For a long time, dabbing felt like the least beginner-friendly way to consume cannabis.

It meant a torch, a rig, a hot nail, some timing, and at least one person in the room acting like this was all very normal. It had a reputation for being the most intense way to consume cannabis, partly because concentrates are potent, and partly because the setup made the whole thing feel like you needed an advanced degree in hash culture just to participate.

That reputation was not totally unfair. Traditional dabbing had a learning curve. Heat the nail too much and you could scorch the concentrate. Use too much and you might spend the next 20 minutes wondering if your lungs collapsed. Even if you were curious, the ritual itself made dabbing feel like something for people who already knew what they were doing.

But that is not the only version of dabbing anymore.

Better devices, more refined concentrates, and less confusing gear have made concentrates easier to approach without turning them into something they are not. Dabs are still strong. A little still goes a long way. But the experience can now be more controlled, more flavorful, and much less chaotic than the torch-and-guess era made it seem.

Ahead of 7/10, or OIL Day, the holiday for cannabis oils, concentrates, and hash, VICE exclusively spoke with Roger Volodarsky, founder and CEO of Puffco, about what people still get wrong about dabbing, why hash is becoming more accessible, and how one of cannabis’ most gatekept consumption methods became a lot easier to get into.

The Biggest Misunderstanding About Dabbing

Dabbing carried a very specific reputation: huge hits, high tolerance, and the kind of expensive, heady setup that made beginners feel like they had already missed the tutorial.

Volodarsky says that reputation misses what a lot of concentrate consumers are actually looking for now.

“The biggest misconception is that dabbing is about getting as high as possible, as fast as possible. That idea is outdated. Today, people are discovering that hash can be one of the most flavorful, nuanced, and controllable ways to experience cannabis.”

That does not mean dabs stopped being strong. Concentrates are still potent, and overdoing it is still very possible. But the category has grown beyond shock-value hits and getting wrecked for the sake of getting wrecked. For a lot of consumers, the appeal is flavor, control, texture, and getting a clearer sense of the concentrate itself and the strain or cultivar behind it.

For Volodarsky, Puffco’s role has been tied to removing the parts of dabbing that made people hesitate in the first place.

“A decade ago, dabbing meant torches and red-hot nails, an intense, intimidating entry point that reinforced that stereotype,” he says. “What’s changed is both the technology and the understanding of the plant. Here at Puffco, we have played a major role in shifting that perception by removing the barriers and helping people experience hash in the way it’s meant to be enjoyed: intentionally, with control, and with an emphasis on flavor and quality over intensity.”

That is probably the cleanest way to understand the modern dab category. The goal is not to make concentrates feel less potent than they already are. It is to make the experience less chaotic, so the consumer can actually notice what they are consuming.

Why Dabbing Got Gatekept

The intimidation factor was baked into the setup itself.

A traditional dab usually meant using a blowtorch to heat a titanium nail or quartz banger, waiting for it to cool down to the right temperature, dropping a tiny amount of concentrate onto the surface, and inhaling the vapor through a rig. Written out, that sounds simple enough. In practice, there were a lot of ways to mess it up.

If the nail was too hot, you could scorch the concentrate and take a harsh, unpleasant hit. If you used too much, the experience could go from fun to “I need to sit down immediately,” in about five seconds. Even before the effects kicked in, the process came with pressure. You had to know how hot was too hot, how much concentrate was too much, how hard you had to suck in the vapor, and how to avoid wasting the dab you (or your friend) probably paid good money for.

Volodarsky says even his first attempts were rough.

“My first attempt didn’t even work. I tried using a hot plate with a lighter and just ended up melting it,” he says. “The second time, I went the opposite direction and took a red-hot dab that completely overwhelmed me. I was on the floor, holding my chest, wondering if I was going to die.”

Volodarsky’s experiences are a testament to the steep learning curve of dabbing concentrates. The concentrate itself is not necessarily the problem—the entry point is. When a consumption method requires fire, timing, temperature judgment, and confidence, a lot of curious people end up standing nearby while someone else takes the dab. Some never get past that part. And even when you finally do dab, the first few are usually memorable lessons.

“But really, that experience stuck with me,” Volodarsky says. “It made it clear how broken the process was, and ultimately inspired the idea behind Puffco: to make dabbing something that’s safe, consistent, and actually enjoyable.”

The learning curve shaped the culture around dabbing too. The person who knew the setup usually became the person running the room. The people who didn’t were left with the impression that concentrates were only for heavy consumers with huge tolerances and big egos.

That part is finally changing. Dabbing can still be strong, and beginners should still start very small. But the idea that concentrates are automatically chaotic, extreme, or reserved for experienced hash heads is becoming outdated. Modern devices, like Puffco’s, are making that learning curve a lot easier to handle.

Read our How to Dab Guide here.

How Dabbing Became More Approachable

What changed is how much of the process has been taken out of your hands. The ritual is still there, but there is less guesswork, which makes it easier for people to actually try dabbing.

Newer devices, like Puffco’s, made a big difference there. Electronic rigs and portable dab devices control the heat for you, which takes away one of the easiest ways to ruin a dab. Instead of guessing whether the surface is too hot, you can press a button that heats to your selected temperature setting, and get a more consistent experience.

The products themselves have also improved. More people know the difference between rosin, resin, badder, sauce, and other concentrates and extracts. More dispensaries carry higher-quality options. And more consumers understand that smell, freshness, texture, and extraction method matter.

Volodarsky says the category has become more available, and consumers have gotten savvier about what they are buying.

“Access and education have both evolved dramatically. High-quality concentrates are now available across far more markets, and consumers are much more informed about what makes hash special.”

The conversation around concentrates has also moved out of the dab bar and underground seshes. Brands, educators, budtenders, reviewers, and regular consumers are talking about hash more like wine now: flavor, process, texture, and why one jar hits different from another. It’s the same reason why I do what I do: to make weed, especially dabs, make sense so that even my mom can now explain the difference between rosin and resin.

“There’s also been a cultural shift,” Volodarsky says. “People are more curious and more intentional about what they consume. Content, creators, and communities have helped demystify hash and move it out of the niche ‘insider’ category into something more approachable and aspirational.”

The new dabber is not always the person trying to win a tolerance contest. They are also the consumer who already likes cannabis and wants a better, more intentional way into concentrates, without using a blowtorch.

Volodarsky sees that audience as broader than the old hash-head stereotype.

“We believe that concentrates are for anyone who loves cannabis, and that’s a very diverse population, whether it’s long-time flower smokers looking for a cleaner experience or vape users wanting better quality at a lower cost. We are focused on meeting our customers where they are and creating a more inclusive future for cannabis.”

It’s a clear sign that dabbing has become a real consumer category. The old flex was whether you could take a glob. The new question is whether the product, the device, and the experience actually make sense for the way people consume cannabis now.

How to Tell If Hash Is Actually Good

If dabbing is becoming easier to access, the next question is what people should actually be looking for in good hash.

Shopping for dabs can be overwhelming on its own. There are tiny jars, different textures, different extraction methods, different price points, and plenty of strain names that do not tell you much unless you already know the grower, the extractor, or the cultivar.

Volodarsky’s checklist is simple.

“Honestly, just smell it. It starts with the nose. If it smells like something you want to inhale, that’s the first signal. If it doesn’t, nothing else really matters. From there, you’re looking at texture, color, and overall freshness, but smell is always the most honest indicator of quality.”

While that advice might be obvious to some, but it is useful for beginners because hash shopping can get overly technical very fast. You can learn the difference between rosin and resin. You can ask about freshness, and you can look at the texture. But if the jar does not smell appealing, that is usually telling you something.

Another important detail is using the right temperature because it can change the hit. Higher heat can create more vapor, but it can also taste harsher and burn through the flavor. Lower heat usually gives you a better sense of the concentrate’s aroma, terpene profile, and overall experience, which is a reason why a lot of people are getting into hash in the first place.

Is Cannabis Culture Shifting From LA to New York?

Puffco is headquartered in Los Angeles, but Volodarsky’s relationship to New York runs deep.

“There’s nothing like consuming cannabis in New York City,” he says. “I’m Brooklyn born and raised. Puffco was founded there, and the combination of the city’s energy and the laws that allow public consumption make it a uniquely special place to experience it.”

New York’s legal market is still messy, but culturally, the city has become one of the most visible places for weed right now. Smoke shops, bodegas, legacy operators, licensed dispensaries, public consumption, fashion, food, nightlife, and cannabis events all seem to be colliding at once.

Still, Volodarsky is not ready to say New York has replaced California.

“That said, California is still the global leader in cannabis, and it would take a lot to change that. The biggest shift, though, is that people no longer need to travel to find great cannabis. We’re seeing incredible quality and culture emerge all across the world.”

California still has the genetics, the legacy, the farms, the brands, and the weather. New York has the density, the public visibility, and the cultural megaphone. But hash culture is no longer locked to one coast, one market, or one type of consumer.

Where Hash Goes Next

Volodarsky does not talk about hash like it is a side category. He talks about it like the natural endpoint for people who keep getting deeper into the cannabis rabbit hole.

“As people deepen their relationship with cannabis, they naturally start seeking better experiences. Hash sits at the top of that journey. It’s where quality, craftsmanship, and intention all come together.”

A lot of people start with whatever is available. Then they learn what flower they like, what terpenes they notice, what products feel clean, what brands they trust, and what kind of high they actually want. Hash sits right in the middle of that curiosity. The next phase depends on making concentrates easier to experience in real life, not just easier to buy.

“We’re also seeing infrastructure catch up to that demand,” he says. “Consumption lounges and social spaces are expanding, and technology continues to evolve, making the experience more accessible and more refined at the same time.”

There may always be people who want dabbing to stay a little mysterious. That’s part of the appeal for some bros. But the gatekeeping era is harder to defend when the devices are easier, the hash is better, and more consumers are realizing that concentrates are not just about intensity.

“Hash isn’t niche anymore,” Volodarsky says. “It’s becoming central to where cannabis culture is headed.”

Not everyone needs to dab. But the older version of dabbing, the one that required a torch, an insider, and a high tolerance for chaos, is no longer the version defining the category.