Exploring Butane Hash Oil Use: A Research Note

ABSTRACT

The practice of “dabbing” has seen an apparent upswing in popularity in recent months within American drug subcultures. “Dabbing” refers to the use of butane-extracted marijuana products that offer users much higher tetrahydrocannabinol content than flower cannabis through a single dosage process. Though considerably more potent than most marijuana strains in their traditional form, these butane hash oil products and the practice of dabbing are underexplored in the empirical literature, especially in prohibition states. A mixed-methods evaluation of a federally funded treatment program for drug-involved offenders identified a small sample (n = 6) of butane hash oil users and generated focus group interview data on the nature of butane hash oil, the practice of dabbing, and its effects. Findings inform discussion of additional research needed on butane hash oil and its implications for the ongoing marijuana legalization debate, including the diversity of users, routes of administration, and differences between retail/medical and prohibition states.

KEYWORDS:

• Butane hash oil
• dabbing
• legalization
• marijuana

Notes

¹ We take an impartial stance on decriminalization and the use of marijuana as a medical tool within this research note and instead solely focus on how the emergence of “dabbing” factors into the broader debates.

² Although this analogy has some utility, it is important to note that, unlike rapid alcohol consumption, marijuana does not have similar toxic levels.

³ With the exception of some spirits that are derived from wine or beer, such as brandy.

⁴ BHO fires have become so common in California as to be characterized as an “epidemic” as the state averaged a production-specific fire a week in the first quarter of 2015 following 30 lab fatalities over the last year, according to an NBC4 News (Los Angeles) report by Hetty Chang on 23 April 2015.

Additional information

Funding

This study was sponsored, in part, by Grant No. 2011-RN-BX0004 awarded by the US Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Delaware County (OH) Sheriff Office or the U.S. Department of Justice.