When people hear the term “dabbing,” they might initially think of the dance move. That is believed to have originated in the Atlanta rap scene and was later popularized by football star, Cam Newton. Who made “the dab” his signature touchdown celebration.

But, in marijuana culture, dabbing is a slang term that refers to the process of consuming high concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The psychoactive chemical found in marijuana. Despite the dangers associated with the practice. It is growing in popularity—especially among teens.

This article covers what dabs are, what’s in them, how dabbing works, and the potentially dangerous side effects.

What Are Dabs?

Dabs—also referred to as wax, shatter, amber, honeycomb, or budder—are concentrated versions of butane hash oil (BHO) which contains highly-concentrated levels of THC. This concentrated substance is produced through a chemical process using butane oil to extract the oils from the cannabis.

Research suggests that dabs or BHO can have a THC concentration of 80% in comparison to traditional cannabis, which has a concentration of about 10% to 15% THC.1 In fact, at a minimum, dabs are as much as four times stronger than a joint. Plus, people who dab experience an intense high all at once rather than the high gradually building over time.

Dabs are made by pouring butane over marijuana. This process extracts THC from the marijuana plant and dissolves it into the butane leaving a gummy, somewhat solid product that contains high amounts of THC.