We recently discussed all the various methods one can use to deliver their dose of medical marijuana. Included in that list was, of course, vaping, which has quickly become one of the most popular methods used to consume cannabis. There are a plethora of different products one can use to vape, including vape pens, refillable cartridges, and powerful machines like the Volcano Hybrid Vaporizer. In short, there is a vape option for everyone’s needs, preferences, and lifestyle.
In addition to having a plethora of options, vaping is also a healthier alternative to smoking (a.k.a. the combustion) cannabis, which is illegal in Pennsylvania. Due to the decreased health risks associated with vaping cannabis, many people have left their bowls, joints, and blunts behind in favor of vapes. In fact, in a 2015 study found that out of 2,910 individuals (18-90 years old) who regularly consumed marijuana, 61% cited that they had used a vaporizer before, 37% said they had vaped in the last month, and 12% told researchers that vaping was their preferred method for consumption.
So what’s all the fuss with vaping and why is it lauded as a better, healthier alternative to smoking? Let’s dive in!
Convenience
First and foremost, unless you’re an expert cannabis connoisseur, it’s unlikely that you can roll a joint or blunt, or pack a bowl in under thirty seconds. What’s more, it’s not exactly convenient to travel with a grinder, bowl, or stash jar. Refillable cartridges and vaporizer machines are about as inconvenient as vaporizers get. With refillable pens, you’ll just have to remember to charge the device and switch out the cartridge when it’s empty. Vape pens that aren’t refillable are incredibly convenient because you just have to, well, buy them!
Easier to Control What You Inhale
For many in the MMJ program, less is more. If someone is using cannabis to treat symptoms, it’s unlikely that they want to feel super high all day. Of course, there are some consumers who have plenty of experience with cannabis and would like to take big inhales, but that’s not true for everyone. With vapes, it’s much easier to control the intake, and therefore control how much marijuana you’re consuming and the effects you’ll get.
More Effective
If someone were to light up a joint to get high, they would only be consuming about 25% THC. On the other hand, someone using a vape will be taking in 45%. These percentages, pulled from a study conducted by MAPS and California NORML, indicate that vaping cannabis is, in all actuality, a better and more effective way to consume marijuana. Also, if you’re a terpene fan, you’ll be able to experience more of the smells, tastes, and effects of the terpenes since smoking often destroys them.
Less Expensive
Going hand and hand with effectiveness, the increased potency of vaping medical marijuana will also lead to it being less expensive. While you may shell out some big bucks for a device, or even disposable pens, and whether you’re using flower or oil, vaping is overall less expensive than it’s combustion counterpart. Smoking cannabis can be extremely wasteful. All in all, you may be burning more than you’re taking in—in other words, burning money. Vaping only produces vapor when you are using the device, and therefore you’re not burning away product that isn’t actively being used.
Less Odor & Better Taste
While there is still a smell associated with vaping cannabis, it dissipates much faster and smells much cleaner because the marijuana isn’t being burnt. You won’t experience a burnt taste since vaping doesn’t heat cannabis to the point of combustion. Also, as mentioned briefly above, when you vape marijuana, you experience more of the natural terpenes through both taste, smell, and effect.
Less Carcinogens
Carcinogens are cancer-causing toxins that can get into the lungs and cause some damage if you’ve been over-exposed. Many people know of carcinogens as they relate to cigarettes and many people, falsely, think that smoking cannabis doesn’t create them. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Smoking cannabis does create harmful toxins that can do damage long-term. Vaping marijuana can significantly reduce the risk of inhaling carcinogens.
These are just a few reasons that people choose vaping over smoking, but there are many more! For example, someone with respiratory issues may consume cannabis through edible forms like infused food, tinctures, or sublinguals, but also default to vaporizing, which poses less risk even with their condition, if they are in a pinch.
If you have further questions about what delivery method is right for your condition, or would like guidance when choosing a vape pen, refillable cartridge, or a vaporizer machine, please give us a call at 833-888-5323, or utilize the chat feature in the lower right hand corner of our website!