Cannabis Product Types Explained
Cannabis 101 · Product Guide
Cannabis products come in six main formats: flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, concentrates, and beverages. Each one is a different way of taking the same plant, and they're not interchangeable. Choosing the right format depends on how you want to take it and how quickly you want to feel it.
If you already know you want cannabis but have no idea which format to buy, this is the page for that. Below is one plain-English paragraph per format, with a direct link to shop each one on our menu. No hype, no upsell. Just the practical rundown on the different types of cannabis products Caldwell carries.
Flower
Flower is the dried, cured bud of the cannabis plant, and it's the classic smokable format you grind and pack into a bowl, pipe, or rolling paper. It has been the most widely purchased format in the market for years, accounting for roughly 40 percent of cannabis sales by most retail measures. You grind the buds, load them into your preferred piece, and smoke. That's the whole process.
Flower is a smoked format. You'll feel it fairly quickly, which puts it on the faster end of the onset spectrum compared to edibles or beverages. It's also sold by strain type (indica, sativa, hybrid), though that's a separate topic covered in its own guide. For now, the short version: flower is cannabis in its most direct form.
Browse flower on our menu to see what's on the shelf right now.
Pre-Rolls
A pre-roll is cannabis flower that has already been ground and rolled for you, ready to use straight out of the package. Same plant material as flower, just packaged differently. You skip the grinding, the rolling, and the gear. Open the package and you're ready to go.
Pre-rolls are a smoked format, so onset timing is the same as flower: you feel it fairly quickly after smoking. They've grown to represent a meaningful share of overall sales (roughly 16 percent by recent retail data) because the convenience is real, especially for people who don't want to invest in a pipe or grinder upfront. The term "pre-roll" and "preroll" are used interchangeably in the industry; some brands also call them joints.
See our pre-rolls on the menu.
Vapes
A vape heats cannabis oil into an inhalable vapor instead of burning flower, so you inhale without combustion or smoke. The distinction matters: vaping is an inhaled format, but it involves no burning plant material. The cannabis oil is heated to a temperature that produces vapor, not smoke. That's a mechanism difference, not a health comparison.
Most vapes come in two forms: vape cartridges (also called carts) that attach to a battery, or all-in-one disposable units you use and discard. Because you're still inhaling, onset timing is similar to flower; you feel it relatively quickly. Vapes represent about 22 percent of sales by most retail reports, making them the second most popular format overall. If you're looking for an inhaled format without smoke involved, vapes cover that.
Browse vapes to see our current selection of cartridges and disposables.
Edibles
Edibles are cannabis-infused foods and drinks you eat or drink instead of smoking, with a slower onset than inhaled formats. They're a smoke-free option for people who don't want to inhale anything at all. On the shelf you'll find formats like gummies, chocolates, and beverages, each sold with its milligram content labeled. For a full breakdown of how they work and what to expect, read our edibles guide. When you're ready to browse, shop edibles on our menu.
Concentrates
Concentrates are cannabis extracts: the concentrated parts of the plant separated from the flower, sold in forms like live resin, shatter, and rosin (a solventless extract made with heat and pressure). They're made through extraction processes that isolate the active compounds from the raw plant material, producing something far more potent by volume than flower or pre-rolls.
Two forms worth knowing by name: live resin is an extract made from fresh-frozen flower (the fresh-freeze process preserves more of the plant's original character); shatter is a hard, glass-like extract named for how it breaks. Both are concentrate forms. Because most concentrates are inhaled using a dab rig or similar specialized gear, onset timing is fast. Some people also add concentrates to flower in a bowl or pre-roll. It's generally considered a more experienced-user format, largely because the gear and the handling are more involved than flower or vapes.
Browse concentrates to see what we have in stock.
Beverages
Cannabis beverages are drinks infused with cannabis: seltzers, sodas, and teas that you sip instead of smoking. They're one of the newer formats on dispensary shelves, and Caldwell carries them as a distinct category from edibles.
Like edibles, beverages are smoke-free and have a slower onset than inhaled formats. They're a drinkable option for anyone who wants cannabis without anything to smoke or vape. The selection has grown considerably over the past couple of years as more producers have entered the space. See our beverages for what's currently available.
Formats at a Glance
Quick reference
The two practical axes: smoke vs. smoke-free and faster vs. slower onset. The table below maps all six formats across both.
| Format | Smoke or smoke-free | Onset speed |
|---|---|---|
| Flower | Smoke (combustion) | Fast |
| Pre-Rolls | Smoke (combustion) | Fast |
| Vapes | Inhaled (no combustion) | Fast |
| Edibles | Smoke-free | Slower |
| Concentrates | Inhaled (typically dabbed) | Fast |
| Beverages | Smoke-free | Slower |
How to Choose a Format
Choosing a cannabis format comes down to two practical questions: do you want to inhale or not, and do you want to feel it sooner or more gradually. That's it. Those two axes cover most of the decision.
Inhaled formats (flower, pre-rolls, vapes, and most concentrates) are felt relatively quickly after use. Smoke-free formats (edibles and beverages) come on more gradually because they go through your digestive system first. Neither is better. They're different timing profiles for different situations. Vapes sit in an interesting middle position: inhaled and fast-onset, but without the smoke of combustion.
If you know you want something smoke-free, that narrows you to edibles and beverages. If you want something fast and smoke-free, vapes cover that. If you want the classic experience, flower or a pre-roll gets you there. Concentrates are worth exploring once you're comfortable with the basics and want to get into the gear.
Still not sure? That's exactly what the staff is for. Come in, tell us what you're after, and we'll point you right. First time in or twenty years deep, you'll get a straight answer. Browse the full menu any time, or stop by and ask.
Cannabis Product Types: FAQ
What are the different types of cannabis products?
Cannabis products come in six main formats: flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, concentrates, and beverages. Flower is the dried bud you smoke. Pre-rolls are flower already ground and rolled. Vapes heat cannabis oil into vapor without combustion. Edibles are cannabis-infused foods and drinks. Concentrates are extracted plant material in forms like live resin and shatter. Beverages are cannabis-infused drinks you sip. Each format is a different way of taking the same plant.
What are the categories of cannabis products?
The six categories of cannabis products available at most licensed dispensaries are flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, concentrates, and beverages. Some dispensaries also carry tinctures and topicals, though those categories vary by location. At Caldwell, the confirmed stocked categories are the six listed above, each with its own menu section.
What is the most popular type of cannabis product?
Flower is the most popular cannabis product format by sales volume, accounting for roughly 40 percent of retail cannabis purchases by most industry measures. Pre-rolls are second-fastest growing, and vapes represent about 22 percent of sales. Popularity varies by market and customer base, but flower has consistently led retail sales since adult-use markets opened.
What is the difference between flower, vapes, and edibles?
Flower and vapes are both inhaled formats, so onset is relatively fast; edibles are eaten and have a slower onset because they go through your digestive system. The other key difference is smoke: flower involves combustion, vapes do not (they heat oil into vapor instead of burning plant material), and edibles involve no inhalation at all. If you want something smoke-free and fast, vapes. If you want something smoke-free with a slower timeline, edibles.
What is the difference between a pre-roll and flower?
A pre-roll is flower that has already been ground and rolled for you. The plant material is the same; the difference is preparation and packaging. Flower you buy loose, grind yourself, and load into a pipe, bowl, or paper. A pre-roll comes ready to use straight out of the package. Onset timing is identical because it's the same format, just pre-prepared.
Are cannabis concentrates the same as live resin and shatter?
Yes, live resin and shatter are both forms of cannabis concentrate. Concentrates (also called extracts) are the umbrella category: cannabis extracts separated from the plant material, sold in various textures and forms. Live resin is made from fresh-frozen flower, preserving more of the plant's original character. Shatter is a hard, glass-like extract named for how it breaks. Both are concentrates; the difference is in the production method and the resulting texture.
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Find Your Format on Our Menu
Now that you know the six cannabis formats and what makes each one different, the next step is seeing what's in stock. Browse flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, concentrates, and beverages on our menu. Come in with a question and we'll give you a straight answer.
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