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Sugar. Budder. Badder. Crumble. The names of concentrates often evoke textures, foods, or both — and in the case of cannabis sand, you might picture small, grainy particles that somehow manage to get everywhere. The grainy part is accurate, but cannabis sand is much easier to work with than the stuff from the beach. It’s also known to deliver a highly potent and flavorful experience. Keep reading to learn all about it.

What is cannabis sand?

Cannabis sand is a highly potent concentrate that usually contains over 80% THC content and a coarse, granular texture similar to its namesake. It’s made almost entirely of small, glistening crystals of THCA, which converts to THC upon heating. These crystals come from the resin glands (“trichomes”) that cover cannabis flower. Trichomes are a hair-like structure that secretes resin rich in cannabinoids and terpenes, which is why sand is so potent and flavorful.

You’ll often see this concentrate labeled as “live sand,” meaning that it’s derived from flash-frozen flower, a process which keeps most of the terpenes and cannabinoids intact. Sand without the “live” in front of it exists as well — this is sand derived from dried and cured cannabis. It’s still plenty flavorful and potent, though devoted cannabis connoisseurs often flock to live sand for its qualities that are near-identical to the plant.

Who is cannabis sand good for?

Cannabis sand is a great choice for experienced cannabis consumers seeking a highly potent experience. It’s also ideal for folks who like to enhance their pre-rolls or flower with concentrates for extra elevation, and for people who cherish exquisite aromas and flavors.

There’s a learning curve with cannabis sand, so it may not be for beginners. That said, if you’re newer to cannabis and this concentrate’s exceptional purity has you intrigued, learning about cannabis concentrate doses may get you all set to take off with sand.

Whether you’re just getting started with cannabis or you’re a longtime aficionado, one thing remains true. Always start low and go slow with sand and other products with high THC content — rushed travels aren’t nearly as blissful as laid back journeys.

How to consume cannabis sand

Some popular ways to consume sand include:

Smoking. Add your ground flower as usual to your pipe or rolling papers, then sprinkle your cannabis sand atop it. Light up this sand-infused flower like you normally do, and your liftoff might be more of a joyride than usual. Expect to get your wheels off the ground within 15 minutes.

Dabbing. As with many of the most potent concentrates, sand can be dabbed alone for near-instant effects. It can also be dabbed alongside another concentrate if you’re really looking to get your head in the clouds. In either case, the sand is vaporized instead of smoked, so more plant compounds are preserved, potentially leading to a more robust experience.

Vaping. You can use any concentrate-compatible vaporizer to consume sand, with effects often setting in within 15 minutes. As with dabbing, an especially immersive journey may lie ahead when you vape sand.

Edibles and beverages. If you like to make homemade cannabis edibles, cannabis sand is great for infusion. Of course, you’ll need to decarboxylate it first, which means heating it at a low temperature in order to convert the THCA to THC. This is necessary for it to take effect when ingested — otherwise, you won’t arrive at your intended destination. Once you’ve decarboxylated your sand, you can use it to make edibles or add it to your favorite beverage to potentially start melting your stress away within half an hour to two hours.

How cannabis sand is made

Different cannabis brands may take a solventless approach to making sand or choose to use solvent-based methods. Here’s a brief overview of each:

Solventless extraction: When sand is made from bubble hash or dry sift, no solvents or other chemicals are involved. Instead, flower is agitated over a series of fine mesh screens to separate trichomes from the flower. It is from these separated trichomes that the THCA crystals are harvested. This method typically produces sand with lower potency levels than solvent-based extraction.

Solvent-based extraction: Sand can be produced by extracting compounds from flower using solvents such as carbon dioxide, butane, or ethanol. The solvent is then removed from these plant compounds via purging, sometimes in a vacuum. Thereafter, the remaining compounds are separated from one another using various temperatures and pressures, isolating crystallized THCA that can be used to make sand. This method typically produces more potent sand, sometimes reaching more than 95% THC content.

Cannabis sand vs. cannabis sugar and kief

As another cannabis concentrate named after a granular substance, sugar is sometimes discussed alongside sand. Kief, too, is often mentioned in the same breath since, like sand made via solventless methods, it’s a collection of trichomes produced via mechanical agitation. Despite their distant association, these concentrates differ along the following lines.

Texture

Although sugar and sand are both granular in texture, sugar may feel wet, whereas sand typically leans dry. Kief looks powdery too, but you’ll notice that it’s somewhat sticky when you touch it.

Potency

Since sand largely comprises THCA crystals, its THC content typically exceeds 80%. Sugar is crystalline too, but its THC content may be closer to 60% (though it may also reach as high as 90%).

Kief refers to the trichomes that fall off the flower after it goes through a grinder or when it is agitated over a fine-mesh screen to deliberately separate trichomes from flower. Its THC content often ranges from 50% to 70%. Occasionally, though, kief will have as little as 30% or as much as 80% THC content.

Consumption methods

Whereas you can easily dab sand and sugar, it’s difficult to dab kief. Doing so typically requires advanced tools and skills, so instead, kief is usually consumed as an addition to ground flower in pipes or joints. Sand and sugar can be consumed this way too, and all three concentrates can be vaped or infused into homemade edibles.

Flavor

Live sand and sugar are terpene-rich concentrates, so you can expect well-rounded flavors and striking aromas when consuming them. Some people say that kief lacks flavor or tastes harsh compared to the flower it comes from, though others describe it as highly fragrant.

If you’re exploring new concentrates to discover taste profiles you haven’t previously experienced, you may prefer sand and sugar. That said, since kief is usually added to ground flower that you’re about to smoke, you’ll get plenty of flavor anyway since flower abounds with it.

Who it’s best for

Sand and sugar are best for experienced travelers. Kief is potent too, but less so than sugar or sand, so intermediate travelers looking to step things up may find that adding kief to a pipe or joint helps them do so.

Feature	Sand	Sugar	Kief
Texture	Granular, dry	Granular, wet	Powdery, sticky
THC content	80% or greater	60% to 90%	50% to 70%, though sometimes 30% to 80%
Consumption methods	Smoking, dabbing, vaporizing, adding to edibles	Smoking, dabbing, vaporizing, adding to edibles	Smoking, vaporizing, adding to edibles
Flavor	Well-rounded	Well-rounded	Comparatively lacking
Who it’s best for	Experienced consumers	Experienced consumers	Intermediate to experienced consumers

How to shop for cannabis sand at The Travel Agency

All the usual cannabis shopping tips apply when seeking out sand. Namely:

Shop only at licensed dispensaries. Since unlicensed dispensaries aren’t regulated, you never know for sure what’s in the products you’re buying there. Licensed dispensaries sell only products that undergo cannabis testing as per New York State quality standards. Look for a turquoise-green sticker with a QR code near a dispensary’s entrance — if you scan it and you’re directed to the NYS dispensary verification tool, the dispensary is licensed.

Read the packaging and certificate of analysis. The packaging for your cannabis sand will contain important information such as the THC content and batch date. You should also see a QR code you can scan to pull up the product’s certificate of analysis (COA), which gives you the full details of all the product’s cannabis testing results. Reading the COA is the best way to predict the journey that might lie ahead with a product.

Consider the experience you’re seeking. At The Travel Agency, we stock live sand from Woodstock — the same Woodstock as the legendary 1960s New York music festival. Woodstock sand is available in indica, hybrid, and sativa hybrid varieties that may, respectively, help you feel sedated and chill, uplifted and energized, and focused and inspired. As you shop, consider which of these experiences you’re aiming for.

Ask for help. You never have to navigate cannabis sand — or any other products — by yourself. Swing by The Travel Agency and ask one of our budtenders for help. We’re always delighted to give you personalized guidance and help you achieve the balance you’re seeking.

Explore cannabis sand at The Travel Agency

Visit The Travel Agency to learn more about cannabis sand and explore your product options with support from knowledgeable budtenders who are always happy to help. Browse our product displays and menu kiosks while you’re here to explore our full menu, where sand is only the start. However you like to achieve liftoff, we’re here to be your pilot.