Vaping cannabis is now just as popular as smoking it. If you go to a music festival, a park, or even a cafe with a patio, you’re likely to see someone vaping. Although this technology has been around for a long time, vaporization has become much more popular in the last few years.
It’s a sign not only of new technology but also of social change. As cannabis becomes more popular, people need more and more ways to enjoy it on the go without any problems. For such people, vape pens are a lifesaver.
However, not everyone is convinced of this. Many people prefer the proven method of smoking. But which is better? Smoking or vaporization? There is a lot of misinformation on both sides, and it’s time to discuss the facts.
Weed Smoking vs. Vaping: Basic Concepts
Contents
First, it is necessary to understand the difference between such concepts as vaporization and smoking. So, let’s know what the difference is.
What is vaporization?
When someone inhales steam from a weed pen (vaporizer) – a device that heats flowers or concentrates to boiling point – that’s vaporization. The concept of cannabis vaporization has been around since 2016.
What is smoking?
Smoking is defined as any process in which cannabis is lit with a lighter and the smoke is inhaled. This definition is much broader and goes beyond cannabis, but this article will only discuss weed.
Research on Vaping and Marijuana Smoking
Many people use marijuana exclusively for medical purposes, and recreational use is becoming increasingly acceptable and even wholly legal. For example, a 2016 study by Tim Luckett analyzed the preferences of a cancer patient group who used cannabis to relieve their symptoms.
It found that vaporization was the third preferred method of consumption after lollipops and mouth sprays. Another study by the University of California measured blood levels and confirmed earlier research on the effectiveness of vaping as a means of delivering THC.
Vaping cannabis requires a vaporizer, flower, or concentrates. It can be medicinal or recreational. Vaping differs from smoking because it involves blowing hot air on the flower without igniting it. In this way, cannabinoids are released as vapor rather than smoke.
According to researchers Mallory Laughlin and Mitch Earleywine, a significant proportion of medical users report that they prefer lower doses of cannabis flower to concentrates because the effects of concentrates can manifest too quickly. These participants also noted that the extracts resulted in increased tolerance. For these reasons, vaporized plant material may have advantages over extracts.
The flower is usually cheaper and easier to obtain than extracts and concentrates. However, there are no right or wrong methods.
Disadvantages of Smoking Marijuana
Burning weed and inhaling the vapors causes lung problems. First, you inhale the smoke from what you essentially just lit. In addition, this process creates tar and carbon monoxide that gets into your lungs. No, it’s not as bad as smoking cigarettes, but it’s the same as you think. There can be real damage over the years, and lung cancer is a legitimate risk.
Less control over the experience
When you light weed, it’s harder to control the dosage. If you inhale a little deeper, your puff will be much larger. It won’t make much difference for a single puff, but you can end up with a lot more width than you wanted if you’re not careful. This makes smoking unpredictable, and it’s hard to know how quickly your weed will burn.
Less flavor
When the herb reaches these high temperatures, the terpenes break down. These, as you may know, are the source of cannabis flavor. If most of them are destroyed, the taste of smoked cannabis can be very monotonous or not noticeable after the first puff.
Why is it Better to Vaporize Cannabis?
Some aspects of vaporization are certainly over-publicized. However, it wouldn’t be so popular if it didn’t have real benefits. It turns out that vaping has even more benefits than the people who use weed vape pens can imagine.
Less harmful to health
We’re not saying it’s healthy, but compared to regular smoking, vaping is better for your health. The argument comes down to one feature: the lower temperature. Burning and smoking cannabis involves getting scorching smoke into your lungs and inhaling unpleasant chemicals from the combustion. In vaporization, on the other hand, the temperature of the inhaled vapor is much lower, and the chemicals produced by combustion are not a problem.
Moreover, while smoking can harm the skin, vaporization can benefit it! Instead of burning off most of the cannabinoids in flowers, as with smoking, the low vaporization temperature preserves them, and you can inhale them. So again, some cannabinoids have been seen to be highly beneficial for skin vitality, but more research is needed to confirm this.
Effective
In addition, vaporization allows you to get the most out of the flower or concentrate. Since most cannabinoids don’t burn in a dry herb vape pen, you don’t need to use it very often to get high.
More temperature control
As we said before, low temperatures are part of what makes vaping so enjoyable. But, depending on your type of vaporizer, the pleasure doesn’t end there. If you have a medium or high-end dry herb vaporizer pen, you can probably control the temperature at which you vaporize. This is a key feature if you want to change the smoothness or intensity of your puff or use certain cannabinoids.
Taste and aroma
In addition to being good for your health, vaping is also tastier than smoking. Whereas smoking mainly burns off the terpenes in flowers, vaping leaves them intact. As a result, you get the full flavor and can tell if your herb tastes like chocolate. Along with this, the flavor released is much less intense. As a result, you feel almost nothing, especially in concentrated vaporizers, and the scent doesn’t stay on your clothes.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to health, vaping is a winner. However, you can’t ignore the simplicity and affordability of the smoking method and the importance of the ancient ritual. It all depends on your budget and attitude, but if you can afford it, we recommend getting the best vape pen for weed when you can’t smoke.
