Cannabis Basics
What Is Shatter?
Shatter is a solvent-based cannabis concentrate. Discover how these concentrates are made, how to consume them, the pros and cons of choosing shatter, and shopping and potency considerations.
Last updated December 30, 2025 | Published on February 17, 2021
Shatter is a type of cannabis extract known for its glass-like, brittle texture and high potency. It’s a form of butane hash oil, or BHO, which refers to cannabis concentrates made using butane as a solvent.
How is shatter made?
Shatter is a golden-coloured, glass-like substance made by processing the cannabis plant with butane to extract the cannabinoid- and terpene-rich trichomes from the buds. The solvent is then evaporated at low heat, which also removes excess residual oils, leaving behind a translucent material that is left to cool into a hard sheet.
How to use shatter
There are a variety of methods for consuming shatter:
- Smoking. Shatter can be smoked by adding it to dried cannabis flower in a joint.
- Vaping. It can be vaped in a concentrate-specific vaporizer or a dried flower vaporizer with a concentrate attachment.
- Dabbing. More experienced consumers may choose to dab shatter. However, if you are new to cannabis, dabbing is not recommended. Dabbing is a complicated process that can produce strong, immediate effects, and it may increase your risk of overconsumption or experiencing negative effects.
Your body’s response to cannabis depends on many variables, such as the type of product consumed, your metabolism and weight, and how much food you ate before consumption. If you choose to smoke or vape cannabis, Health Canada recommends starting with one or two puffs of a product with 10% (or 100 mg/g) of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or less. When cannabis concentrates such as shatter and wax are inhaled, effects can often be felt within seconds and typically last up to six hours.
What are the pros and cons of consuming shatter?
Consuming shatter, like any cannabis product, comes with its own set of pros and cons.
Pros:
- When vaporized or dabbed, shatter offers a smoke-free option to inhaling dried cannabis flower, which can come with the potential risks of smoking.
Cons:
- Since shatter is a highly concentrated product, there is a greater potential for overconsumption. To minimize the risk, it’s recommended that you start with a very small amount — less than the size of a lentil — especially if you are trying a new product, and wait to see how it affects your body.
- Regularly consuming high-potency cannabis products, like shatter, over a long period of time also has its risks, including the development of Cannabis Use Disorder.
What is the difference between shatter and wax?
Although shatter and wax are both highly potent forms of BHO, the differences lie in their appearance, consistency and sometimes, potency.
Where shatter has a hard, glass-like consistency and is translucent, wax is softer, more malleable and opaque.
Both shatter and wax are made using similar extraction process, but shatter is processed at lower temperatures to form its brittle structure, while wax is whipped to achieve its waxy texture.
Even though shatter is believed to be more potent than wax, this isn’t always true. Both offer high potency and the choice between the two is based on preference.
What should I consider when shopping for shatter?
Like all concentrates, shatter and wax differ from other forms of cannabis in that they have the potential to contain a higher concentration of cannabinoids — up to 90% THC, in contrast with the potential 30% in raw cannabis, making them some of the most concentrated cannabis products. Concentrates available through the OCS that are meant to be inhaled can contain no more than 1,000 mg of THC per package. Some people believe shatter is more potent than wax, but these products commonly have comparable THC levels.
