Cannabis Wax vs Oil – Differences Between Concentrates

cannabis wax vs oil

How to Select the Concentrate that is Best for You

Your style, needs, personal preferences, and product price points will determine whether cannabis wax vs oil is the best option for you. 

An essential step in choosing your marijuana concentrate is to identify the main differences and similarities between the two.

Identify your preferences, and consider the different ways marijuana waxes and oils work.  

The first step for someone in the market for cannabis oil or cannabis wax is only to buy marijuana products from reputed sellers online. 

Such sellers have earned a reputation of integrity because of the amount of attention and effort they put into sourcing their products responsibly.  

Remember, buying marijuana concentrates online is a gamble if you don’t know who you are dealing with.

Not only can these products be less potent than they are advertised to be, but even worse, they can be outright dangerous and harmful to your health. 

Many cannabis concentrate retailers and affiliates will make dishonest claims about their products to get people to buy them.  

Fortunately, you can make these retailers put their money where their mouths are before you purchase their products. 

If you are buying THC or CBD concentrates from a responsible seller, they should be able to provide a complete record of where their products came from and back up their claims with third-party laboratory testing.

This way, you know that your product is safe and effective.  

Again, the first step is to make sure you buy products made using the best practices.

It is wise to buy marijuana concentrates in places like the United States, where there is at least a general expectation of quality standards.

Now, let’s consider the similarities between waxes and oils to better appreciate what distinguishes them. 

Then, we’ll look closely at the key differences between cannabis wax vs oil.

6 Similarities Between Cannabis Wax and Oil

Since cannabis wax vs oil are both concentrated forms of cannabis, they naturally have much in common.

There are at least six key similarities to note before we examine what sets them apart.

1. Waxes and Oils Can Help You Quit Smoking Flower

Both cannabis wax and cannabis oil can help users reduce their flower-smoking consumption.

Smoking anything is bad for your lungs. 

That is why many people turn to waxes and oils to help quit smoking or reduce smoking.

You can say that cannabis concentrates are healthier, lighter alternatives to cannabis flowers that can still pack a powerful punch.

2. Waxes and Oils Are More Efficient than Cannabis Flower

We are unpicking cannabis wax vs oil, to provide our readers with a more efficient consumption method than smoking cannabis flower does.

Concentrates are condensed versions of cannabis flowers. 

Therefore, marijuana concentrates pack all the terpenes and cannabinoids into a small space.

Hence, users need less product to achieve their desired results, whether the results they seek are medicinal or recreational.

3. Waxes and Oils Give Users a Cleaner Experience

Cannabis waxes and oils are refined to provide cleaner products.

By separating the oils and cannabinoids from the flower, marijuana extracts give you everything you need to achieve your desired effects without consuming plant matter.  

You won’t have to deal with ashes, ashtrays, roaches, stinky bong water, dirty bowls, or smelly buds that attract unwanted attention.

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4. Waxes and Oils Allow Users to Get the Exact Benefits They Seek

Cannabis concentrates allow users to consume precisely the compounds they want to get out of the marijuana plant while leaving the rest behind. 

For example, if you smoke cannabis flowers to obtain medicinal benefits, you will still have to consume THC (the psychoactive cannabinoid) and other marijuana compounds you don’t want or need.  

Waxes and oils would allow you to bypass any unwanted/unneeded compounds and get the CBD you desire.

5. You Can Use Waxes and Oils for Recreational and Medicinal Purposes

Compared to marijuana wax, cannabis oils are more commonly associated with;

  • Chronic pain relief
  • Disease symptom relief
  • Appetite stimulation
  • Anxiety relief

Still, wax has active ingredients that have medicinal value. Waxes, like oils, can have THC or CBD in them.  

Alternatively, marijuana wax and cannabis oil can both be used recreationally.

Again, cannabis wax vs oil can both be made with THC or CBD inside them. 

And although the wax is generally thought of as a more potent concentrate, CBD oils can have high THC levels too.

If you smoke cannabis to obtain medicinal benefits, you will still have to consume THC and other marijuana compounds you don't want or need. Waxes and oils allow you to bypass unneeded compounds and get the CBD you desire.

6. Waxes and Oils Afford User Discretion

Despite our stride towards full-scale legalization in the United States, cannabis is still frowned upon by many employers, business professionals, neighbors, relatives, and complete strangers alike. 

Therefore, many cannabis users value concentrates because they provide an unrivaled level of privacy.  

It’s much easier to vaporize wax or oil concentrates than it is to light up a joint or a bowl when you need your next fix.

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Cannabis Wax vs Cannabis Oil: The Differences You Should Know

Cannabis wax generally contains more terpenes and cannabinoids than oils due to the differences in the extraction processes. 

Wax is the most potent concentrate, and CBD oil is better for pets, children, sick patients, and the elderly. 

If you are interested in using marijuana products medicinally, contact your doctor for expert advice.

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Cannabis Wax vs Oil Safety Concerns

Whether you will be using cannabis extract yourself or buying it for someone else, you should be aware of the risks involved with concentrate usage. 

When you have an honest, clean product, there is very little to worry about.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of clean and honest cannabis products out there. Consider some of the dangers with wax and oil concentrates.

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Dangers of Cannabis Wax

Butane is frequently used to extract the oils from cannabis in the wax manufacturing process—this is known as butane extraction. 

You have probably heard of butane honey oil, budder, shatter, dabs, amber, and sap.

All of these terms are describing products derived from the same extraction process.

Unfortunately, if you are not picky about your supplier, you could end up with residual solvents in your final product.  

This goes back to the principle of only purchasing your products from proven manufacturers and retailers.

For a safer, healthier, and equally potent extract, CO2 extraction is more ethical than any form of butane hash oil.

CO2 is produced by natural means, allowing it to be released safely into the environment, as it is all-natural.

CO2 oil is always a better option than BHO for wax users.

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Dangers of Cannabis Oil

Unlike cannabis wax, CBD oil is legal in every state in the United States. But while most people purchase their wax from reputed sources, like dispensaries, CBD oil is sold everywhere.

It has virtually no quality standards because it is packaged as a food supplement, not a drug.

The risks of unsafe marijuana oil are not associated with the pureness of the oil but with the unknown composition and quality of the products offered.

This is why it is so important to find a reputable supplier upfront.

Cannabis Wax vs Oil - Usage

Among the most popular cannabis concentrates, oils and waxes are constant best-sellers. 

Waxes are coveted because of their instant highs and unrivaled effects, while hash oils are touted as essential oils that can be used to make lip balms, salves, and lotions, in addition to many other cannabis products.

Generally, waxes will have a much higher percentage of THC than oils will.

If THC content is what’s most important to you, then wax is the way to go.  

Conversely, cannabis oil is more commonly used for medicinal purposes, whereas wax is usually made for recreational use. 

You can buy CBD oil and CBD wax now if you are ready to experience the difference first-hand.

4 Popular ways to use cannabis wax:

  1. Dab rigs
  2. Dab pens
  3. Bowl toppers
  4. Water pipes

6 Popular ways to use cannabis oil:

  1. Capsules 
  2. Vaporizer cartridges
  3. Sublingual
  4. Pain salve
  5. Tea 
  6. Cooking 

Cannabis Wax vs Oil - Different Types

Cannabis Wax: Depending on the strain of cannabis, the harvesting process, and the manufacturing processes, cannabis wax comes in many forms. 

Of course, cannabis wax is one of the many umbrella terms associated with marijuana products.

There are many types of wax you can buy as you will see if you keep reading.

Cannabis Oil: Based on the extraction processes and other factors, cannabis oils might look different from tincture to tincture and contain different compounds. 

Still, there are only two types of marijuana oils: THC oil and CBD oil.

Cannabis Wax vs Oil - Potency Compared

Cannabis Wax: If high THC levels are what you want, then wax is the ideal marijuana concentrate for you. 

Cannabis wax is known to have 55-65% THC on the low end and as much as 85% THC on the high end. 

In terms of psychoactive intensity, marijuana wax is the undisputed king!

Cannabis oil:

Cannabis oil is usually sold in tincture form or oil cartridges. 

Typically, cannabis oil is vaped or dropped under the tongue for CBD/medicinal use. 

When applied orally, the effects of cannabis oil can take a long time to kick in, as they must pass through your digestive tract before you notice the effects.

When vaped, you can feel the effects instantly.

If all you want is a mind-bending high, oil is not the best choice for you. Cannabis oils are usually mild, even when they have THC in them. 

Cannabis oils are not made for getting stoned.  Oils are made for wellness. 

Cannabis oils are a great option for someone who wants full-plant medicinal benefits with minimal THC doses.

Cannabis Wax vs Oil - Consistency

Cannabis Wax; Wax is waxy. Hence, the name.

Cannabis wax can be soft with a buttery texture, or it can be solid like little rocks. 

Whether you see yellow wax balls that resemble ear wax or clear shatter, weed wax is usually a very sticky substance.

Cannabis Oil: Oil is liquid. Different marijuana products have different colors, as do oils, but marijuana oil is always in liquid form. 

This is true whether the oil is used in vape cartridges, tinctures, skin care products, cooking, capsules, etc.

Cannabis Wax vs Oil - Storage Explained

When choosing cannabis wax or oil, it’s crucial to plan your activities in advance. 

Think about storage and transportation, especially if you will be using your product a lot on the go.  

Storing Cannabis Oil

When choosing cannabis wax or oil, it’s crucial to plan your activities in advance. 

Think about storage and transportation, especially if you will be using your product a lot on the go.  

Storing Cannabis Wax

If you choose cannabis wax, you will do yourself a big favor by investing in high-quality storage materials upfront. 

If you do not practice the best storage techniques, your wax will be harsher and weaker.

You must protect your wax from air, heat, light, and moisture. 

The investment of high-quality storage materials is small compared to what you will lose in money and time using bad storage practices.  

To store dabs, invest in a temperature control (a refrigerator is ideal) system.

Prefer room temperature over higher temperatures if refrigeration is not available. 

Lower temperatures work best. Also, it might be wise if you used a metal dab box or a glass concentrate container to store your wax. 

Choosing a suitable container and the right place is key to storing wax.

Storing Cannabis Oil

Most cannabis oil conveniently comes in a vaporizer cartridge or oil tincture. 

However, cannabis oil can come in capsules and other products as well. 

No matter what, your oil products should come with expiration dates.

Try not to expose your cannabis oil to direct light or too much heat, and your oil should last until the expiration date.

Note: if you plan on carrying your extract with you to work or when you are out and about, you might want to consider CBD oil seriously. It’s easier to keep, it’s more discreet, and you have less to manage or worry about.

Cannabis Wax vs Oil - The Bottom Line

If you are on the fence about trying wax or oil, just try both of them. 

The only way to learn about the differences between marijuana wax and marijuana oil is to try different products and compare them. 

Observe how they make you feel, what you like and what you dislike about each. 

Get a feel for how each product works.

If you are more attracted to cannabis oil than wax, but you want the most intense high you can find, don’t rule out the oil concentrates too quickly. 

Start small, and increase the volume of THC in your tinctures until you find that sweet spot you need.  

Likewise, if you are more interested in medicinal extracts, don’t be afraid to try oil with THC. 

You might be pleasantly surprised by how marijuana can have a calming, sedative effect when it is used in low doses in conjunction with other cannabis compounds like CBD, CBN, and CBG.

Always Seek Out the Best Oils and Waxes

There are many differences and similarities between cannabis oil and wax. 

Most of the finer points boil down to style preferences. 

Why not have an open mind, and experience different products.  

When selecting a concentrate, the plant material, the way the plant was grown, where the plant was grown, and the chemical solvents used in the extraction processes are just a few of the most important things to consider. 

Whether you decide to purchase oil or wax, you should always purchase from a responsible, ethical retailer or manufacturer.

The best cannabis waxes and oils are manufactured and sold by people who care about their products’ quality, efficacy, and safety.

They also care about the processes used to make their concentrates. 

Responsible marijuana concentrates are always pesticide-free, chemical-free, and organically grown. 

We recommend educating yourself as much as possible when it comes to any cannabis product.