The short answer to the question “Can I put live resin in a vape cartridge?” is “Yes.”
The long answer is “Yes, you should. A live resin cartridge works great. It’s definitely worth trying if you want something a little special from your cannabis experience.”
This article will explain everything you need to know about why that is.
But before we get into why a live resin vape cartridge is such a good idea, let’s talk about live resin itself…
What is live resin?
Live resin is a type of cannabis concentrate. However, it is different to other cannabis concentrates in at least one key respect:
Instead of using drying, curing or heating – as most other concentrate extraction techniques do – live resin creation relies on flash-freezing the cannabis plant material to cryogenic temperatures before a solvent such as CO2 or butane is passed through it and removed.
This difference is important for two reasons:
1) Terpenes and flavor
The terpenes, phytonutrients and many other beneficial parts of the cannabis plant are vulnerable to – and usually nearly or completely destroyed by – heat.
As the terpenes are responsible for the aromas and flavors which each strain of cannabis possesses, this means that most other types of cannabis concentrate lose a great deal – or sometimes all in the case of highly purified concentrates – of the flavors of the original cannabis plant during production.
Sometimes this is a design feature. In many cases, it’s an unfortunate byproduct…
Because terpenes give cannabis its flavor. In fact, these organic compounds are responsible for the flavors and smells of all kinds of plants as well as some insects. Some of the most famous terpenes include:
- Beta-pinene, better known as the aroma of fresh pine needles, but also found in many strains of cannabis.
- Limonene, found in cannabis as well as in the peel of citrus fruits, and responsible for their particular aroma.
2) The entourage effect and potency
The words “entourage effect” will inevitably enter any conversation on the subject of the efficacy of live resin.
The term refers to the synergistic effect created by the interaction of all of the elements of the cannabis plant on the body when they are consumed at the same time.
These elements include terpenes, phytonutrients as well as the other beneficial cannabinoids found in cannabis, such as:
- CBD (cannabidiol)
- CBC (cannabicromene)
- CBDV (cannabidivarin)
- CBG (cannabigerol)
- CBN (cannabinol)
The entourage effect magnifies the potency of the beneficial and psychoactive effects of the plant when it is used as a whole. Most cannabis concentrates will hobble the effect. On the other hand, live resin focuses on protecting it.
This means that you need far less live resin to produce an immediate, more powerful result than you would for another concentrate which contains a theoretically similar quantity of THC.
In turn, this means that many users find themselves Googling things like “how to store live resin”. Simply because they don’t need to use so much of it at a time and they need a way to preserve their supply.
(Hint: the answer is to store your live resin in a fridge in an opaque, air-sealed container.)
How do I use live resin concentrate?
There are several ways to use live resin concentrate. The element which they all have in common is heat. This is because of the importance of the decarboxylation process.
Decarboxylation is the process which turns the non-activated “versions” of the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant into the activated THC, CBD and so on which can interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system to produce the many effects cannabinoids do.
Heat is an important part of decarboxylation. Most other cannabis concentrates “activate” the cannabinoids within them during production. Live resin, because it uses that flash-freezing process, does not.
This means the way you use live resin must involve heat if you want it to have any beneficial effect. The most popular ways to use live resin include:
1) Dabbing
Dabbing requires a “dab rig”. This is a small collection of equipment which can be assembled into what is essentially a water pipe with heating element.
Doing dabs of cannabis concentrates is one of the most popular ways people like to take them. Dab rigs are perfectly suitable for activating live resin too.
The only really vital thing to consider is that the fragile terpenes and phytonutrients in live resin can still be destroyed if you use to much heat to activate the cannabinoids…
This means you need to carefully control the temperature to which you heat your nail (a major component of a dab rig), making sure you don’t allow it to get too hot. Conversely, if you don’t get it hot enough, you won’t unlock the full flavors and effects of your live resin.
2) Vape pens
Another incredibly popular way to consume live resin (especially if you want to be sure you are getting the maximum effect from your THC) is in vape pens and vaporizers.
You can buy THC cartridges for your vape which are already loaded with live resin for the ultimate convenience. You can also fill up re-loadable cartridges if that is what your pen takes.
With your live resin in a pen or vaporizer, there’s no need to mess about heating your nail to the right temperature. All you need to do is set your vape pen and inhale.
Do be sure to purchase a higher quality pen though. Any old THC vape pen is usable, of course. But for a high-quality, often pricier product like live resin, one which offers a connoisseur’s experience of fine flavors and aromas, you won’t want to damage it by the way you activate it.
Aim for a vaporizer with:
- A ceramic dish or crystal dual coil.
- The ability to change the temperature it heats to, as heating to a specific temperature is important with live resin. Not all vape pens offer this functionality, so be sure yours does.
Where do I find the best live resin carts?
Whether you are looking for the best live resin carts in Oklahoma or anywhere in the US, it’s important to check local laws and know that you are in compliance with them.
To legally buy live resin carts in Arizona, for instance, you need a qualifying medical condition and a valid medical marijuana license from the Arizona medical authority.
When purchasing your cartridges, always check the label to see how and where the cannabis they were made from was grown and harvested. For instance, every product in the world of K.I.N.D. is made from All-American cannabis homegrown, naturally and organically, in the United States.
You also need to check what the process used to create the live resin involved, the quality of product it has produced and whether that product has been properly tested.
For example, you can buy a huge variety of live resin carts in California. But not all of them will offer the same powerful, natural, fast-acting experience that most people have come to expect from live resin.
That’s because not all live resin is created equal. Check the quality of yours before you purchase your live resin vape cartridge and you will soon be on your way to a convenient as well as potent, flavorful and aromatic cannabis experience.
