Cannabis Industry Glossary
The word on the street? Cannabis has its own language. From dispensary terms and compliance jargon to cultivation and retail lingo, this glossary breaks down the cannabis industry terms you actually need to know.
280E
Section 280E is a federal tax code that prevents cannabis businesses from deducting normal business expenses because cannabis remains federally illegal in the United States.
Adult-Use Cannabis
Also known as recreational cannabis, adult-use cannabis refers to cannabis products legally sold to adults over a certain age, typically 21+, without requiring a medical marijuana card.
Adult-use markets are regulated differently depending on the state or country.
Batch Tracking
Batch tracking is the process of monitoring a specific group of cannabis products throughout cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and retail. It helps maintain compliance, quality control, and product recall readiness.
Biomass
Biomass is bulk cannabis plant material collected for processing, extraction, or manufacturing. Depending on the operator and product type, biomass may include flower, trim, or other usable plant matter.
BioTrack
BioTrack is a cannabis seed-to-sale tracking system used by state regulators and licensed cannabis businesses to monitor inventory, product movement, and compliance activities throughout the supply chain.
Budtender
A budtender is a retail cannabis employee who helps customers choose cannabis products based on their needs, preferences, and desired effects. Budtenders are similar to bartenders or retail sales associates but specialize in cannabis knowledge.
Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds naturally found in the cannabis plant that interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system. THC and CBD are the most well-known cannabinoids, but there are over 100 others.
Cannabis Compliance
Cannabis compliance refers to following local and state regulations regarding cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, labeling, packaging, and retail operations. Compliance rules vary widely by market.
Cannabis Distribution
Cannabis distribution involves transporting cannabis products between licensed operators while following regulatory and tracking requirements.
Cannabis Ecommerce
Cannabis ecommerce refers to the online shopping experience for cannabis products, including online menus, pickup ordering, delivery ordering, and digital storefronts for dispensaries and cannabis retailers.
Cannabis Ecommerce Platform
A cannabis ecommerce platform is software that allows dispensaries and cannabis retailers to offer online ordering, digital menus, pickup, and delivery services while remaining compliant with cannabis regulations. Unlike traditional ecommerce platforms, cannabis ecommerce solutions must support age verification, state compliance requirements, restricted payment processing, inventory syncing, and integrations with seed-to-sale tracking systems like Metrc or BioTrack.
Cannabis ERP
A cannabis ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system helps cannabis businesses manage operations, inventory, sales, purchasing, and compliance in one platform.
Cannabis Inventory Management
Cannabis inventory management is the process of tracking cannabis products, stock levels, transfers, and adjustments throughout the supply chain.
Cannabis Licensing
Cannabis licensing is the process of obtaining legal approval to operate a cannabis business, such as a dispensary, cultivation facility, or manufacturing operation.
Cannabis POS System
A cannabis POS (point-of-sale) system is software specifically designed for dispensaries to process transactions, manage inventory, remain compliant, and report sales data to state tracking systems.
Cannabis Retail
Cannabis retail refers to the sale of cannabis products directly to consumers through licensed dispensaries or delivery services.
CCRS
CCRS is Washington State’s cannabis reporting system used by licensed cannabis operators to submit inventory, sales, and compliance data to regulators. Businesses use CCRS to maintain compliance with state reporting requirements.
Certificate of Analysis (COA)
A Certificate of Analysis, or COA, is a lab report that shows a cannabis product’s tested potency, cannabinoid content, terpene profile, and whether it passed required safety screenings. Operators, retailers, and consumers use COAs to verify product quality and compliance.
Concentrates
Cannabis concentrates are highly potent cannabis extracts made by isolating cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant. Common concentrate types include wax, shatter, live resin, and rosin.
Cultivation
Cultivation refers to the process of growing cannabis plants for commercial or personal use. Cannabis cultivation includes planting, irrigation, lighting, harvesting, drying, and curing.
Curing
Curing is the process of slowly drying harvested cannabis flower to preserve potency, flavor, and terpene content.
Dispensary
A dispensary is a licensed cannabis retail store where consumers can legally purchase cannabis products. Dispensaries may operate in medical, adult-use, or dual-license markets depending on local laws.
Distillate
Distillate is a highly refined cannabis oil that contains concentrated cannabinoids, often with much of the original plant material and flavor removed. It is commonly used in vape cartridges, edibles, tinctures, and infused products.
Edibles
Edibles are cannabis-infused food or beverage products consumed orally. Unlike inhaled cannabis, edibles typically have delayed effects because cannabinoids are processed through digestion.
Extraction
Extraction is the process of separating cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis plant material to create concentrates and infused products.
Flower
Flower refers to the dried buds of the cannabis plant that are commonly smoked or vaporized. It remains one of the most popular cannabis product categories in legal markets.
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice)
Good Manufacturing Practice refers to standards and processes that ensure cannabis products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality guidelines and safety regulations.
Harvest
Harvest is the stage in cannabis cultivation when mature cannabis plants are cut, trimmed, and prepared for drying and curing. Timing the harvest properly impacts potency and terpene preservation.
Licensee
A licensee is a person or business authorized by a regulatory agency to legally operate within the cannabis industry.
Live Resin
Live resin is a cannabis concentrate made from fresh frozen cannabis rather than dried flower. This extraction method is popular because it helps preserve terpene content and produces a flavorful, aromatic concentrate.
Marijuana
Marijuana is another term for cannabis, commonly used in legal, governmental, and regulatory contexts. Some brands and consumers prefer the term “cannabis” due to historical associations with the word marijuana.
Medical Cannabis
Medical cannabis refers to cannabis products used for therapeutic purposes by patients with qualifying medical conditions. Access usually requires a doctor’s recommendation or medical marijuana card.
Metrc
METRC (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance) is a seed-to-sale tracking system used by many U.S. states to monitor cannabis inventory, transfers, and sales for compliance purposes.
Pre-roll
A pre-roll is a ready-to-smoke cannabis joint that has been rolled and packaged for retail sale. Pre-rolls are typically sold as single units or multipacks and may be made with flower, infused material, or both.
Product Recall
A product recall is the process of removing cannabis products from the market because of safety, labeling, contamination, or compliance concerns. Strong batch tracking and inventory controls help operators respond to recalls quickly and accurately.
Rosin
Rosin is a solventless cannabis concentrate created by applying heat and pressure to flower, hash, or kief. Because it does not rely on chemical solvents, rosin is often marketed as a cleaner or more natural concentrate option.
Seed-to-sale Tracking
Seed-to-sale tracking is the process of monitoring cannabis plants and products from cultivation through final retail sale. It helps licensed operators maintain compliance, preserve inventory accuracy, and create a clear audit trail.
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
A SKU is a unique code used to identify and track cannabis products in inventory systems.
Terpenes
Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in cannabis that contribute to a product’s smell, flavor, and overall experience. A plant’s terpene profile works in tandem with its cannabinoid content — including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) — to produce the effects people associate with different strains.
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
THC is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis responsible for the intoxicating effects associated with marijuana.
Track-and-Trace
Track-and-trace refers to the systems and reporting processes used to follow cannabis inventory as it moves through the supply chain. In regulated markets, track-and-trace helps states and operators monitor transfers, sales, and compliance activity.
Transport Manifest
A transport manifest is a document that records details about a cannabis shipment, including what is being moved, where it is going, and which licensed parties are involved. Manifests help support compliance during transfers and distribution.
Trim
Trim refers to the small leaves and excess plant material removed from cannabis flower during processing. While it is not usually sold as premium flower, trim is often used in extraction and infused product manufacturing.
Weed
A common slang term for cannabis or marijuana. While widely used in casual conversation and popular culture, most cannabis businesses and regulators prefer the term “cannabis” in professional settings.
Wholesale Cannabis
Wholesale cannabis refers to bulk cannabis sales between licensed cannabis businesses.
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Now that you know the basics, see how GrowFlow helps cannabis operators simplify compliance, manage inventory, streamline wholesale, and run smarter dispensary operations from day one.