Wax/Shatter/Badder/Budder

Wax and shatter are both made using hydrocarbon, non-polar solvents and filters, to chemically extract cannabinoids and aromatic compounds . Examples of solvents commonly used are n-butane , Isobutane, propane , hexane , and di-methyl ether. Essentially it is a lot like making a reduction, or other processes commonly found in the kitchen like making tea or coffee. Cannabis material with trichomes is exposed or soaked in one of these solvents , and the solvent’s outside electrons attach themselves to cannabinoids, aromatic compounds, and fats from the plant tissues. The solution is then filtered to remove all solids, and placed into a vacuum chamber and gently heated for a period of hours or days, until the solvent has completely evaporated out, leaving behind a concentration of cannabinoids and aromatic compounds. These solvents are capable of dissolving parts of the leaves themselves, like waxes and fats, which are usually considered a contaminant because they serve very little purpose when smoked or vaporized. They will make a concentrate taste bad or smoke/vaporize harsh. The very best of these concentrates have extremely low levels of these waxes. Laboratory testing determines how much of the solvent is left in the final product, and the requirements are very stringent, testing to the parts per billion! Acquiring these types of extracts from a licensed and compliant retail outlet is recommended, as residual solvents can be extremely bad for your health when combusted and inhaled. Gasses like butane and propane also usually have smell producing chemicals added to them like methy-mercaptan, because they are naturally odorless and can be dangerous if you don’t know they are there. Licensed producers all remove the smelly stuff or buy gas that doesn't have it for their process. Hydrocarbon extraction can also pull out pesticides and other bad chemicals, so a hydrocarbon extract made from plants with these types of toxic substances can actually contain high levels of these compounds , due to the concentration factor. These are among the reasons that TWC never carried these types of products, along with the fact that these types of processes can be EXTREMELY dangerous to attempt without proper equipment and training, as these solvents tend to be very flammable . Examples of this type of concentrate that we carry are Beezle cured badders, the OZ crumbles and shatters, and the Moxie products, Raw Garden products, Loudpack, Summit Boys, Wox, Connected, Phinest, Eel River, Dimebag, anything that says “resin, badder, budder, crumble, sugar, sauce, diamonds”.

-Kevin Moon, Director of Extraction at Tahoe Wellness Center