Cannabis Glossary

Raw

Cannabis plant material that is mature and ready for harvest, but has not been dried or cured, or heated for consumption. Raw cannabis is usually eaten by consumers because it contains cannabinoids in their acid forms, such as THCA or CBDA, before decarboxylation.

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Re-up

Slang for replenishing your weed stash.  “I smoked my last bowl last night so I need to re-up.” “I forgot to re-up for my vacation and now I’m out of weed.

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Reciprocity

In the context of the cannabis industry, reciprocity is a policy to recognize the legitimacy of medical marijuana cards between two states so patients can access and enjoy medical marijuana when visiting another state.  “I can use my medical marijuana card from California in Nevada thanks to Nevada’s reciprocity.

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Reclaim

Char or cold oil leftover in a nail or rig from dabbing, analogous to resin leftover in a pipe from smoking flower. As with resin, reclaim can be smoked, but it will be harsh and taste bad.

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Recreational

Recreational marijuana refers to cannabis that is grown, sold, and used for adults for purposes of enjoyment. The only difference between medical and recreational marijuana is how it is regulated and to whom it is sold.

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Reefer

“Reefer” is a slang term for cannabis dating back to at least the 1930s. At the time it was a coded word jazz musicians used to refer to cannabis in their songs.

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Reggie

Reggie (pronounced rej-jee) is cannabis culture slang for low-to-mid-quality cannabis. Reggie may derive from the term ‘regular’, or ‘regs’—a lower class of weed than top shelf. ‘Dennis rolled by with his backyard boogie, too bad it was straight reggie.

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Residual solvents

Solvents, or chemicals, left in a cannabis concentrate after the extraction process. The bulk of solvents are purged from a concentrate after extraction, but trace amounts are usually still present—these are residual solvents. Legal cannabis markets regulate how much residual solvents are allowed in concentrates before they can be sold.

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Resin

A sticky substance secreted by the trichomes of the marijuana plant. Trichomes are glands primarily on cannabis buds that contain all the cannabinoids and terpenes that get you high or offer medicinal benefits. Resin protects the plant from UV light and pests, and is what makes cannabis sticky.

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Resin hit

Smoking resin left in the bowl of a pipe or bong from previous smoking sessions. After smoking enough flower, resin will accumulate in a bowl—resin is often scraped off and discarded, but can be smoked as well. Resin hits are known to be harsh on the throat and taste bad.

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Reversed

Reversed, reversal, and reversing is a term used in cannabis breeding. Reversing a strain involves applying mutagenic chemicals to a female plant to make it produce pollen. Pollen is only produced naturally by males. Breeders often reverse a plant to use the pollen from that specific plant in a breeding project.

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how to make RSO, DIY rick simpson oil
Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)

Rick Simpson Oil, more commonly referred to by its abbreviation “RSO,” is a cannabis concentrate that is usually applied topically or ingested.

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Rig

A shortened form of “dab rig,” a water pipe used to inhale cannabis extracts, or dabs. It filters cannabis vapor through water, much like a bong. A dab rig can be used to consume a variety of extracts, including oil, rosin, butter, sauce, diamonds, and other solvent and non-solvent forms of hash.

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Roach

The end of a joint, blunt, spliff, or any rolled cannabis product. An equivalent is the butt of a cigarette. Roach sizes are determined by personal preferences and can be discarded or saved for later. “I never smoke roaches because you can’t get a good hit.

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Rolling papers

A rolling paper is a thin piece of paper used to envelop ground-up cannabis flower into a joint. Most rolling papers are made out of wood pulp like regular paper, but they can also be made out of hemp, rice, and flax.

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rosin
Rosin

Rosin is a solventless cannabis concentrate created using heat and pressure to remove trichomes from cannabis plant matter. Rosin is commonly consumed with a dab rig, but can also come in vape cartridges.

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Rotary evaporator

Commonly known as a rotavap, this machine can purify cannabis concentrates. Using rotation and gentle heat, a rotary evaporator can remove contaminants or further concentrate desired cannabinoids. Rotavaps are frequently used to improve the winterization process.  “If you want to make a truly high-quality distillate, you need to invest in a good rotavap.

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Ruderalis

Cannabis ruderalis is a variety of cannabis, like sativa or indica varieties of cannabis. The most noted feature of ruderalis is its short growing cycle, which reaches flowering within 21-30 days regardless of the amount of light the plant receives.

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