Stoner Dictionary | Amber Glass
Amber Glass: noun 1. an extremely potent type of marijuana concentrate; a butane honey oil (BHO) extract
Example: “The amber glass I got at the clinic gave me serious couch-lock.”
Amber glass is a form of cannabis concentrate, often found at medical marijuana dispensaries. Because of the knowledge, work and danger involved in making this extract, it is not something that you would pick up at your every day dealer’s house. Butane honey oil describes the method used to extract the trichomes from the cannabis plant and is the most popular method used. Amber glass, as well as waxes, goos, and full melts, are made by passing pure butane over dry buds and leaves. The plant matter must be as dry as possible. In addition to dry cannabis and butane, a stainless steel or glass extraction tube, a cooking pan and a rectangular Pyrex baking dish are suggested materials for use as well. What differentiates amber glass from the other forms of butane honey oil is the texture and purity. At room temperature, concentrate that still contain some of the plant matter will be gooey like earwax. The purest extraction will be hard like glass with an amber tint and is sometimes frozen or refrigerated to retain this texture. Oftentimes, growers will make concentrates from the leaf trimmings. Though the leaves contain less THC, if you have a large quantity of trimmings from a highly potent plant, which growers normally do, you can still make a very potent concentrate without the use of buds.
Other methods of extraction include: water and ice, solvents (acetone, alcohol based), dry ice (shiva crystals) and CO2.
Amber glass and other BHO products are somewhat controversial in the medical marijuana world. While many dispensaries carry them because of their potency and demand, some do not by choice because it is in a bit of a legal gray area as far as medical marijuana laws are concerned. Also, the butane and solvent methods use an inorganic method of extraction which is not popular amongst the purests out there who would prefer water, ice or CO2 extractions. For those who are interested in executing this method, it is crucial that you are trained and taught (and by taught, I don’t mean by Youtube tutorials) by someone experienced, as butane is extremely flammable and dangerous if not done properly. When I managed my first dispensary, one of my concentrate vendors had a third degree burn scar that started at his legs and went up the side of his body, arm, neck and face from a BHO accident. Though he learned form his mistakes and willingly jumped right back up on that horse, understand that this method is not to be taken lightly. For those who just want to smoke it, this is high grade stuff with a THC percentage of anywhere from 62% to 74%. The kind green flowers you are so accustomed to smoking generally have a THC content of 15% to 25% and that is enough to get you blitzed. Imagine smoking something so pure that it is more than double the THC of what you’re used to. I get high just thinking about it. It is also not something that can be smoked out of good ol’ Bong Marley or Wesley Pipes, there are specific apparatuses used for smoking it or you can put it on top of a regular green bowl, but be careful because once it is lit it instantly turns to liquid. Amber glass, as well as other concentrates (i.e. earwax, goo, full melt, etc.), are not for novices. For those suffering from extreme pain, these concentrates are often the only medication strong enough to offer patients relief. For those experienced smokers who just enjoy being ripped out of their gourd, give amber glass a whirl!
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