Cannabis vaping has dramatically increased in popularity over in the past 5 years. Whether patients are vaping marijuana flower or oil, the trend of using healthier alternatives to medicate is undeniable.
In this article, we intend to shine a light on the pros and cons of cannabis vaping so you the consumer can decide if this method is right for you.
PROS
Carcinogens & Toxins
While there are certainly some benefits to medical marijuana, smoking flower may not be the healthiest way to ingest the plant. Combustible forms of consuming cannabis are known to produce more than 100 carcinogens and toxins that are in fact harmful to the user.
This is the main reason vaporizing marijuana was adopted. Vaping significantly reduces the amount of toxins inhaled by heating the product rather than setting it on fire. Note that it is the smoke and not the cannabinoids that have been found to cause respiratory problems.
Surveys show that vaping provides an alternative form of inhalation that is much safer and less irritating to the mouth, lungs, and nasal passages.
Better Bang For Your Buck
When vaporizing flower, a little goes a long way. This is seen as one of the major advantages of vaping as opposed to smoking marijuana.
Patients have noticed that a small amount of flower not only last longer when vaporized but also the effect is more intense. Talk about being cost effective.
Eliminating the harmful toxins and gases that come with smoking marijuana, vaping really brings the taste, and flavor of the flower to the forefront.
Dosing Discreetly
Many medical marijuana patients make the switch to vaporizing flower or concentrate simply to keep a lower profile when dosing. With the rise of E-cigarettes, portable cannabis vaporizers have become virtually undetectable.
Using vape pens discreetly allows patients to manage their symptoms in public without the stigma of “smoking pot.” While lighting up a joint can often attract a lot of unwanted attention, vaping simply requires the push of a button to medicate.
CONS
Maintenance
Vaping does have it’s drawbacks, however these cons relate more to the hardware of the product than the effects produced. Vaporizers require a significant amount of maintenance.
The infamous Volcano while highly effective takes time to set-up, heat up, and must be cleaned after every use. To make the most of each inflation, the flower must be completely ground down to maximize the surface area.
Pen Problems
While vape pens seem like they might be less cumbersome to maintain, there are some common problems. Yes, charging your vape pen battery is expected but often times these batteries lose their ability to charge quickly or effectively with extended use.
A few brands attempted to resolve this issue by using lithium batteries only to have it backfire. These batteries have the potential to short circuit and can explode in the users hand or face. Most brands have reverted to using safer batteries but be sure to do you research before purchasing.
Some vape pens also risk the potential of leaking cannabis oil if poorly designed. Not only will this make a mess of your pen and possibly your clothes but it can losing this valuable concentrate will be a waste of money.
Price Point
Vaporizers can be quite pricey if you’re only an occasional user. If you do find that vaporizing is your preferred method of ingesting medical marijuana, it could very well be worth it to by a top-of-the-line desktop vaporizer.
Vape pens are slightly more affordable, however you’ll need to purchase additional cartridges fairly often and replace the battery every few months.
While these cons may deter you from using a vaporizer we highly recommend trying one as the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.