Cannabis diamonds are one of the hottest items on dispensary shelves today. As high-potency isolates, these crystalline forms can provide users with up to 99.9% THCA or CBD,. Weed diamonds have become a staple in cannabis culture.
Whether you are a new user or a cannabis business interested in expanding your product line, our guide to the industry’s up-and-coming cannabis concentrate will answer all your questions. We cover the most frequently asked questions about cannabis diamonds, from their potency to how it is made.
What Are CBD and THCA Diamonds?
Cannabis diamonds are one of the industry's fastest-growing product segments. Like any cannabis concentrate, CBD and THCA diamonds can be smoked or vaped to relieve various conditions and symptoms, including chronic pain, anxiety, nausea, inflammation, and more. Once heated, the THCA diamonds melt and convert into the plant’s active ingredients: THC
Weed diamonds are named so for their crystalline structures that resemble diamond stones, except these concentrated THCA or CBD products have a pure white color, but can be amberish gold if terpenes are present, like in diamonds and sauce. Diamonds range in size from small to large chunks of cannabinoid crystals.
Since marijuana diamonds are almost 100% cannabinoids, there are usually no terpenes in the product, producing an odorless and tasteless concentrate. In some cases, CBD and THCA crystals may be mixed with terpene “sauce” that has a runny texture to create a saucy soup of diamonds.
How Are Cannabis Diamonds Made?
CBD and THCA diamonds are created using multiple different processes, the most typical being supersaturation Like other concentrates, these crystalline structures start as biomass that undergoes a chemical extraction process. Light hydrocarbons like butane and propane are used for their relatively low boiling points, which help preserve terpenes in the extract.
How THCA Diamonds Are Made
For THCA, processors typically use fresh-frozen cannabis material to produce live resin, the starting extract material that makes these crystalline concentrates. However, cured cannabis material can also be used to produce diamonds. Live resin contains a high concentration of terpenes since its peak terpene levels were preserved upon harvest by freezing the material.
After the extraction process, the crude extract goes through a light purging process without a vacuum to remove most of the residual butane solvent from the final product. Time is all that is needed to form crystalline structures. A separation process naturally produces diamonds and liquid terpene sauce. Processors may store their cannabinoid diamonds in a container in a cool, dry, and dark place and allow the diamond formation process to begin.
The terpene sauce separates from the cannabinoid crystals that fall to the bottom during the process. Depending on the environment and concentration, the process can take several weeks to complete. Some processors will speed up the rate crystals form by using other solvents such as pentane, but it is not necessary for crystalline formation.
After the cannabinoids have separated from the liquid terpenes, the pure THCA crystals undergo a final purge to remove the rest of the residual solvent. Cannabinoids and terpenes are slowly purged separately to provide a more extended purge for cannabinoids, which have a higher boiling point than heat-sensitive terpenes.
How CBD Diamonds Are Made
Cannabis processors use chromatography methods to produce CBD crystals. Hemp oil must be winterized to removed undesirable substances such as fats, lipids, and waxes from the oil. The winterization process refers to an alcohol wash at around 120º F. Right after the wash, the oil is frozen for about 24 hours. The winterization process creates a CBD distillate
Now it’s time for the crystallization process. A chromatography machine is used to isolate the CBD from other cannabinoids in the distillate. Compressed air pushes the oil through a filter, trapping some compounds based on their size. The small CBD compounds are able to be collected first while THC and other cannabinoids have a longer retention time in the filter.
In the collection chamber, the CBD is collected along with an evaporable solution. The process is repeated several times to improve the purity of the product. When the desired purity is reached, the evaporable solution is heated and purged, leaving behind pure CBD diamonds.
How Do You Use Cannabis Diamonds?
Cannabis diamonds can be consumed just like most concentrates. Heating the diamonds through smoking or vaporization is the best way to enjoy the diamond’s full potential and fast-acting effects. Most users consume diamonds in a dab rig by heating the dab nail with a butane torch and applying a “dab” of diamonds inside the heated nail to vaporize it.
Keep in mind marijuana THCA diamonds contain a higher-than-average concentration of THCA, which convert to THC Low-tolerance users or those who have never consumed concentrates should consume the smallest dose possible (the size of a grain of a small grain of rice or smaller) and wait about 10 minutes for the effects to kick in. Effects can last for 2-3 hours. If necessary, users can gradually build up the dosage over time.
Cannabis diamonds can also be enjoyed with whole-flower cannabis products to add an extra potency level. Add some diamonds into your joint and light up. Diamonds can be crushed and sprinkled in the joint or on top of the flower in your pipe or bong bowl.
Cannabis Diamonds: FAQ
Pure cannabinoid diamonds are becoming the concentrate of choice for many users seeking a high THC content or pure CBD concentrate. Here, we will answer the most frequently asked questions about crystalline THCA and CBD.
Does THCA Get You High?
THCA does not produce the same psychoactive effects as THC. THCA, an acidic precursor to its parent compound delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can get you high, but not always. THCA must undergo a decarboxylation process through heating or exposure to light to convert into THC. Only then will the THC be activated and cause intoxication when consumed.
Weed diamonds are usually consumed by smoking or dabbing the potent concentrate. However, THCA can be made into various other concentrate products like tinctures. Tinctures can be consumed orally or applied sublingually (under the tongue). Both cannabis consumption methods do not produce intoxication.
How Much Do THC Diamonds Cost?
Since CBD and THC diamonds offer users the highest potency of all cannabis concentrates and require a particular production method, their price can exceed other concentrate products. CBD and THCA diamonds can range between around $60 to over $150 for connoisseur-grade weed diamonds.
Where to Buy THCA Diamonds and CBD Diamonds?
CBD and THCA diamonds are available in various outlets, including licensed medical and recreational dispensaries and online retailers. Regardless of where you buy your weed diamonds, we recommend buying products that come with a Certificate of Analysis (COA) to ensure that they have been tested for potency and purity.
What Makes Cannabis Diamonds Different from Other Concentrates?
Cannabis diamonds contain the highest potency of THCa or CBD compared to other cannabis concentrates. Most cannabis concentrates range in potency levels between 50% and 90%, depending on the biomass and extraction method. Because they contain a high concentration of THCA or CBD, these concentrates take on a solid and crystalline form.
Diamonds vs. Sugar: What Is the Difference?
Chances are you will run across the terpene-rich cannabis sugar concentrate that looks like sugar, but has a grainy and saucy consistency. Cannabis sugar or even crumble are diamonds that are formed faster but are smaller in size. To get larger diamonds, more time is needed to form them properly.
What Is the Difference Between Terp Sauce and Weed Diamonds?
Cannabis terp sauce and diamonds are often sold together to add flavor and aroma to the product. CBD and THCA diamonds are made by removing the crystalline structures from the runny terp sauce.
Regardless of how they are sold, diamonds will always be somewhat pure THCA products, whether they come with terp sauce or are sold alone as isolated THCA. Diamonds may be marketed as pure THC, but they are pure THCA, the non-intoxicating acid cannabinoid.
Are Weed Diamonds Legal?
In the licensed cannabis market, pure THCA diamonds are legal. When heated, a THCa diamond converts to THC. THC is a federally illegal substance with no medicinal value and a high risk for abuse. Refer to your state and local cannabis regulations to ensure THCA diamonds are legal.
CBD diamonds do not convert into an intoxicating compound.. For this reason, CBD diamonds are legal in almost all states.
Diamond Mining and the Future of Cannabis
Diamond mining has tapped into the market for high-potency products. While much of the market is shifting toward a whole-plant approach that values the full spectrum of the major cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids in the cannabis plant, there will always be at least a niche market for cannabinoid isolates like crystalline THCA and CBD.
English
Spanish