Cannabis, marijuana, pot, ganja — call it what you will. (Craig F. Walker, Denver Post file)

The cannabis lexicon: Terms to know, from A-Z


On this page: L-M-N


L

Live resin —  A relatively new extraction process, reportedly developed by an old school grower known as “Kind Bill,” this process was impossible to do prior to the invention of commercial grade closed-loop butane extraction systems. Instead of using dry plant material as is the norm for BHO extractions, the live resin process used fresh frozen plants, which were harvested only hours earlier; this creates a product which has the terpene profile of the live plant rather than the dried flowers (terpenes degrade and change as the plant is dried).
• “I couldn’t believe the flavor and smell of that live resin… it was just like rubbing the plant and smelling your fingers.”

M

Mary Jane —  This fictional lady is a play on “marijuana” and was once a somewhat discreet way of talking about pot, although nowadays anyone should be able to pick up what you’re putting down if you drop a “Mary Jane.”
• “We all know what Tom Petty meant when he talked about his last dance with “Mary Jane.”

Medical —  Can simply refer to the medical use of cannabis or to medical cannabis dispensaries. Though some dispensaries can serve both customer groups, many have opted to remain medical rather than opening their doors to recreational customers.
• “We opted to just stay medical rather than jump into recreational, just because we have a good patient base and don’t want to risk not having medicine available for them.”


Map: Colorado recreational marijuana shops and medical dispensaries


Medicated —  The medical cannabis community’s strained attempt to replace the word “stoned” or “high” and make it all sound much more professional. While clearly cannabis is medicine and those consuming it for that purpose are indeed medicating, the kneejerk resistance to using the traditional terms has become a source of comedy for many jaded dispensary professionals.
• “Bro, I got way too medicated last night.”

Mota —  Spanish slang for marijuana, usually used by tourists trying to score some smoke while they’re on vacation.
• “Hey, sir! Do you know where I can find some mota?”

The new weed lexicon
Marijuana plants fill a Denver warehouse. (John Leyba, Denver Post file)

Mother —  A plant, usually large, that is in a vegetative state from which clones are cut. It is, then, the mom for all of the plants that will eventually be harvested. Losing a mother plant can sometimes be the end of a genetic line, which is really sad, although not as sad as losing your actual mom. In most cases.
• “I lost my Sour Diesel mom. We should say some words.”

N

Nail —  A metal device which looks like a nail with a very thick head, they are normally made of grade 2 titanium, quartz, or ceramic, but cheaper versions can also be made from borosilicate glass. This is the part of the rig which is headed with a torch and then has the concentrate dropped onto it, causing the vaporization process to take place. When heating a nail, it is best to get it right to red hot and then let it cool for a few seconds prior to dabbing, as this makes the smoke a little easier on the throat as well as preserves terpenes.
• “I swear that most of my scars come from bumping my arm against a hot nail.”

Nectar —  This term is a little vague, but the most common usage is referring to hash oil made from entirely nugs rather than trim material, which can also be known as “nug run”.
• “Nah, this is a nectar, not just normal budder… I made it from only the best buds on the plant.”

Nug run —  Hash oil or water hash made entirely from cannabis flowers rather than trim material. Since the flowers are the most trichome and terpene-rich part of the cannabis plant, these extracts are known for yielding quite a bit more than trim as well as providing a cleaner flavor.
• “I only smoke nug run, brah… you can keep the trim oil.” -Oil Snob

More terminology
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