Is Shake Weed Any Good To Smoke?

Years ago, when I first heard the phrase shake weed, I envisioned delicious top-shelf buds swirling amidst a yummy blend of ice cream and fruit. Not quite accurate, no. 

In reality, shake weed refers to pieces of the marijuana flower that have been broken off from the buds.

Let’s check out what shake weed has to offer and how to make the most of it!

What Is Shake Weed? 

Shake weed is a cult classic part of the cannabis lingo. This term describes the leaves, trimmings, and stems of weed—pretty much something like weed leftovers.

It’s formed when we get to move, bump or shake a jar or a bag of ganja flower, hence the name. 

I bet you’ve seen plenty of cool shake weed deals online and offline.

Also, you probably already have some experience with cannabis shake, even if you’ve never purchased this particular ganja product. 

The thing is…

Cannabis shake is bound to accumulate naturally at the bottom of your favorite marijuana stash jar (or any other container you may use to store your weed).

Every time you handle the juicy, fresh buds and get ready to consume them, they shed some trimmings.

This happens as we get to:

• handle the nugs,
• break them open, 
• transport, move or in any other way shake the canna-storage container.

So, sooner than later, you do get to smoke that shake or use it in any other of your dear canna-creations (NOM NOM!). 

Typically, we notice and consume the cannabis shake just before we finally re-fill our beloved ganja jar.

Shake VS Trim

• Trim refers to the weed leaves that are trimmed off of the marijuana plant as a part of the storage preparation and packaging process. 
• Unlike smoking shake, trim is not recommended for direct smoking. 
• Smoking trim feels very, very harsh on the throat and the lungs, yet it can work great for cooking.

Is Shake Good To Smoke? 

While leftover shake is usually found in budget pre-rolled joints, it’s perfectly good to smoke. Sure, it’s nothing on top shelf indoor-grown buds, but it’s leftover shake, duh! 

Top-notch shake weed doesn’t hold any potential harm or threats to the users.

However, you MUST make sure it hasn’t become moldy. Any type of moldy weed is a huge NO-NO.

As a natural by-product of handling and moving the fresh buds, it’s often used in pre-rolls and blunts.

Let me highlight it again. The leftovers of the marijuana plant matter are absolutely suitable to consume.

Note that it’s usually much drier than the whole cannabis marijuana buds, though. The smoke may feel (slightly) harsher on the throat than the smoke with regular ganja nugs.

Usually, I’d bake with it or vape it. Either way – no tickling my throat this way. 

To use shake in the best way, you should remove any possible seeds away. But you know this. This rule applies to any consumption method you may prefer. 

Does Shake Get You High? 

Absolutely! 

• Marijuana shake does get you high. 
• But the THC level will be lower than in premium bud. It’s not as highly potent as the various strains sold at dispensaries.

Let me illustrate this a little:

You can picture the psychoactive powers of any premium cannabis bud as taking a shot of whiskey. Meanwhile, shake would resemble drinking a glass of beer.

Important Note!

The effects of shake weed are harder to predict than the effects of particular cannabis strains.

Typically, the cannabis shake isn’t from one single strain. Instead, it’s from multiple strains.

When we have a mix of different strains in a bag, the combination of cannabinoids and terpenes is very multilayered and inconsistent.

That’s why it’s difficult to predict how exactly the effects will hit you.

Nonetheless, shake is likely stored a bit longer than premium marijuana flower. Thus, THC levels decrease over time, and THC naturally converts into CBN.

The most common effects of CBN relate to high pain-relief and anti-insomnia properties.

Respectively, for those who prefer a milder psychoactive experience, smoking some shake can be a wonderful option.

Do not underestimate the potency of shake, though. Especially if it’s the leftovers of indoor-grown hydro. 

The intensity of the effects is directly related to the amount you consume.

Moreover, if you use shake for edibles, be careful with the dosage. It’s especially tricky to calculate the amount of THC you ingest accurately.

Your safest bet is to start low and go slow.

Best Way To Smoke Shake

• Top up your bong, the air will cool any harshness. The bowl of my favorite bong is a personal witness to countless weed shake adventures. Epic. Smoke your shake in a bowl, you can’t go wrong. 
• Use shake to load your pipe.
• You can also use shake to load your dry herb vaporizer.
• Roll some good ol’ joints or blunts. Roll and roll some more. Seriously, shake weed is just made for rolling joints. Amen.

Psst. Pass some joints. Or blunts. High fly time.

One of the best perks to shake weed is that it’s so versatile. So, if you don’t want to smoke shake weed, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy it.

• You can use shake for DIY lower potency weed tinctures. Tinctures are potent, discreet to consume, and easy peasy to make. It can work for any other infusions, too.
• You can use shake to make any edibles. For example, you can whip an awesome batch of cannabis butter.

Then again, remember that dosing can be tricky. After all, it differs from working with whole flower, which has accurately measured cannabinoid levels. It just takes some patience and experimentation before you find your sweet spot.

Shake VS Bud 

One major difference is that you don’t need to grind it as you’d do with regular weed. Here’s the downlow between them:

• Potency: Shake has a lower psychoactive potency than premium cannabis flower.
• Appearance: Shake weed is easy to tell apart from those dense, dank, frosty, fluffy nugs. Shake is pretty much just flakes of weed as it only contains parts of the leaves, stems, and other sheddings from the entire cannabis flower.
• Flavor: The flavor and aroma profile of premium-quality cannabis flowers is unparalleled. You shouldn’t expect the same quality and intensity with shake.
• Price: You’ll find many dispensaries hitting up with hot offers that will make you fall shake-y in love. An ounce of shake could sell in a reputable dispensary for as little as $40. Meanwhile, an ounce of cannabis is priced between $160 – $350 on average.

Shake weed is much more budget-friendly when compared to purchasing whole flower bud. Also, you’ll find it available for sale in various dispensaries, either in a bag of multiple strains mix or in the form of pre-rolls.

On the downside, shake weed consists of small particles, and it tends to dry out much faster than larger buds. This means it also loses its flavor and aroma faster.

For best results, make sure you store your shake properly. Keep it away from heat, light, and excess moisture.