A surge in vaping popularity
Vaporizers have surged in popularity over the past few years and there’s no sign it’s slowing down. They offer an appealing introduction to the CBD and cannabis experience and make things a huge convenience for the more advanced smoker.
In this article I’m going to lay out all of the pros and cons of vaping for you, so you can decide for yourself if vaping is right for you.
9 Benefits of vaping
Let’s jump straight in and tell you our thoughts on the benefits of using a vaporizer as opposed to smoking your CBD flower.
- Fast-acting
- Easy to dose
- Cleaner hit
- Convenient and accessible
- Can offer a healthier experience
- Discreet
- Can be more cost effective
- No second-hand smoke, lingering smells, or smelly ashtrays
- Different flavors available
Pros of Vaping
Here’s a breakdown of why we are pro-vape and think you should be too.
1 – Fast-acting
One of the main reasons people choose to vape or smoke their CBD is due to its fast-acting nature. Inhaling your CBD will allow you to feel the effects almost instantaneously, as opposed to eating gummies or taking capsules, which can take anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes to take effect.
2 – Easy to dose
A vaporizer also allows for excellent dosage control. It’s easy to achieve the effects you want because it’s so fast-acting. Just puff away until you achieve your desired effects.
Some people also believe that dry herb vaporizers allow you to get more out of your herb because the product is being heated to an exact temperature instead of being burned. If this is true, then a dry herb vape vaporizer could require less hemp or cannabis to achieve your desired effects. There’s also less stress and mess with accidentally over-dropping in the case of your CBD tinctures too.
3 – Cleaner hit
Vaporizers may also offer a purer and more potent hit which means less harmful toxins and potentially more beneficial cannabinoids. Note that this is only the case if your smokable hemp is pure, in the case of dry herb vapes.
Some vape cartridges can be filled with harmful additives, so keep a lookout for the carts that are made with pure CBD oil and terps only.
4 – Convenient & accessible
Portable vape pens are easy to take with you and can be used in more places – like parks, public spaces, at work, at home, and other places where cigarette or cannabis smoke isn’t tolerated.
They also take away the hassle of having to source extra items for your smoking experience. There’s no fumbling around looking for your lighter, bud, and papers, when you’re wanting to indulge. Just slip out the pen, hit the button, and then exhale an odorless vapor that disappears without clinging to your clothes.
It’s so much more convenient than carrying around a tincture bottle in your pocket too.
5 – Can offer a healthier experience
Secondhand smoke is an issue with all smokers in general. Vaporizing CBD or smokable CBD flower can reduce the number of carcinogens that other people in your vicinity are exposed to.
Let’s be honest, long has it been known that smoke particles are unhealthy for the lungs. Cannabis smoke is chemically similar to tobacco smoke, wood smoke, and many other smokes too. Basically, you’re burning carbon, and in the process, you’re generating byproducts including lots of known toxins like benzene, methylene, and aromatic hydrocarbons, which are carcinogenic.
CBD Vaping may be better for your health according to some research and does not require an open flame. So, if you are health conscious and love dry herb, making the switch to a dry herb vape is a no-brainer.
6 – Discreet
Enter stealth mode, For the most discreet vaping experience we recommend using a vape pen. As the smell does not travel far, it is very easy to hide quickly, should you need to do so. It’s small enough to carry, Very handy for those who want to fly high under the radar or on the move.
7 – Can be more cost effective
You can save money by switching to a vape over smoking. Hemp and cannabis concentrates are more expensive per gram than dried cannabis flower, but you’ll end up using less, so it works out more affordable over the long term, even when you take into account the cost of the vaporizer itself.
8 – No smoke and less smell
One of the most obvious advantages of vaping is that it doesn’t produce any smoke, so there’s no fear of upsetting a passerby or of stinking out your car. We’ve all been that person walking by, all you can smell is whatever’s just been smoked or that herb you dashed in your pocket. You also have no more need for that smelly ashtray lurking inside or outside your house.
9 – Variety of flavors
Another huge reason people love to vaporize is the variety of flavors that are on offer. While artificial flavors can be harmful in the long-term, many vape carts are naturally flavored with hemp terpenes.
Terpenes are the aromatic oils inside cannabis products that give your flower/oil sweet, fruity, or gassy smells and tastes. The higher the terps, the better the taste!
With smokable flower you might see somewhere between one and three percent terpenes; but with oil, you could see up to 10 percent terpenes, sometimes even more. Many vaporizers have variable temperature settings that allow you to get the most out of your terps.
Cons of vaping
There are lots of benefits to vaping, but what about the drawbacks?
1 – Additives
As mentioned previously, vape carts can contain harmful additives, so do your research before you invest. In particular, creamy flavor additives can cause a lung disease, commonly known as “popcorn lung“, with long-term use.
2 – The learning curve
Switching to vaping can take a little bit of practice to get used to, just like any new experience. If you’re using a dry herb vape, you’ll need to figure out your grind, pack, and settings. Don’t worry though, with a little trial and error, you’ll be vaping like a pro in no time.
3 – Initial cost
When you begin your vaping adventure you will need to purchase a dry herb vaporizer, as well as some CBD flower, or a vape pen battery and cartridge.
Some dry herb vaporizers don’t work as well if the herb isn’t ground down into a fine powder form, so you may have to fork out for a grinder too.
4 – Problematic devices
As long as your lighter is working, you’re not going to have malfunctioning parts whilst smoking CBD flower. However, if your vape pen gives up on you, it’s not as easy as asking a passerby or friend if they’ve a spare vape battery in their pocket!
Another issue you’ll face is some products on the market are poorly made, so make sure you’re purchasing from a reputable company. You certainly don’t want to be buying budget vapes that break down and need replacing all the time, not to mention the fact that you could wind up with a dangerous device on your hands.
Summary
As you can see, there are many distinct advantages to vaporizers over smoking, as well as some major drawbacks.
Ultimately, vaporizing can be a great experience, but make sure you invest in a quality dry herb vape (see our article “best dry herb vapes of 2022“) to ensure you have a safe and reliable device to work with.
Vape batteries and carts can also offer more convenience and discretion than smoking, but make sure you research what the brand mixes their CBD with (within their carts) and check for third-party lab reports to ensure they don’t contain any harmful contaminants.