Silver Owl’s Lingo: Our Most Commonly Used Terms Explained

We recently posed a question to our Instagram followers: “What would you like to see us discuss in greater depth?” One of our followers requested a breakdown of the terms we use when we’re discussing our products. So by special request, we’ll be taking a look at the words and phrases we use the most with this entry.

If you’ve been wondering just what the heck we’ve been talking about on our website and in our social media post, but have been too shy to ask about something you’re seeing, this article’s for you! Before we begin, it’s important to note that many of these terms describe the exact same kinds of products and activities you’ll see from the cannabis scene; however, since all Silver Owl CBD, CBG, Hemp and Delta 8 products feature exclusively hemp derived contents, we’ll only be talking about hemp derived cannabinoids and their uses in this article.

And that’s totally okay- in most cases, the same terms began being used about both industrial hemp derived products and medicinal or recreational cannabis derived products and activities at the same time. The terms you’ll be reading are extremely interchangeable!

General Terms Worth Knowing

Let’s start with a breakdown of some general words and phrases you’ll see and hear us kicking around, shall we?

Cannabis- A plant that’s coveted for its purported medicinal and recreational benefits, but is currently considered illegal by the federal government and has only recently been legalized for certain uses in a growing number of states. Cannabis is almost always cultivated to maximize its yields of the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) compounds responsible for its well-known highs.

Hemp- A form of cannabis that’s been cultivated for industrial use, rather than its purported medicinal or recreational effects. Industrial hemp still has plenty of purported medicinal and recreational effects to share with its users, but won’t get them high.

In fact, industrial hemp grown in greenhouses and on outdoor farms naturally tends to produce THC compounds as roughly 1.0% of its total cannabinoid contents (THC’s psychoactivity is largely considered to start expressing itself at approximately 5.0%)- and under the federal laws established by the 2018 Farm Bill, an industrial hemp plant and the products made with its derivatives are only considered nationally legal if they contain less than 0.3% THC. Anything higher than 0.3% and the entire finished product is required to be documented and destroyed in a federally compliant manner.

Cannabinoid- Any hemp derived compound such as CBD, CBG and Delta 8.

Endocannabinoid- A cannabinoid that’s been organically produced by our bodies or converted from the hemp derived cannabinoids we’ve ingested.

(Did you know that we produce our own cannabinoids and use our own supplies on a constant basis? How cool is that?!)

Endocannabinoid System- Like our cardiovascular and central nervous systems, the Endocannabinoid System is a series of receptors, organs and processes found in the bodies of every person and animal on Earth. The Endocannabinoid System is responsible for producing endocannabinoids for our bodies’ daily uses, processing the cannabinoids we introduce from external sources and delivering their effects to our minds and bodies. This system is also responsible for regulating practically every process in our bodies, which is why we get so much from the use of hemp derived cannabinoids!

Entourage Effect- When two or more cannabinoids are introduced to our bodies together, they synergize in a cooperative dance that greatly enhances the effects of each cannabinoid involved. This Entourage Effect allows us to get the most out of every hemp derived cannabinoid we use and is definitely worth exploiting for your own personal gain.

This is also the reason raw hemp and Full/Broad Spectrum Extracts are so highly prized. It’s like a good old fashioned swing dance: the more participants, the merrier!

Extract/Concentrate- These terms refer to any kind of material pulled from the hemp plant via any number of processes (more on that later).

Distillate- This is a slightly generic term for an extract pulled from the hemp plant with the use of solvents, then refined into an amber colored oil full of nothing but activated cannabinoids ready for any number of uses: vaporization, cooking, adding to flower, you name it!

Isolate- By further refining distillates down to a single desired cannabinoid, we’re able to produce extracts like CBD Isolates and CBG Isolates. These look like a white powder composed of microscopic cannabinoid crystals.

Full Spectrum- Generally speaking, most distillates are used as-is rather than being further refined into a quantity of a single isolated cannabinoid. These Full Spectrum Extracts contain all of the cannabinoids produced by hemp- including its trace amounts of Delta-9 THC.

Broad Spectrum- As an added step, some manufacturers like Silver Owl prefer to remove the Delta-9 THC contents from their Full Spectrum Extracts. This allows a user to get the most from the Entourage Effect without being exposed to THC and risking a failed drug test.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s take a closer look at the terms we use when discussing our most popular CBD, CBG, Delta 8 and industrial hemp products.

Dabs

We talk about dabs and dabbing, like, all the time. For most of us here at Silver Owl HQ, dabbing is our favorite way to deliver cannabinoids to our Endocannabinoid Systems. The term “Dab” is a colloquial term that became more popular in use over the past decade as the cannabinoid market witnessed a renaissance of sorts in its concentrate selection.

As hemp derived concentrates largely began improving in quality and access to these products increased, these terms were taken from a retro hair styling product’s ad claiming that “a dab’ll do ya!” and repurposed to describe the potent effects swiftly produced by a single, small serving of a hemp derived concentrate that’s been vaporized into an inhalable gas.

There are many forms of hemp derived cannabinoid concentrates out there. Here’s a quick breakdown on the forms most commonly discussed here and elsewhere:

Shatters- These concentrates are made by blasting raw hemp flower with various solvents- such as butane, propane and alcohol- to produce a cannabinoid rich hemp oil, then “purging” these solvents from this oil with a process involving the application of low heat levels and constant vacuuming of the solvents as they’re released from the bubbling oil.

The end result is a hemp derived concentrate that’s usually clear with a slight hue of gold and breaks off in shards when it’s cold, hence the name.

Waxes- Like shatters, waxes are derived from hemp using a process of applying and later purging solvents. The only difference is that waxes are whipped as they’re purged, producing a concentrate that’s more like a batter.

Live Resins/ Live Sugars- Live extracts are produced with solvents too. However, these are made with full hemp plants- not just the flower buds- that have been immediately put in an industrial freezer or flash frozen with the use of liquid nitrogen. This freezing process allows more of the hemp plant’s cannabinoids and terpenes to be extracted through the blasting process.

At the time of this article’s publication, Silver Owl’s about to release its Delta 8 Live Sugar Waxes to the general public. If you’ve never tried a live extract before, these are highly worth buying online or in a store near you!

Diamonds- A form of hemp derived live resin extract, diamonds go through a more intensive extraction and refinement process than the typical live resins and sugars. The end result is a crystalline concentrate that looks like one or several gems in a jar. These are often coated with a hemp derived, terpene rich jelly (hence the commonly used term “diamonds in terp sauce”) to produce the flavors a pure rock of cannabinoids wouldn’t be able to on its own.

Looking to try some diamonds without crossing over into the realm of medicinal or recreational cannabis consumption? Try some Silver Owl Delta 8 Diamonds In Terp Sauce (formerly known simply as Delta 8 Dabs) for a dab unlike any other!

Rosins- A unique and rare form of hemp derived concentrates, rosin dabs are made without the use of solvents. Instead, raw hemp flower is pressed in a machine that applies intense pressure and a low heat to the buds, naturally pushing out a cannabinoid and terpene rich oil that can be dabbed straight out of the press. By definition, all rosins are inherently considered full spectrum extracts.

Live Rosins are even more rare, but you might see them out there in the industrial hemp marketplace. These dabs are derived from hemp that’s undergone the same freezing procedures used in live resin extracts.

Bubble Hash/ Full Melt Bubble Hash- Like rosins, these extracts are also made without the use of solvents. However, rather than relying on the application of heat and pressure, the hemp flower used to produce bubble hash undergoes a process of bathing in cold water filled with ice while being constantly stirred and sifted. True to its name, bubble hash melts in a stunning display of the magma-like popping of sizzling golden oils that adds a delightful visual element for a dab session.

Flower

When it comes to the use of hemp derived cannabinoids, the premature buds of the female hemp plant’s flower is the most commonly used part of the plant in North America these days. This material naturally produces the highest concentrations of these compounds found in the plant.

Here are some terms we use quite frequently in discussing hemp flower:

Buds/Nugs- The premature flowers of a female hemp plant. These are most highly prized when their plants have been secluded away from the pollen of male hemp plants, preventing pollination and the resulting production of seeds, and drawn from fully female plants (hemp plants often tend to become hermaphrodites, expressing the reproductive organs of both male and female plants).

Sensimillia- Another term for seedless hemp flower, sensimillia buds have been carefully cultivated to avoid the plant’s production of seed content. By dodging fertilization, a fully female plant won’t need to reallocate resources away from the production of cannabinoid content towards nurturing its fertile seeds. Ergo, sensimillia tends to possess much higher concentrations of cannabinoids than seedy nugs.

Kief- Also occasionally referred to as pollen (albeit a bit incorrectly), kief is the greenish-golden powder that falls off the flower buds as they’re stored, shaken or grinded up for use. This is actually made up of trichomes, the crystalline molecules composed of cannabinoids like CBD and THC that represent themselves as microscopic stalactites found growing on the surface of the flower.

Delta 8 Flower- Delta 8 hemp is essentially just regular flower that’s been treated with a hemp derived Delta 8 THC Distillate, most often applied by spraying heated distillate directly onto the buds, to produce psychoactive effects similar to those found in the use of medicinal or recreational cannabis- but far less potent than the effects of cannabis derived Delta-9 THC.

Moon Rocks- One of the scene’s most highly sought and coveted products, moon rocks are made by dipping raw hemp into distillate (usually a full spectrum CBD or Delta 8 distillate), then “breading” the soaked nugs in kief- exactly like you might bread egg-dipped chicken breasts in flour or breadcrumbs before frying them in your kitchen. These can be broken up and used like any flower (smoked, vaporized, cooked with, etc.), but are much more potent in cannabinoid content than the standard buds of the hemp plant.

Other Products

Of course, the Silver Owl CBD Company uses hemp derived cannabinoids to produce far more awesome CBD, CBG and Delta 8 products than just a collection of dabs and the occasional Moon Rocks. Here are some of the terms we use to describe these:

Tinctures/Oils- In the context of the products we personally manufacture, a Tincture is a bottle of organic MCT Oil (medium chain triglyceride coconut oil)that’s been infused with desirable hemp derived cannabinoids and the occasional essential oil for flavor to deliver the benefits of the hemp plant without the use of the flower itself. This includes Silver Owl CBD Pet Oils, CBD Tinctures, CBG Tinctures, Broad Spectrum Tinctures and Delta 8 Tinctures.

Topicals- A topical is any kind of hemp derived product meant to be used exclusively for external applications to the skin of the human body. This includes Silver Owl CBD Creams and Lotions, CBD Freeze Balms and CBD Freeze Roll Ons.

Edibles- As their name implies, edibles are any kind of product designed to deliver hemp derived cannabinoids to their users’ systems by being eaten and broken down by the stomach, introducing their contents to the blood stream via the process of digestion. Though the Silver Owl CBD Company isn’t currently manufacturing any CBD, CBG or Delta 8 edibles, this may change down the line.

Did We Miss Something?

If you see us use a term that didn’t make this list and you’d like to have it better explained to you, reach out to us any time at hello@silverowlcbd.com. We’d be happy to do this again sometime!

Disclaimers

*Please be aware: due to the current legal classification of Delta 8 THC in some regions, we cannot ship Silver Owl Delta 8 products to the following states at this time: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, Rhode Island and Utah. Any Silver Owl Delta 8 products ordered to these states will be removed from their corresponding orders.

*You must be 21 years of age or older to buy ALL Silver Owl products, including Silver Owl Delta 8 products.

*All Silver Owl CBD, CBG and Delta 8 products are derived from Industrial Hemp and are in compliance with H.R. 2: The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill.

*All Silver Owl CBD, CBG, Delta 8 and Hemp products contain less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws.

*Silver Owl Delta 8 products are psychoactive and should not be used by anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding or otherwise adverse to ingesting Delta 8 THC or trace amounts of Delta 9 THC.

*If you are concerned about ingesting cannabinoids- specifically trace amounts of Delta 9 THC- please consult your physician or other licensed medical professional prior to using Silver Owl Full Spectrum, Delta 8 and Hemp products.

*Silver Owl Delta 8 products may affect blood pressure, heart rate and/or intraocular pressure in some people. If you have any known or unknown heart, blood pressure, eye pressure, or similar/related issues- or if you are at risk of developing such conditions- do not use these products unless recommended by a doctor.

*Unless otherwise specified, Silver Owl products are not intended for animal use. Some of the ingredients found in Silver Owl products could prove harmful or even fatal if consumed by an animal. Please contact your nearest emergency veterinarian services if you suspect your pet has consumed a Silver Owl product not intended for their use.

*These products and statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent or otherwise manage any disease, illness, injury or similar condition in any way, shape, or form.