Can you eat live resin?

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, “Can you eat live resin?”. Read on to know about different ways to consume live resin, how to store live resin and much more. 

Can you eat live resin? 

Yes, you can eat live resin. You can consume live resin through dabbing, vaping with a dab pen and sprinkling. 

What is live resin?

Live resin is a kind of dark yellow cannabis concentrate that is made from freshly harvested cannabis that is quickly frozen to a subcritical temperature before and during the extraction process, bypassing the drying and curing stages.

Live resin uses fresh, frozen cannabis flowers cut from the grow before they’ve been dried or cured, and then processed within hours of harvest resulting in elevated terpene levels. Terpenes give a superior terpene profile because it captures the terpenes of a live plant as opposed to that of the dried and cured flowers used in most BHO concentrates (1).

This way, live resin retains many of the plant compounds, together with the fragile trichomes comprising terpenes and flavonoids that account for flavor and aroma. 

This distinguishes it from different concentrates produced from dried and cured cannabis plants. 

How can we consume live resin?

Live resin is a more rubbery concentrate, that is not too wet and not too soft. It is overly gummy, so you will require a dab tool to grip it. It can be enjoyed in various ways that include:

Dabbing

The most prevalent method to consume live resin is by dabbing. It is quite an easy method where you set the concentrate on a heated container and inbreathe the vapors. 

Special equipment called a dab rig is used for this purpose. It is a water pipe that has a flat bowl or a nail. The nail is made from a substance that can resist higher temperatures without contracting, unlike glass containers that are utilized in bongs to smoke flowers.

To place the concentrate on the piping hot nail, a dab spoon is used. Next, the nail is heated with a lighter, commonly butane lighter. It must be noted that an extremely hot nail would scorch the live resin and its taste and aroma. 

Whereas, a cold nail won’t cause it to evaporate completely. The optimal temperature lies in-between 315-400℉.

As soon as the heated nail is prepared, the live resin is scooped out with a dab spoon, and placed on it. It will evaporate, and this is the time to inbreathe it in from the opposite side, called a mouthpiece. 

The vaporized oil is absorbed incredibly quickly through the lungs. The onset of a dab is intense and felt within seconds. This rapid effect is extremely disorienting to some people and can also be overwhelming. Dabbing can result in the development of tolerance to the effects of cannabis. Also, any adverse effects of THC tend to be amplified when dabbing, so dose control becomes crucial (2).

Vaping

Another way to consume live resin is by vaping. It can be done both by using a vape pen and a nectar collector. It uses the exact method of heating the coil and evaporating the concentrate as the dab rig. 

Another simple and easy method is to use a vape pen with a live resin cart, which requires just attaching it to a cell and smoking it. 

Vaporizers work by heating herbal cannabis or extractions to a temperature at which the active ingredients boil off and form an inhalable vapor, but below the temperature at which these ingredients approach precombustion or combustion. Typically, a cannabis vaporizer will not exceed 428°F (220°C), since this is the temperature at which the two cannabinoids with the highest boiling points, CBC and THCV, vaporize (2).

Sprinkling 

Another easy way to consume live resin is by sprinkling it on the packed bowl of flowers when using a bong. Just ensure to not light and burn it at the first shot. 

In addition, it can also be wrapped around the joint or blunt. 

How to store live resin?

To conserve the aromatic taste of the live resin for a prolonged time, proper storage of the live resin is important. 

For beginners, it must be preserved away from heat, light, moisture, and direct air. 

It must be stored in an airtight container, to guard it against degradation and retain its consistency and texture. 

Prefer storage containers made from glass or silicone concentrate, as they are ideal to preserve cannabinoids and terpenes. Silicone is typically recommended since it is easy to scratch the gummy concentrate on it. 

Light and temperature can drastically damage and break down the resin. To prevent this, you should know how to properly store it. Keep the concentrate container in a cold place, which could be in a fridge or a chilly room away from sun rays. 

Be certain the container is airtight as the direct air can cause it to lose its potency, and can also alter the color, texture, and taste. 

Cannabis products should never be kept in temperatures over 80°F (27°C), nor should they be transported in a hot and confined space—such as a glove box or truck—except when stored in a chilled, well-insulated container. A lot of cannabis chemical compounds get ruined by relatively short exposure to high heat (2).

Even better, divide the cannabis liver resin into two or three dose portions and freeze them. Thaw one portion as needed in the refrigerator, and continue to store it there until it’s finished (2).

What distinguishes live resin from other cannabis concentrates?

Live resin is different from other concentrates including shatter, rosin, or other butane hash oil derivatives due to its higher terpene range. 

Not to mention, a more detailed terpene value can provide a different and extra complex experience, due to the entourage effect, i.e., the way all the different cannabis compounds act together to make a venture.

Lovers of cannabis concentrates give higher preference to flavor and aroma together with the impacts, so there is a great requirement for live resin concentrates.

Conclusion 

In this brief guide, we have provided an answer to the question, “Can you eat live resin?”. We have also elaborated on different ways to consume live resin, how to store live resin and much more. 

References 

  1. Kuppuram, G. Decriminalizing Marijuana: The Science and Social Sustainability Behind the use of Marijuana (Cannabis) in India. J Assoc Res, 2021, 26, 10-27.
  2. Backes, Michael. Cannabis pharmacy: the practical guide to medical marijuana. Hachette UK, 2014.

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