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Cannabis Glossary A-Z

A plain-English reference for the cannabis terms you'll run into at Vermont dispensaries — from terpenes to live resin to pre-rolls. 51 terms, no jargon-for-jargon's-sake.

Last updated: April 20, 2026

Terms starting with A

Adult-Use Cannabis: Cannabis sold to adults 21 and older for recreational use, as opposed to medical cannabis which requires a patient registration. Vermont's adult-use (sometimes called 'recreational') market launched October 1, 2022.
AVB (Already Vaped Bud): Cannabis flower that has already been used in a dry-herb vaporizer. The remaining plant material is decarboxylated, so it's still weakly psychoactive and can be used in edibles or tinctures.

Terms starting with B

Badder / Batter: A cannabis concentrate with a whipped, cake-batter consistency. Made by agitating a solvent extract (usually BHO or live resin) at specific temperatures. Flavorful; popular for dabbing.
BHO (Butane Hash Oil): A family of cannabis concentrates extracted using butane as the solvent. Includes shatter, wax, budder, and crumble. Must be properly purged of residual solvent to be safe to consume.
Bioavailability: The percentage of a substance that actually reaches your bloodstream and has an effect. Inhaled cannabis has high bioavailability (~30%), while edibles are much lower (~6-20%) and slower to take effect.
Bong: A water pipe used to smoke cannabis flower. The water cools and filters the smoke for a smoother hit. Sometimes called a water pipe in retail settings due to historical paraphernalia laws.
Budtender: The staff member at a dispensary who helps you choose products, answers questions about strains and effects, and rings up your order. A knowledgeable budtender is one of the best resources for a first-time dispensary visit.

Terms starting with C

CBC (Cannabichromene): A minor, non-intoxicating cannabinoid studied for potential anti-inflammatory effects. Found in small amounts in most cannabis and some hemp products.
CBD (Cannabidiol): The second-most-abundant cannabinoid in cannabis. Non-intoxicating. Commonly used for relaxation and general wellness. Available from Vermont dispensaries and, separately, from hemp retailers.
CBG (Cannabigerol): Known as 'the mother cannabinoid' because most other cannabinoids start as CBGA in the plant. Non-intoxicating. Some strains are now specifically bred to preserve high CBG content at harvest.
CBN (Cannabinol): A cannabinoid that forms when THC ages and oxidizes. Mildly psychoactive and commonly marketed as a sleep aid, though the clinical evidence is still thin.
Concentrate: Any cannabis product that has been processed to concentrate the cannabinoids and terpenes from raw flower. Includes hash, rosin, shatter, wax, live resin, distillate, and more. Much higher potency than flower.
Cultivar: The botanically accurate word for what most people call a 'strain.' A cultivar is a specific, named variety of cannabis plant, like 'Blue Dream' or 'Northern Lights.'

Terms starting with D

Dab / Dabbing: The practice of vaporizing a small amount of cannabis concentrate on a heated surface (a nail or banger) and inhaling the vapor through a dab rig. Very potent; not recommended for new users.
Decarboxylation (Decarb): The heating process that converts non-intoxicating THCA in raw cannabis into active THC. Smoking and vaping decarb on the fly; edibles must decarb the flower first, typically in an oven at ~240°F.
Delta-8 THC: An isomer of delta-9 THC, usually produced by converting hemp-derived CBD. Less potent than regular THC. Its legal status is patchy and changing — Vermont restricts intoxicating hemp products.
Delta-9 THC: The 'regular' THC that most cannabis discussion refers to. The primary intoxicating compound in cannabis. What dispensaries sell and what is typically tested for in drug tests.
Dispensary: A state-licensed cannabis retailer. In Vermont, dispensaries are licensed by the Cannabis Control Board and can be adult-use, medical, or 'integrated' (serving both markets).
Distillate: A highly refined cannabis oil — often 90%+ THC — stripped of most plant matter and terpenes. The base of many vape cartridges, edibles, and tinctures. Flavor is often reintroduced with terpenes.

Terms starting with E

Edible: Any cannabis product consumed by eating or drinking: gummies, chocolates, beverages, baked goods. Slower onset (30-120 min) and longer duration (4-8 hr) than inhaled products. Start with 2.5-5mg if new.
Endocannabinoid System (ECS): The network of receptors (CB1, CB2) and signaling molecules in the human body that cannabinoids interact with. It helps regulate mood, appetite, pain perception, memory, and sleep.
Entourage Effect: The theory that cannabis's full set of compounds — cannabinoids plus terpenes plus flavonoids — work together to produce effects that no isolated compound does alone. Still being researched.

Terms starting with F

Flower: The dried, cured buds of the cannabis plant — the classic form. Usually sold by the gram, eighth, quarter, half-ounce, or ounce.

Terms starting with H

Hash / Hashish: A concentrate made from the resin (trichomes) of the cannabis plant. Traditional forms include hand-rubbed charas, dry-sift, and pressed hash. Modern forms include bubble hash and rosin.
Hemp: Cannabis plants containing 0.3% or less delta-9 THC by dry weight. Federally legal in the U.S. since the 2018 Farm Bill. Hemp-derived CBD products are sold outside the dispensary system.
Hybrid: A cannabis cultivar bred from a mix of indica and sativa ancestry. Most modern cultivars are hybrids to some degree; pure landrace strains are rare.

Terms starting with I

Indica: A historical classification of cannabis associated with short, broad-leafed plants and body-heavy, relaxing effects. Modern science considers the indica/sativa divide oversimplified — terpenes and cannabinoid ratios predict effects better than label.

Terms starting with K

Kief: The fine, sticky powder of trichome heads that collects at the bottom of a three-chamber grinder. Higher in THC than flower; can be sprinkled on a bowl or pressed into hash.

Terms starting with L

Live Resin: A concentrate made from cannabis that was frozen immediately after harvest, preserving the fresh-plant terpene profile. Noticeably more aromatic and flavorful than concentrates made from cured flower.
Live Rosin: A solventless concentrate made by pressing bubble hash that came from flash-frozen plants. Among the cleanest, most flavorful concentrates you can buy. Premium price.

Terms starting with M

Medical Cannabis: Cannabis sold to registered patients for qualifying medical conditions. Vermont has a medical program predating the adult-use market, with typically lower taxes and different possession limits for registered patients.
Microdose: Taking a very small amount of THC (typically 1-2.5mg) to experience subtle effects without significant intoxication. Popular for daytime use, anxiety, or for people new to edibles.

Terms starting with N

Nug: Slang for an individual flower (bud) of cannabis. 'Nug run' concentrates are made only from whole buds, not trim.

Terms starting with O

OG: A cultivar lineage ('OG Kush' and its many descendants) and, loosely, a shorthand for potent, earthy, sometimes fuel-y strains. The 'OG' origin is debated — either 'Ocean Grown' or 'Original Gangster.'

Terms starting with P

Phenotype (Pheno): An individual plant's expressed traits — flavor, potency, structure — within a given cultivar. Two plants from the same seed batch ("phenos") can smell and smoke noticeably differently.
Pre-Roll: A pre-rolled cannabis cigarette (a 'joint') sold ready-to-smoke. Usually 0.5g or 1g. Vermont dispensaries offer single pre-rolls, infused pre-rolls (with kief or concentrate), and multi-packs.

Terms starting with R

Rosin: A solventless cannabis concentrate made by applying heat and pressure to flower, kief, or bubble hash. No butane or other solvents; the resin is mechanically squeezed out. Clean and flavorful.

Terms starting with S

Sativa: A historical classification associated with tall, narrow-leafed plants and uplifting, heady effects. As with indica, modern research treats the sativa label as a loose marketing shorthand rather than a reliable predictor of effect.
Shatter: A BHO concentrate with a glass-like, brittle consistency. Typically very potent (60-90% THC). Named because it shatters when you try to scoop it cold.
Solventless: Concentrates made using only water, ice, heat, and pressure — no butane, propane, ethanol, or CO₂. Includes dry-sift, bubble hash, and rosin. Often preferred by connoisseurs for purity.
Strain: The common (non-scientific) word for a specific named variety of cannabis, like 'Blue Dream' or 'Sour Diesel.' Botanically, these are cultivars. See also /strains/.

Terms starting with T

Terpenes: The aromatic compounds in cannabis (and pine, lavender, citrus, etc.) responsible for how a strain smells and tastes. Also believed to contribute to the character of a strain's effects via the entourage effect.
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol): The primary intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis. 'THC' in Vermont product labels refers to delta-9 THC unless otherwise specified.
THCA: The raw, acidic precursor to THC found in living cannabis plants. Non-intoxicating until heated. 'Total THC' on a certificate of analysis reflects what you'd get after decarboxylation.
THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin): A minor cannabinoid reported to produce a short, clear-headed buzz and — anecdotally — appetite suppression (the opposite of the munchies). Usually present in trace amounts.
Tincture: A liquid cannabis extract — typically alcohol, MCT oil, or glycerin based — dosed by dropper. Placed under the tongue for faster onset (15-45 min) than traditional edibles. Precise dosing.
Topical: Cannabis-infused creams, balms, and oils applied directly to the skin for localized relief. Typically non-intoxicating because the cannabinoids don't cross into the bloodstream in meaningful amounts.
Trichomes: The tiny, mushroom-shaped resin glands that cover cannabis flowers. They contain nearly all of the plant's cannabinoids and terpenes. A frosty-looking bud is trichome-rich.
Trim: The small leaves and bits trimmed off of finished cannabis flower during harvest prep. Lower potency than nugs, often used to make concentrates or infused butter.

Terms starting with V

Vape Cartridge (Cart): A disposable or refillable cartridge of cannabis oil (usually distillate or live resin) that screws onto a 510-threaded battery. Discreet and fast-acting. Buy only from licensed dispensaries to avoid counterfeit, unregulated oils.

Terms starting with W

Wax: A soft, opaque BHO concentrate with a consistency between crumble and budder. Named for its resemblance to candle wax.

Missing a term?

Cannabis vocabulary grows every year. If there's a term you'd like us to add or clarify, email [email protected] and we'll get it in the next update.