You know that terrible feeling that hits when you have to start Googling the slang all the kids are using just so you can feel like you’re not careening faster and faster toward death? We never want you to feel that way again! Well, in the world of cannabis anyway. That’s why we’ve put together this handy little glossary.
Everyone knows there are hundreds of different ways to refer to cannabis (reefer, weed, pot, grass, broccoli, jazz cabbage, etc.), but what about the other stuff? What if you buy one of our cannabis accessories and want to sound cool to all your pals when you show it to them at the next safety meeting*? That’s what we’re here for.
Here’s our list of some common cannabis consumption terms and their meanings:
*safety meeting: when friends, relatives, acquaintances or lovers come together to share their love of cannabis via their preferred consumption method.
Use it in a sentence: “Hey, wanna come outside for a safety meeting? My buddy has a joint we can share.”
budtender: similar to a bartender, a budtender is a cannabis dispensary employee who helps you with your cannabis purchase.
Use it in a sentence: “My budtender recommended this great new hybrid strain.”
grinder: a device used to break up the cannabis flower before rolling it into a joint or loading it into a pipe or bong, for a smoother smoking experience. Grinders (link to grinders) come in different shapes and sizes, and can look like miniature cheese graters, cylindrical containers full of spikes, or more elaborate devices.
Use it in a sentence: “Hey can I borrow your grinder so I can break up this sticky bud?”
kief: the white, fuzz-like stuff that covers cannabis flowers, and contains a high concentration of THC. If you’re using a cylindrical grinder, the kief is usually left behind because it sticks to the spikes in the grinder. Some grinders come with special chambers that collect the kief so you can use it later by sprinkling it into a joint or onto a bowl.
Use it in a sentence: “We should roll this kief into our joint so it’s extra potent.”
torch: a torch is exactly what it sounds like… but some torches (link to torches) are made specifically for cannabis consumption and are most commonly used for dabbing, but could work for any type of consumption method that requires lighting the cannabis.
Use it in a sentence: “If you’re going to dab, you’ll need to heat up the nail with your torch first.”
bowl: the hollowed receptacle of the pipe or bong (link to water pipes) where you pack the ground cannabis before lighting it.
Use it in a sentence: “I’m going to pack a bowl if you want to smoke.”
filter: a small piece of cardboard or paper that’s folded, rolled and inserted into the mouth end of the joint to prevent bits of cannabis from entering your mouth when you smoke it, and allowing you to smoke all of the cannabis to the end without burning your lips.
Use it in a sentence: “I prefer to roll my joints with filters so I can smoke them all the way to the end.”
roach: the last little bit of a joint that has been smoked.
Use it in a sentence: “I’m done with this joint. Anyone want the roach?”
hit: a single inhale of cannabis smoke or vapor, similar to a ‘toke’ or a ‘drag’.
Use it in a sentence: “Hey, can I get a quick hit off that joint?”
one-hitter: a small hand pipe that fits a small amount of cannabis; usually enough for about one or two hits.
Use it in a sentence: “I didn’t bring a joint, but I have a freshly packed one-hitter.”
dugout: a carrying case for a one-hitter hand pipe (link to one-hitters) that also includes space to store a small amount of cannabis to load into the one-hitter.
Use it in a sentence: “Check out this sweet dugout (link to dugouts) I got for my one-hitter!”
cotton mouth: a side effect of smoking cannabis in which the mouth becomes abnormally dry, also sometimes referred to as ‘the pasties’.
Use it in a sentence: “My cotton mouth is pretty bad. Can I get a glass of water?”
dab: a dab is a small dollop of concentrated cannabis that usually looks like sticky oil, sometimes also called ‘wax’, ‘shatter’ or ‘budder’.
Use it in a sentence: “Hey, wanna do a dab with me? No, I’m not talking about the dance.”
dab rig: a complex set-up of gear that resembles a bong but is specifically designed for doing dabs (aka smoking cannabis concentrates).
Use it in a sentence: “I want to do some dabs at home but I need to buy a dab rig first.”
Keep this list of cannabis terms in your pocket and you’ll never feel like Steve Buscemi posing as a high school kid ever again.
Got any favourite cannabis terms or slang you want to share? Let us know on Instagram or Facebook (especially if you coined the term yourself).
To learn even more about different ways to enjoy cannabis, check out our post: Cannabis Consumption 101.