The outcome of the Green Rush so far — at least — is the marijuana products that have also emerged. Since not everyone enjoys smoking, the different forms of cannabis, such as flower and edibles, opened the floodgates for new cannabis consumers. Many of them have grown keen on topicals and tinctures. At the same time, just as many enjoy flower, whether by the gram or pre-rolls. Then, numerous concentrates are available in the market. As dabbing grows in popularity, so has vaping, and both gained a firm grip on the marijuana industry.
Still, it’s hard for consumers to understand all of the weed products available. The majority still look at flower as a sole option because of how versatile it is and how it ultimately produces different types of THC products. The wide range of products also allowed companies to focus on other cannabinoids. The CBD market has been growing by billions in a matter of years since it became legalized to sell hemp-derived products. This rapid popularity has also helped people better understand the plant and its derivatives while shedding the stigma that followed it.
Ultimately, cannabis companies are responsible for educating their consumers, whether through labels on custom dispensary supplies or having knowledgeable budtenders to serve their clients. There are several products, but we’ll break them down into four main types of cannabis products and explore them in-depth.
Four Main Cannabis Products
Flower
The OG method of consuming cannabis is flower, and it’s easily one of the most popular dispensary products we’ll mention in this article. These are the classic buds that local pushers used to sell in dime bags. These days, they come in two forms — buds sold by the grams or joints sealed in packaging for pre-rolled joints. flower is considered the ingestible part of the cannabis plant. Once harvested, dried, and cured, it’s prepared for consumption by the customer. Ultimately, flower can be smoked with anything from papers and blunts to bongs and pipes. So its versatility makes them one of the more attractive products available. Plus, it’s just a classic way to light up.
Concentrates, Extracts & Cartridges
The world of concentrates and extracts has expanded throughout the Green Rush. Concentrates, oils, extracts, cartridges, and similar types of weed products brought one of the most unique and effective methods of medication.
Concentrates: Concentrates, like wax and shatter, require a rig and some experience with cannabis. Before it’s sealed in sleek packaging for concentrates and ready for sale, it goes through a rigorous process of removing impurities while preserving cannabinoids and terpenes into a potent, taffy-like substance.
Extracts: Companies create extracts through a liquid solvent extract, as opposed to concentrates, which rely on physical separation. Usually, tinctures are alcohol-based and often consumed orally. Some examples of extracts include oral sprays and capsules.
Cartridges: The vaping craze shifted the tobacco industry, and it’s done the same with cannabis. It’s hard not to be drawn to the enticing packaging for vape carts when you walk into a dispensary these days. These are made with high dosages and require fewer hits than a joint to feel its effect. Through a battery, the oil heats up and is released as a vape, making it relatively odor-free and downright convenient. Not only are they more potent, thus providing more substantial effects, but vape concentrates burn at lower temperatures and don’t strain the lungs as much.
Edibles
Many people seek after the effects of THC or CBD without having to smoke or vape, and the ultimate solution is edibles. They’ve come a long way since the infamous homemade brownies that served as a rite of passage for millennial tokers. These days, brands have gorgeous designs and unique packaging for edibles to sell cookies, brownies, and more. Edibles don’t impact the lungs. Instead, THC metabolizes through the liver and often needs something like butter or oil as a binder.
Edibles aren’t limited to baked goods, either. It’s easy to score candies and chocolates infused with THC or CBD. At the same time, even mints have cannabinoid-infused into them. On top of that, there’s a massive market thriving right now due to soft drinks and other THC-infused beverages. The edible and beverage market is snowballing, with many investors betting on the latter for a massive break in 2023.
Topicals
Finally, we have one of the most overlooked ways of consuming cannabis: topicals. Throughout time, people looked at cannabis as a medication, and topicals are undoubtedly one of the safest consumption methods. Currently, CBD-infused topicals are taking over the market. Products like lotions, balms, and oils are becoming even more widely available than ever before. CBD’s therapeutic effects have been highlighted recently, especially with more celebrities creating their line of topicals (i.e. Martha Stewart, Travis Barker, etc.). Since you don’t ingest topicals, many people prefer this method. Another growing trend is CBD pet products — also in the form of topicals — which are proven to treat anxiety and other issues among animals.
Bottom Line
There are many choices for cannabis products available, and people aren’t limiting themselves to flowers or pre-rolls. Though these two sectors dominate the industry at large, much growth is happening in many other areas. Edibles and beverages continue to see spikes in sales each year while vaping has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years. The future of the cannabis industry isn’t set in stone, but you can undoubtedly anticipate a more versatile market in the coming years.
