Higher Function and cannabis data platform Lit Alerts released a consumer report that the cannabis concentrates category remains widely misunderstood as the 7/10 Oil Day holiday approaches.
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Concentrates can be complicated for simple flower potheads.
Concentrates, when used to dab, can get you higher than consuming flower by smoking weed. It often makes longtime potheads cough, for example, including me.
Heady NJ is always for promoting education around the sacred herb and all its forms.
(That’s why we’re a great resource to recommend!)
Cannabis Concentrate Issues
According to Higher Function consumer survey data, the biggest reason consumers avoid concentrates such as live rosin, resin, and traditional hash is that they do not understand them.
This includes what they are, how to consume them, and why they are considered premium.
Survey respondents cited “lack of knowledge about types of concentrates and what they are” as the top barrier to entry. It outweighed concerns about potency or consumption method.
Price point was another significant barrier. Consumers also expressed concern about how to consume concentrates safely, how to evaluate quality, and which brands to trust.
“Concentrates are often viewed as intimidating. But the reality is they represent some of the most flavorful, intentional, and premium experiences in cannabis,” said Erik Dawson, founder of Higher Function. “The industry has spent years talking about THC percentage. But most experts agree that’s not an accurate way to evaluate quality.”
“Consumers are now ready for a more sophisticated conversation around quality, flavor, terpene preservation, craftsmanship, and experience,” he argued.
Cannabis Concentrate Basics
Cannabis concentrates are products that isolate and preserve the frosty-looking trichomes. Trichomes are the resin glands of the cannabis plant where cannabinoids and terpenes are naturally concentrated.
Premium products like artisanal solventless rosin, live resin, and traditional hash are increasingly being compared to fine wine or top-shelf spirits due to their complexity, flavor expression, and production methods.
7/10 Oil Day Holiday Approaches
Higher Function and Lit Alerts see the upcoming 7/10 Oil Day holiday as an opportunity for the cannabis industry to shift toward informed, confident consumption to support this growing category.
Throughout the week leading up to July 10, Higher Function will be collaborating with multiple dispensaries, brands, and retail teams on educational activations focused on:
● Understanding the different types of concentrates
● Solventless vs. solvent-based extraction
● How to evaluate concentrate quality
● Safe and approachable consumption methods
● Terpenes, flavor, and cannabinoid experience
● Helping consumers identify products that fit their goals and preferences
Higher Function will be at several Oil Day parties, including one at the Highly Elevated Glass Shop in North Plainfield, North Jersey, that will highlight several prominent NJ cannabis brands. Other places are throwing Oil Day parties too, like at Gynsyng Lounge in South Jersey and elsewhere.
7/10 Oil Day is more of a West Coast holiday and an East Coast marketing opportunity than the traditional 4/20 cannabis holiday. The activist group Sativa Cross seeks to make it a medical cannabis patient-centered day.
Cannabis Concentrate Market Potential
Market data from Lit Alerts suggests the category still has substantial room for growth in both New Jersey and New York. The concentrates category accounts for 3.7% of sales in NJ and 3.3% in NY in a June 2026 survey.
According to them, this compares to 5% in mature East Coast markets like Massachusetts and Maryland. In newer East Coast markets, reaching or surpassing 5% market share represents tens of millions in potential consumer spending.
Dawson noted there are several great types of products available, like resin and rosin vape cartridges and edibles, solventless dissolvable powders, and therapeutic products, including Rick Simpson (RSO), which has been used to treat cancer.
“Concentrates are a niche but growing and increasingly important category for the cannabis industry,” said Rick Bashkoff, CEO of Lit Alerts. “The data shows there is strong interest in the category.”
Cannabis Education Through Dispensary Budtenders
“To drive consumer knowledge, you have to start with your budtenders,” Dawson explained.
“Budtenders that go through the Higher Function Concentrates Training program see a significant improvement in how they can talk about, educate, and sell concentrates,” he said.
Budtenders are the front lines of consultation with the customer. However, they need to be trained to educate customers properly. Their recommendations to casual consumers and newbies can be very significant to the growth of a cannabis manufacturer.
NJ Cannabis Concentrate Market Issues
Cannabis flower remains the most popular product in the NJ cannabis market, according to multiple NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) reports. A lot of old heads just want bags of weed.
