Growing up, baby boomers had limited ways of consuming cannabis. Aside from a hit-or-miss pot brownie, smoking was pretty much the only option, especially back in the hippie halcyon days of the ’60s and ’70s.
Nowadays, adults — and children and teens who are medical marijuana patients — no longer have to consume cannabis exclusively via smoke. A variety of vapes can be found in abundance in nearly every local dispensary or local head shop.
It’s only been fairly recently that #vaping has entered mainstream culture. Consumers who would before have never picked up a joint, blunt, or even a cigarette are now trying out what vaping has to offer. This new-ish cannabis trend poses the question: Is vaping capturing the people that smoking cannot? Let’s break it down.
1. Vaping Allows You To Control Your High
First off, vaping allows you to customize your high more than smoking does. By hitting certain temperatures, you can activate particular cannabinoid acids via the heat settings. If you’re looking to a maximize psychoactive THC in your high, the suggested vaping temperature to start with is 314.6° Fahrenheit, or 157° Celsius. For the medicinal effects of CBD, the suggested temperature ranges between 320° and 356°F, or 160° and 180°C.
Likewise, it’s much easier to microdose with vaping. If you don’t want to experience a psychedelic high, one single puff gives you just enough to reap the medicinal benefits of cannabis.
2. Vaping Can Be Healthier Than Smoking
Many new tokers are attracted to vaping because it could potentially be healthier than smoking. But is it really? The short answer is that medical professionals aren’t sure yet. Part of the problem, at least with cannabis research, is that the plant is still considered a Schedule I drug at the federal level under the Controlled Substances Act, spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Agency. (Additionally, many consumers argue that smoking cannabis is actually good for your lungs, with a study conducted by the University of California San Francisco suggesting that marijuana is less damaging to your respiratory organs than tobacco is.)
Indeed, many international studies have found little association between long-term cannabis smoking and lung cancer, with the most negative results proving inconclusive.
However, one basic principle to live by is that cannabis consumers must always arm themselves with the knowledge of what it is they’re putting into their bodies, just like you would when it comes to smoking any substance. For example, one danger to vaping is butane toxicity, that is, if you’re consuming butane hash oil (BHO).
Also, look out for phony and/or defective vaporizers that ultimately waste your bud, since some shady retailers and vendors have been known to rip consumers off. If you smell any gas, for instance, ask for a refund immediately.
3. Vaping Can Help You Save Money
Vaping your flower can help buffer your bank balance, because the device is reusable. The only major expense beyond purchasing the initial vaporizer is buying vape juice. Depending on how much you vape, you might not need to invest in any supplies for weeks, even months.
4. Vaping Causes Less Second-Hand Odor
The fourth point is that smoking can give off a secondhand odor. As with smoking cigarettes, smoking pot can make you smell like an ashtray for hours. If you’re trying to be subtle about your consumption, vaping is a better alternative in terms of the odor. Admittedly, this is most likely why many teens prefer vaping to smoking — because it’s easier to hide their habit from adults.
5. Vaping Has Less Negative Side Effects Than Smoking
Lastly, vaping doesn’t have as many side effects as smoking. Take oral hygiene, for instance. Smoking can cause yellow teeth and other permanent tooth stains — much like drinking coffee — which could make your next dental visit a costly one.
These are just a few speculations as to why so many folks prefer vaping to smoking, especially if they aren’t likely to smoke. However, to extract the most holistic experience from your cannabis, consider vaping in addition to other methods of consuming.