You have just finished your session with your favorite portable flower vaporizer and there, in the heating chamber, is leftover flower and residue. Like most avid cannabis users, you want nothing to go to waste. So the questions arise, what is this leftover flower called and can it be reused?
So, What Exactly Is AVB?
AVB, short for "Already Vaped Bud" is the rigid, brown flower that is left over from the dry herb vaping process. Unlike traditional methods of smoking marijuana, vaping has a slow-cooker approach, in which the flower is heated but not burned. This process results in heated flower material and a sticky residue left on your portable vaporizer. Since the vaping process involves convection or conduction heating instead of combustion, the leftover material is wholly intact; leaving users to wonder if it can be used for more.
What Are the Characteristics of AVB?
The portable vape process utilizes a heat chamber to extract the moisture, cannabinoids, and terpenes from the fresh bud. This affects everything from appearance, to texture, and potency. Once the vaped weed is used completely, the first change you will notice is its appearance. What started out as a rich green color will result in an AVB weed that is slightly brown in color. Predictably, since the moisture is completely removed by the herb vaporizer, the soft material that went in comes out more abrasive to the touch. AVB has a fraction of the potency of fresh flower, as the terpenes and cannainoids have evaporated into a vapor that has been inhaled by the user.
Does AVB Smell Like Weed?
Those who only use resin carts and cannabis concentrates may not know the scent of AVB, or may think that it will be like an electronic cigarette with none of the well known 'skunky' smell. Although the scent of AVB can similar to fresh flower, with a recognizable cannabis aroma, the fact that it has been chemically altered by heat gives its odor a distinctive toasted quality, that is overall less pungent than fresh cannabis. This change in smell is another distinguishing factor between fresh cannabis and AVB.
Elon®, Stelo™ and AVB
An example of AVB can be seen after a stelo™ dry herb cartridge has been used with the elon® device. The dry herb vaporizer utilizes patented heat-not-burn technology to heat the flower inside the stelo™ to the optimal temperature for consumption. Once a session has been completed, the flower inside of the stelo is now considered AVB. Since stelos come prepacked in a paper cartidge with a film at the end, flower material will not spill into the heating chamber and create a residue. Since the cannabinoids and terpenes have already evaporated to produce an inhalable vapor, there is no use for the material and it is not recommended to use the dry herb cartridge for an additional session.
Does AVB Get You High and Is It Worth the Effort?
AVB still has the opportunity to produce an effective high, and can even have some medicinal properties, but the potency is nothing compared with fresh flower. If your AVB color is lighter, more towards the greens and tans, it could be recycled. However, if your AVB is dark brown, it is better in the bin than your butter.
For AVB users deem recyclable, there are several options for re-use. AVB can be used to make cannabis butter, taken in capsules, and even sprinkled on top of your favorite snack.
