By Steven Voser

From hash and kief to budder and wax—cannabis concentrates are rising, offering expert smokers access to a whole new world of aromas, flavours, and effects. In this article, we'll help you better understand the budding world of weed extracts by shining a light on the differences between solvent vs solventless cannabis concentrates.

Cannabis Concentrates 101 — Understanding the Basics of Weed Extraction

Cannabis extracts come in a variety of textures, from brittle shatter to sticky wax. Besides their texture, the aromas, flavours, and potency of weed extracts can vary depending on the strain and process used to make them. However, there is one common denominator that unites all cannabis extracts: they're all made by stripping cannabis plant material of its resinous, frosty trichomes, which contain the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds known to give weed its unique effects. To do this, concentrate producers can use either solvent or solventless extraction methods.

Trichomes

What Constitutes a Solvent in Cannabis Extraction?

At the moment, three main solvents dominate the concentrate market:

  • Alcohol
  • Butane
  • Supercritical CO₂

When these solvents come into contact with cannabis flower or trim, they help to separate trichomes from the plant matter. In some cases, they also separate individual compounds found in the cannabis plant, allowing manufacturers to more easily isolate cannabinoids and terpenes, for example. However, because of their toxicity, some solvents (particularly butane and CO₂) need to be purged from concentrates before they can be safely consumed by humans. In markets where solvent-based extracts are legal, laws have been put into place to regulate how much solvent residue is tolerated in cannabis concentrates.

The way a solvent is purged from a concentrate can contribute to the final texture of that extract. Agitation during the purging process, for example, is what helps give budder and wax their thick consistency. Shatter, on the other hand, must not be disturbed during the purging process to produce a fine, brittle end product.

Solvent cannabis process

Advantages & Disadvantages of Solvent vs Solventless Extraction

Solvent extracts exist because solvent-based extraction methods hold unique advantages over more traditional, solvent-free methods. These advantages include:

  • Higher yields are possible thanks to higher rates of extraction, reducing the need for manufacturers to source high-grade raw material (e.g. flower or trim)
  • Cheaper end products
  • Come in a wide variety of textures, from viscous oil to solid shatter
  • Very precise extraction
  • Simplified process for the isolation of individual plant compounds

Of course, solvent-based extraction also has numerous shortcomings, including:

  • Need for expensive equipment
  • Dangerous processes (such as purging) call for trained professionals and properly equipped facilities
  • The use of toxic solvents, which need to be properly purged from extracts to ensure a safe end product

Solventless extraction methods also have their strengths, which is why they are still used today. These include:

  • Simple and safe mechanical processes, such as dry-sifting or pressing
  • More expensive and "natural" end products that come in various textures, from powdery kief to sticky rosin
  • Bypasses the purging process, as solventless extraction methods typically do not use toxic chemicals

Meanwhile, some of the disadvantages of solventless extraction include:

  • Lower yields due to less-efficient extraction methods
  • Top-shelf raw material (flower and trim) is needed to produce high-grade solventless extracts

Solvent vs Solventless Cannabis Extracts: What You Need to Know

So, you now know the basics of how cannabis extracts are made and where/how solvents come into play in the extraction process. But what does all this mean for the end user, and what are the main differences between solvent and solventless extracts? Moreover, how do solvent vs solventless extracts stack up in terms of purity and potency?

The Main Differences Between Solvent vs Solventless Extracts

As we learned above, solvent extracts such as BHO or tinctures, for example, are made using solvent-based extraction methods. Solventless concentrates, such as hash and rosin, on the other hand, are made using mechanical extraction methods, such as ice-water extraction, dry-sifting, or pressing, and therefore do not need to be purged.

Solvent vs solventless

Which Extracts Are the Cleanest?

The fact that solventless extracts are made without the use of solvents often makes them appeal to health-conscious cannabis users and purists. To these users, solventless extracts offer a cleaner, purer, and less-contaminated final product. And, at first glance at least, this logic seems to ring true. However, in reality, the line separating the purity of solventless and solvent-based extracts might not be so clear-cut.

Solvents, for example, allow concentrate manufacturers to extract higher concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis plant matter, even when using mid-grade raw material. The BHO sold at North American dispensaries, for example, regularly tests at up to 90+% cannabinoids, whereas solventless extracts such as hash test at around 40–75%. Moreover, whereas solventless extracts such as hash, rosin, or kief often contain a mix of cannabis compounds, the use of sophisticated machinery allows solvent extract manufacturers to more easily isolate and concentrate individual cannabinoids/terpenes. Some users find the high concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes made possible by solvent extraction to be indicative of a purer end product.

Which Extracts Are More Potent?

The potency of a cannabis extract is typically determined by two main factors:

• The potency of the strain and plant material used to make the extract

• The extraction process used

Solvents greatly facilitate the stripping of trichomes from both live and cured cannabis plant material. Solvent-based extractions, therefore, typically extract much higher concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes from plant matter than more mechanical processes. In fact, one of the main advantages of solvent-based extraction is its ability to produce great yields without having to search out the biggest, most resinous flowers (as is the case when making solventless extracts). Hence, if you’re after maximum potency, solvent extracts are definitely the way to go.

Solvent vs solventless 2

A Note on Solvent-Free Extracts

Solvent-free extracts are similar to solvent-based extracts in that they are made using solvent extraction. However, what makes solvent-free concentrates different is that they undergo a process known as distillation which helps to purge all the solvent from a concentrate. The main type of solvent-free cannabis extracts on the market today are CO₂ distillates, which are typically used in vape cartridges and pens.

Types of Solventless Extracts

There are many types of solventless extracts out there. Below we’ve broken them down into a few main categories.

Hash

Hash is arguably the world's oldest cannabis extract. It contains fine cannabis trichomes that are heated and pressed into homogenous balls or bricks for easy transportation. Some of the most iconic varieties of hash include:

  • Charas or temple balls: These hash varieties originate from South Asia and are made by rubbing live cannabis flowers between the hands, causing the resin to stick to the palms, forming a black tar-like substance that is pressed together and rolled into balls or cylinders. Some famous charas varieties include Nepalese temple balls and Indian Malana Cream.
  • Dry-sift hash: Originating from the Middle East and Africa, dry-sift hash is made by sifting dry cannabis flowers over sieves to separate and collect kief (a fine powder containing mainly trichomes) which is then heated and pressed into bricks. Some famous dry-sift hash varieties include Red Lebanese and Afghan Black.
Hash types

Ice Water/Bubble Hash

Ice water hash can be made from flash-frozen fresh or cured cannabis flowers. The buds are mixed and agitated in ice water to help separate the trichomes from the rest of the plant material. The result is a fine, crystalline powder similar to kief, though with a more sugary appearance. Bubble hash is the same as ice water hash, and gets its name from the bags (called bubble bags) used to filter the trichomes from the frozen flowers.

Rosin

Rosin can also be made from both freshly harvested and cured cannabis flowers (rosin made from fresh cannabis buds, you guessed it, is called live rosin). The buds are pressed using specialised rosin presses to create a small amount of thick, sticky sauce that's loaded with cannabinoids and terpenes. Rosin typically has a bright, golden honey-like colour, while its texture can vary from a greasy sauce to a crystalline wax or glassy shatter (often called pull ‘n’ snap).

Rosin

The History of Cannabis Extraction

Cannabis' history is long and complex, with archaeological evidence suggesting it might be one of mankind's oldest crops, used for industrial purposes, as a spiritual aid and medicine, as well as to produce food. And while dabbing and BHO might be modern creations, it seems that the process of using concentrated forms of cannabis also dates back thousands of years.

Hash is commonly considered the oldest form of concentrated weed, and archaeological mentions of hash/hashish[1] date back as far as 1123 BCE. Bhang, while more of an edible than a concentrate, also has a rich and long history of use across the Indian subcontinent, along with charas and other hand-rolled extracts.

In his book Getting High: Marijuana through the Ages, historian John Charles Chasteen makes the case that hashish originated in the "medieval Muslim world" and was eaten rather than smoked (at least until the 1500s, when tobacco was first introduced to these regions). In the later chapters of his book, Chasteen explores the role hashish played in Muslim society as "the-intoxicant-not-prohibited-by-the-Qu'ran" and an alternative to fermented alcoholic beverages—a staple in the European diet (though hashish use was also criticised by Muslims).

Europeans were likely introduced to hashish in the 18th and 19th centuries through trade as well as military campaigns (like those led through Egypt by Napoleon, for example). A famous illustration of European affection for hash is Paris' famed Club des Hashischins, where the intellectual elite would indulge in hash and opium. In the 19th century, cannabis concentrates also served as a staple of medicinal practice in the New World, and were readily available at pharmacies across the US.

The Hash Explosion of the 21st Century

In recent years, the world of cannabis concentrates has exploded with new extraction methods that have given rise to a novel wave of super-potent solvent-based extracts, commonly known as dabs. In the US, for example, the market for dabs in states like Colorado, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington grew by over[2] 40% from 2019–2020. BHO varieties such as shatter, wax, and budder, along with terp sauces, live resin, and CO₂-extracted vape oils are among some of the most popular dabs in legal US markets.

The stark rise in popularity of modern concentrates has recreational users to explore more traditional extracts, including dry-sift hash, which is making a comeback as a staple on modern dispensary menus.

Welcome to the Wild World of Weed Concentrates

The market for cannabis concentrates is booming. From oil and shatter to wax and rosin, there's no shortage of weed extracts out there, each offering unique potencies, flavours, and aromas. Solvent extracts like BHO offer a world of differents textures as well as high concentrations of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds for an elevated experience. Solventless extracts, on the other hand, preserve more traditional production methods and offer a chemical-free alternative without sacrificing flavour, aroma, or effects. Whether you choose solvent or solventless extracts largely comes down to your personal preferences.

DisclaimerExtracts, concentrates, and oils used for dabbing are among the strongest cannabis products available. Proceed with caution when using substances high in THC. Start with low doses and slowly increase over time to build up a tolerance to the compound.

Remember: Set and Setting will help you deal with various situations.

Stay Cultivated

Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: