Distillate vs. Live Resin: Understanding cannabis vapes
With convenience and accessibility becoming an increasing demand of our busy lives, the need to medicate quickly and discreetly is a frequent request I see patients bring into the dispensary. Often patients are looking to relieve their medical condition in a discreet manner since unfortunately smoking your favorite flower isn’t always a practical option. When met with these requirements, I often recommend different THC cartridges due to their quick onset time and lack of pungent odor lingering around afterward.
While cartridges are extremely convenient, the wide variety of options and cannabis vocabulary required for cartridges can seem daunting and often steer patients away from trying a new consumption method. To understand the key differences between these product types, I will break down the meaning behind these words and phrases for further understanding. When looking into different cannabis concentrate products, it’s important to understand the product types your local dispensary has available. Most THC cartridges are going to be labeled “Distillate Resin” or “Live Resin”. While other varieties do exist, understanding the basic differences between these two options provide a solid base for anyone exploring the concentrate market.
Distillate cartridges are created with the sole goal of isolating the THC compound itself, leaving the user with a product containing high THC percentages. Recently I have been enjoying distillate cartridges from many Missouri brands such as AIRO, The Clear, and Timeless. Products like AIRO Midnight Moon give me a quick rush of relaxation and calmness, perfect for treating my anxiety conveniently and efficiently. Compared to other consumption methods, distillate cartridges most noticeably give me a strong head high, noticed within minutes of the first inhalation. Thanks to the high THC content, distillate cartridges are a great option for relieving different medical needs quickly and conveniently.
While distillate cartridges isolate the THC compound itself, Live Resin cartridges were created for almost the exact opposite reason. The word “Live” means that the product is frozen after harvest to help preserve the terpenes that the plant naturally possesses. Through freezing the plant after harvest, the product now contains a full spectrum combination of cannabinoids and terpenes for the user to indulge in. In my experience, this full spectrum entourage effect contained within live resin cartridges gives me a comparable high as the one I get from flower products. The entourage effect is met through combining cannabinoids and terpenes, which the live resin options are able to provide where the distillate cartridges sometimes fall short.
This month I had the pleasure of sampling the Mango Love Live Resin cartridge from Proper, a Sativa leaning hybrid strain made from crossing Mango Haze with Love Affair. The Mango Love greeted me with a quick burst of energy, helping me to get through my busy day maintaining a functional yet medicated state of mind. I found this strain to help me with my social anxiety, providing me with that quick social burst I look for in my Sativa products. The cartridge had a strong flower taste and smell, a common characteristic of most live resin products. Proper never seems to fail with their elegant packaging, and I was actually rather impressed with the hardware the company used for their vape cartridge also. Functional air holes are included in the mouthpiece, allowing the user to adjust the airflow to their desired level. The Mango Love cartridge is tested at 84.57% THC, and retails at $65 throughout different Missouri dispensaries.
As the medical market continues to expand here in Missouri, our patients should be able to access the information needed to further understand what product types are available to them in the Show-Me State. Distillate vs live resin cartridges is just one topic that I find myself often reviewing with patients in the dispensary, illustrating the need for information and guidance in this area. Distillate products deliver high THC content, perfect for those searching for higher percentages to help them reach their medical needs. Live resin products help to deliver a full spectrum experience to the user, the perfect solution for a standard flower smoker who happens to be on the go. I recommend all patients to widen their horizons and try something new, you never quite know where your favorite product might be waiting for you!
Dustin Alexander brings years of pharmaceutical experience to the cannabis field and his role as a Budtender at Kansas City Cannabis. Dustin strives to help patients meet their medical needs, combining his experience with his growing passion for cannabis. Dustin’s work is dedicated to giving back to an industry that he knows and loves while helping Kansas City Metro patients to maximize their daily quality of life through cannabis.