Why one cannabis word can mean two different things
Each state writes its own definitions into law, and the same word can mean something different once you cross a border.
Take the serving. Colorado states retail edibles must have clear single servings of 10 mg THC or less, with no more than 100 mg per product. Connecticut law directs a standardized edible serving to contain not more than five milligrams of THC. A Colorado serving can hold twice the THC of one here.
Plant and chemistry terms: cannabinoid, THC, CBD, terpene, trichome
These are the words behind the numbers on a label.
- Cannabinoid. The family of compounds that THC and CBD belong to. NIDA, a federal research institute, says the cannabis plant contains at least 125 different cannabinoids.
- THC. Short for tetrahydrocannabinol. Per NIDA, delta-9 THC is the most abundant form of THC in the cannabis plant and has intoxicating effects.
- CBD. Short for cannabidiol, which NIDA calls a non-intoxicating cannabinoid compound found in the Cannabis sativa L plant.
- Terpene. A class of plant compounds. A 2020 review says terpenes are hydrocarbons with small isoprene units linked to one another to form chains.
- Trichome. The structures on the flower where that chemistry sits. The same 2020 review says the trichome structures on female flowers are the localization of cannabinoids and terpenes, which is why kief and hash start with trichomes.
When you scroll the flower on our live menus, look for the terpene values. Flower listings on both of our live menus show terpene values. If those names are new to you, our guide to cannabis terpenes walks through them one at a time.
Flower, trim and pre-roll terms
Flower has a precise legal definition here. State law defines cannabis flower as the flower of a cannabis plant that has been harvested, dried, cured, chopped or ground, prior to any processing into a cannabis product. Ground flower is still flower. Once it is processed into something else, it is not.
Trim is the rest of the plant. The same statute defines cannabis trim as plant parts other than flower that have been harvested, dried and cured, prior to any processing.
State law defines a cannabis product as cannabis intended for use or consumption in the form of a concentrate or a product containing cannabis and at least one other ingredient, excluding flower.
For the pre-roll, Oregon's regulator, the OLCC, defines a pre-roll as a marijuana item or hemp item that is rolled in paper and may contain a filter or crutch.
Concentrate terms: extract, live resin, rosin, distillate, kief and hash
State law defines cannabis concentrate as any form of concentration, including extracts, oils, tinctures, shatter and waxes, that is extracted from cannabis.
The same chapter also uses extract as a verb. It defines extract as the preparation, compounding, conversion or processing of cannabis to produce a cannabis concentrate.
The names on a concentrate jar describe how it was made:
- Live resin. A 2024 paper describes it as a full-spectrum extraction preserving the source plant's cannabinoid and terpene profile.
- Rosin. A 2025 paper describes it as a solventless extract obtained through mechanical compression using heat and pressure.
- Distillate. The same 2024 paper describes it as a highly concentrated Δ9-THC extract with most terpenes and other constituents removed.
- Kief. A 2020 review says trichomes separated by gently rubbing frozen or dried flowers on a sieve mesh are known as kief.
- Hash. The same review says kief can be pressed to make hash.
Live resin, rosin and distillate are easy to confuse, so we wrote a side-by-side on live resin vs rosin vs distillate. When you are ready to compare real jars, our concentrates aisle carries the current lineup.
Edible, drink, tincture and topical terms
State law defines an edible cannabis product as a cannabis product intended for humans to eat or drink. The definition covers both eating and drinking, so a THC drink falls in the same legal category as any edible.
The state also sets who can sell those drinks to adults 21 and older. Only licensed cannabis retailers and package stores with a waiver may sell THC-infused beverages after July 1, 2024.
Shape is defined as well. Edible cannabis products may only be in cuboid or spherical forms and animal shapes are prohibited, and DCP says edible packaging cannot appeal to individuals under 21.
NIDA says tinctures are cannabis-infused alcohol or oils consumed in small amounts under the tongue or by adding to foods or drinks. For topicals, NIDA describes lotions and balms as products applied directly to the skin.
Dose, potency and label terms under Connecticut law
These rules apply to adult-use cannabis sold to adults 21 and older, and they explain the terms printed on Connecticut packages.
- Potency. NIDA defines potency as the concentration of THC. Flower listings on both of our live menus show a THC value.
- Serving. Edible cannabis products are limited to 5 milligrams of THC per serving.
- Package total. DCP says edibles can have no more than 100 milligrams of THC total in a multiple-serving package.
- Potency caps. Effective October 1, 2026, DCP lists adult-use flower potency at up to 35% in its potency thresholds article, and DCP lists other adult-use cannabis products including edibles, pre-rolls and topicals at up to 70%. Pre-rolls land in the second potency group, not the flower group, per the same DCP article.
- Universal symbol. Cannabis labels must carry a DCP-issued symbol that the package contains THC and a symbol that it is not safe or legal for people under twenty-one. Colorado, by comparison, requires a diamond that includes the letters THC with an exclamation point above it on all retail cannabis packaging.
- High-potency warning. Under the state label regulation, a concentrate above thirty percent total THC must carry the warning: This is a high-potency cannabis product and may increase the risk of psychosis.
- Child-resistant. Connecticut law deems packaging child-resistant if it satisfies the standard for special packaging in 16 CFR 1700.1(b)(4).
For a panel-by-panel walk through a real package, read how to read a Connecticut cannabis label.
Questions shoppers ask about cannabis terms
Is a tincture a concentrate or an edible in Connecticut?
A tincture is a concentrate under state law, which lists tinctures by name in its definition of cannabis concentrate.
How big do the symbols on a cannabis label have to be?
Each label symbol must be unobscured and not less than one-half inch by one-half inch.
Where to look a term up next
For the full legal wording of these definitions, read Connecticut General Statutes chapter 420h. For the rest of our cannabis explainers, start at the Hi! People blog.
When you know what you want, open the live menu for either store and order ahead for pickup. Online ordering is open 24/7, and you can order online and pick up in the store at our Derby cannabis market or our Hartford cannabis store.