Walk into a licensed cannabis retailer in Canada and you’ll find far more than traditional dried flower and pre-rolls. One increasingly common category is infused cannabis, a term used for cannabis products that combine cannabis flower or another cannabis format with an additional cannabis extract or concentrate.
Infused products can include pre-rolls containing concentrates, beverages formulated with additional cannabinoids, and other products that combine multiple cannabis components. But what exactly makes a product “infused,” and how is it different from conventional cannabis?
In this guide, we’ll explain what infused cannabis means, the different types of infused products, common ingredients, how they are made, how to read their labels, and where they fit within Canada’s regulated cannabis market.
What Does “Infused Cannabis” Mean?
Infused cannabis generally refers to a cannabis product that has been combined with an additional cannabis extract, concentrate, cannabinoid, or other cannabis-derived ingredient.
One of the most recognizable examples is an infused pre-roll. Instead of containing only dried cannabis flower, an infused pre-roll may contain an extract such as live resin, rosin, hash, or cannabis diamonds.
The term can therefore describe a range of products rather than one specific type of cannabis.
How Is Infused Cannabis Different From Regular Cannabis?
A traditional cannabis flower product consists primarily of dried and cured cannabis flower. An infused product contains additional ingredients or extracts that alter its overall composition.
For example, a conventional pre-roll might contain only ground flower, while an infused pre-roll could combine flower with a cannabis concentrate.
| Traditional Cannabis Product | Infused Cannabis Product |
|---|---|
| Primarily dried cannabis flower | Flower or another cannabis format plus an additional cannabis ingredient |
| Natural cannabinoid profile of the flower | Combined cannabinoid profile |
| May emphasize flower genetics and terpene profile | May combine characteristics of flower and an extract |
Product formulations vary, so consumers should always check the individual product label for the exact ingredients and cannabinoid content.
Common Types of Infused Cannabis
There are several different forms of infused cannabis available through Canada’s regulated cannabis market.
Infused Pre-Rolls
Infused pre-rolls combine cannabis flower with an additional cannabis extract. Depending on the product, the extract may be applied to the flower or incorporated into the pre-roll in another way.
Common extract types used in infused products include:
- Live resin
- Hash
- Rosin
- Distillate
- Cannabis diamonds
Each extract has different production methods and characteristics.
For more information about solventless concentrates, see Rosin Pressing: How It Works.
Diamond-Infused Products
Cannabis diamonds are highly refined cannabinoid concentrates that can be incorporated into certain cannabis products. Diamond-infused pre-rolls have become a recognizable category within the Canadian cannabis market.
Because diamonds are a concentrate rather than traditional flower, combining them with flower creates a product with a different overall cannabinoid composition.
Learn more about cannabinoid concentration in Understanding Cannabis Potency.
Hash-Infused Products
Hash-infused products combine cannabis flower with hash or another concentrated cannabis resin. Hash itself can be produced using several different techniques, including mechanical separation and solventless processes.
Rosin-Infused Products
Rosin is a solventless concentrate produced using heat and pressure. It can also be incorporated into certain infused cannabis products.
Our guide What Is Cold Cured Hash Rosin? provides more information about this type of concentrate.
What Are Cannabis Extracts?
Cannabis extracts are concentrated cannabis products produced using different extraction and processing techniques. Depending on the method, extracts can contain varying combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes.
Some common categories include:
- Live resin
- Live rosin
- Hash rosin
- Shatter
- Wax
- Distillate
- Diamonds
The extraction method can significantly influence the resulting texture, cannabinoid profile, terpene composition, and appearance.
For a broader introduction, read Cannabis Product Categories Explained.
Why Are Cannabis Products Infused?
From a product-development perspective, infusion allows producers to combine characteristics from different cannabis formats.
For example, a producer may combine flower with an extract to create a product with a different cannabinoid and terpene profile than the flower alone.
Infusion also gives licensed producers additional ways to create distinct product formats within Canada’s regulated cannabis marketplace.
THC and CBD in Infused Products
Infused cannabis products can contain THC, CBD, or a combination of cannabinoids. The exact profile depends on the flower and extract used in the formulation.
THC and CBD are only two of the many cannabinoids found in cannabis. Other cannabinoids can include CBG, CBC, and CBN.
For a closer look at CBD, read What Is Cannabidiol (CBD)?.
You can also learn more about less prominent cannabinoids in What Are Minor Cannabinoids? (CBG, CBC & CBN).
What Role Do Terpenes Play?
Terpenes are aromatic compounds naturally produced by cannabis and many other plants. They contribute to the distinctive aromas and flavours associated with different cannabis varieties.
Common cannabis terpenes include:
An infused product can contain terpenes from both its flower and extract components. The resulting aroma and flavour profile therefore depends on the complete formulation.
How Are Infused Cannabis Products Tested?
Legal cannabis products in Canada are subject to regulatory requirements, including testing and quality-control processes. Depending on the product, testing can provide information about cannabinoid content and help verify compliance with applicable requirements.
Testing is particularly important for infused products because their cannabinoid composition can come from multiple cannabis ingredients.
Read our detailed guide: How Cannabis Products Are Tested in Canada.
For official information about Canada’s cannabis regulatory framework, visit Health Canada – Cannabis.
How to Read an Infused Cannabis Label
Packaging provides important information about an infused cannabis product. Depending on the product category, consumers may find:
- Total THC
- Total CBD
- THC and CBD per unit
- Net weight
- Ingredients
- Lot number
- Packaging date
- Required regulatory warnings
Because infused products can contain concentrated extracts, paying attention to the complete cannabinoid information is especially important when comparing products.
For more information, visit How to Read a Cannabis Label.
Infused Cannabis and Product Potency
Infusion can change the overall cannabinoid concentration of a product because an extract is being combined with another cannabis ingredient.
This is why the cannabinoid information on the package is more useful than simply looking at the name of the product or the type of extract it contains.
Different products can have very different cannabinoid profiles even when they use similar types of extracts.
Our article Understanding Cannabis Potency explains how THC and other cannabinoid measurements are presented.
Infused Cannabis vs. Concentrates
Although infused cannabis products and concentrates are related, they are not the same thing.
A concentrate is an extracted cannabis product on its own, while an infused product incorporates a concentrate or another cannabis ingredient into a different product format.
For example, live resin can be sold as a concentrate, but live resin can also be used as an ingredient in an infused pre-roll.
The Growth of Infused Cannabis Products
Infused products have become an increasingly visible part of Canada’s legal cannabis marketplace. Product manufacturers continue to experiment with different combinations of flower, extracts, cannabinoids, and terpenes.
This innovation has expanded the number of formats available to consumers and created a wider range of products to compare.
Packaging has evolved alongside these products as well. Learn more in Cannabis Packaging Innovations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does infused mean on a cannabis product?
It generally means the product contains an additional cannabis extract, concentrate, cannabinoid, or other cannabis-derived ingredient in addition to its primary cannabis component.
Are all infused pre-rolls the same?
No. Infused pre-rolls can use different types of flower and extracts, resulting in different cannabinoid and terpene profiles.
What can cannabis be infused with?
Depending on the product, cannabis may be combined with extracts such as live resin, rosin, hash, distillate, or cannabis diamonds. Always check the product’s ingredient and cannabinoid information for the specific formulation.
Where can I learn more about Canadian cannabis regulations?
The Government of Canada’s Health Canada cannabis resources provide official information about Canada’s legal cannabis framework.
Final Thoughts
Infused cannabis is a broad category covering products that combine cannabis flower or another cannabis format with an additional extract or cannabis-derived ingredient. Infused pre-rolls, diamond-infused products, hash-infused products, and rosin-infused products are examples of how cannabis producers are combining different components to create new product formats.
Understanding what “infused” means can make it easier to compare cannabis products and interpret the information provided on legal packaging. Looking at cannabinoid content, ingredients, terpene information, package dates, and other label details provides a more complete picture than relying on a product name alone.
For more educational cannabis content covering cannabinoids, concentrates, product categories, testing, and cannabis industry trends, visit the Grand Cannabis Cannabis Corner.
Ontario Cannabis Information: Cannabis products should only be purchased through authorized legal retailers, and consumers should follow all applicable federal and provincial laws and product-label instructions.
**This page is intended only for individuals who are of legal age to purchase cannabis in their jurisdiction, and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to encourage cannabis consumption. No medical or health claims are made. Cannabis should not be used by persons who are pregnant or breastfeeding and may impair concentration, coordination, and reaction time. Do not drive or operate machinery after consumption. Always store cannabis securely**