Technically, cannabis concentrates have been around for as long as people were pressing bricks of hashish. However, it’s only recently that dozens of new concentrates have flooded the legal cannabis market. Thanks to cannabis-friendly policies and advances in extraction technology, more manufacturers are creating high-potency weed extracts for consumers.
Shatter is one concentrate that has already achieved “classic” status in cannabis circles. First created in the 1990s, shatter is a potent product that’s closely associated with dabbing culture. Anyone interested in high-intensity hits should see if shatter fits their preferences.
What Makes Shatter So Special? — A Brief Overview
Most accounts of shatter’s origin suggest a Canadian extractor “BudderKing” was the first to popularize this concentrate. Although BudderKing was working on shatter in the 1990s, it wasn’t till the early 2000s that his product started gaining attention. As more cannabis fans spread the news of BudderKing’s invention, shatter soon became highly desirable in Canada and the USA.
The name “shatter” is a nod to its brittle & paper-thin appearance. When people break off a piece of this translucent concentrate, they typically hear a “snapping” noise. Most shatter concentrates look similar to stained glass and have a goldish hue.
Although every manufacturer has different techniques for making shatter, most rely on the solvent butane. Extractors will place cannabis in a specialized container and release butane to remove cannabinoids from plant material. Unlike many other concentrates, companies won’t agitate shatter once it filters onto a drying tray. Instead, manufacturers leave shatter alone to harden and achieve its distinctive texture and appearance.
There’s no standard cannabinoid percentage in cannabis shatter, but most of these concentrates contain over 60% THC content. If cannabis shatter is exceptionally brittle, chances are it has more THC-A than THC. By contrast, malleable shatter products may have more activated THC than THC-A.
Why Do So Many Consumers Want Shatter?
Like other cannabis concentrates, the primary reason people want shatter is to take advantage of its potency. Tokers need far less of a concentrate to achieve an intense high compared with dried flowers, edibles, and vape pods. However, with so many other concentrates to choose from, why would customers specifically request shatter?
Honestly, choosing shatter over other products is a matter of personal preference. Some people have an easier time working with shatter compared to soupier concentrates like wax or live resin. If you prefer working with dense substances, shatter has the ideal consistency. Conversely, shatter’s rigid structure isn’t the right fit for people who want a more “scoopable” substance like budder.
Shatter has a reputation for being a high-potency product, but that doesn’t mean it’s “more intense” compared with other concentrates. The potency of each shatter extract depends on a company’s starting strains and manufacturing procedures. Please don’t assume the cannabinoid concentration of any concentrate without reviewing third-party lab results.
Although shatter is most associated with dabbing, many customers have also reported adding it to joints or putting it in concentrate-compatible vaporizers. Just remember that shatter will intensify any smoking experience. Always ask for Certificates of Analysis with your shatter extract to gauge the THC concentration. Anyone with a low THC tolerance should tread carefully when using marijuana shatter for the first time.