabinoids are extracted from plants and sold in liquid form.
In addition to dried cannabis flowers and cannabis oil, fresh cannabis, live cannabis plants and cannabis seeds have also been authorized for sale on Oct. 17.
There are also 鈥渃oncentrates,鈥 which are extremely potent and may not be legally available in October. They have names like 鈥渂udder,鈥 鈥渟hatter鈥 and 鈥渨ax.鈥 Smoking concentrates is often called 鈥渄abbing.鈥 鈥淗ashish,鈥 or 鈥渉ash鈥 for short, is another common cannabis-derived product that鈥檚 made from the plants鈥 resin glands, which contain cannabinoids like THC and CBD. This brownish substance has been used for centuries across Asia.
鈥淒ispensaries鈥 refers to the shops that have been openly selling medical cannabis across Canada over the past few years, often illegally. Those working the counters at such shops are called 鈥渂udtenders.鈥
How is cannabis consumed?
The most common way to use cannabis is by smoking its dried flowers, either in a hand-rolled cigarette-like 鈥渏oint鈥 or in a pipe. Other common slang terms for 鈥渏oint鈥 include 鈥渟pliff鈥 and 鈥渄oobie.鈥 A 鈥渂lunt鈥 is a joint rolled in a tobacco leaf, much like a cigar. When purchased already manufactured, a cannabis cigarette is called a 鈥減re-roll.鈥 A 鈥渂ong鈥 refers to a pipe that has a water-filled chamber. Slang synonyms for the act of smoking cannabis include 鈥渉it,鈥 鈥減uff鈥 and 鈥渢oke.鈥 If you鈥檝e smoked so much that you get paranoid, lose the ability to converse or get locked to your couch, you might be experiencing a 鈥greenout.鈥
Cannabis can also be 鈥渧aporized,鈥 in which an electronic device, known as a 鈥渧aporizer,鈥 is used to heat dried cannabis flowers (or cannabis oils) to create a cannabinoid-laden vapour. Because vaporizing does not combust the entire flower, some believe it is somewhat better for your lungs than smoking, much like e-cigarettes are when compared to traditional cigarettes.
Cannabis-infused food products -- such as so-called 鈥渟pace cakes鈥 and 鈥渟pecial brownies鈥 -- can also be consumed recreationally. Known as 鈥渆dibles,鈥 these won鈥檛 be available for purchase until about a year after legalization goes into effect. Such products are usually made with dried cannabis flowers or cannabis oil. While consuming edibles is , edibles also tend to be much more potent and long-lasting. Cannabis oil can also be consumed orally.
