HTFSE is a type of cannabis concentrate that many people love to smoke. It stands for “high terpene full spectrum extract.” Read on to find out about HTFSE and other types of cannabis concentrates and how you can best smoke them!

Why would someone use cannabis concentrates?

There are some differences between concentrates and flower that might dictate your choice to smoke one or the other. The first of these is potency. If you need fast acting relief, then dabbing with concentrates might be the way to go. However, smoking in this way will increase your tolerance a lot faster. You smoke less overall, though, so it can be easier on your lungs than smoking flower joints. 

Another factor is that concentrates are generally vaporized rather than combusted like flower. This means that smoking concentrates is, in general, much easier on your lungs. It also allows for a smoother and more flavourful hit. Of course, concentrates can sometimes be a bit more time consuming and require more tools to smoke than flower. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find a way that works for you.

What are solvent-based concentrates? 

Some of the most popular and widely available concentrates that you can get today could be separated into two categories: solventless and solvent based. Solvent-based concentrates are any type of concentrate that require a solvent such as butane. The solvent strips the cannabinoids and terpenes from the flower. Depending on the method and technique used, once you’ve removed the solvents you are left with either shatter, budder, crumble, oil, and more. HTFSE is a solvent-based extract. 

Whenever you see the word “live” in front of a product, that means that the flower was flash frozen right after harvest and then processed for extraction. This preserves the trichomes and flavour more than drying and curing the flower first. 

How can I know that the concentrate I buy is high quality?

When purchasing your cannabis concentrates, you want to find high quality products both for flavour and for smoking experience. The first thing you should look for is smell. The more pungent and pleasant the aroma, the better the quality of the concentrate. When looking at the concentrate, the appearance should be consistent throughout. High quality concentrates can come in many different consistencies and colors, but as long as it has a consistent quality then it is typically good quality. Some concentrates can have a crystal-like sheen that’s caused by an accumulation of terpenes. Depending on the product, top shelf concentrates come in many different consistencies, so it really just depends on your preference. 

Contrary to popular belief, THC is not the only indicator of potency. There are hundreds of other cannabinoids that can affect potency. Each of these contribute to the entourage effect. Some concentrates are full spectrum and contain all the compounds of the cannabis plant to give you that entourage effect. HTFSE is an “FS” or full spectrum extract – so you know that you’re going to have the entourage effect when you use that particular concentrate!

How much HTFSE should I buy?

For concentrates, like flower, everyone is different. From one gram of cannabis concentrate like HTFSE, you should easily be able to get about 20 hits. But if you have a higher tolerance or you’re more experienced, that number could be less. However, if you’re new to concentrates, start low and go slow! 

The amount of HTFSE that you buy will likely depend more on your budget and personal smoking preference. You may prefer to dab with your personal equipment, and so you might choose to purchase plain old HTFSE and dose it yourself. However, HTFSE sauce carts tend to be more commonly available for purchase. The number of HTFSE carts that you buy will depend on how often you usually smoke. If you’re at the point where you’re buying carts, you probably know how long one cartridge will last you. 

Where should I store my HTFSE carts?

You should always store concentrates in a cool and dark place. It depends on the concentrate, but generally you’ll want to use parchment paper for more short term storage of sticky products like shatter. Silicone jars are ideal for all concentrates because most consistencies come on and off of silicone very easily. However, silicone is not ideal for long-term storage because it’s not airtight. Glass jars with twist tops or mason jars are really good for concentrates with consistencies that are easy to scoop off the glass like budder or HTFSE sauce. 

When considering how to store your carts, also consider a cool and dark place generally. One of the most important things to remember about storing carts specifically though, is to store them upright. Make sure the mouthpiece is always on top. This will prevent clogging of the inhalation mechanism and make sure you’re able to continue to inhale.