There are several methods of ingesting cannabis; but perhaps the most popular way in recent years, followed by cannabis edibles, has become vaping, short for "vaporizing." Vaping is done by heating, not burning cannabis and then inhaling the vapor. So it's for good reason that vaping has grown in popularity. Not only is cannabis vaping safer than traditional smoking, but it's also more convenient and discrete.
Those aren't the only advantages, though.
What is Cannabis Vaping?
Vaping has become the modern alternative to smoking, whether it's for smoking nicotine or cannabis. While social media, particularly Instagram, may have played a role in the popularity of vapes, it's not just a trend; there are legitimate benefits to cannabis vaping.
Cannabis vaporizers are simple: they heat the cannabis and turn it into a vapor. The latter then rises, and the individual inhales it through a mouthpiece. Not all vapes work the same, however. Some use raw cannabis, while others require concentrate cartridges. And while inhaling vapor isn't necessarily healthy in itself, it is still the least harmful way to inhale cannabis. Plus, vaping nicotine is thought to be at least 95% safer than smoking cigarettes, so it's not a huge jump to assume it's the same with cannabis.
Advantages of Cannabis Vaping
The most obvious benefit of vaping cannabis is that it's better for your health, as smoking cannabis produces tar. And that goes for joints, pipes, and bubblers: they all still rely on combustion.
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In a time when the world is even more aware of what we are putting in our bodies (again, we can probably blame Instagram for that one), it's not surprising to see that because cannabis vaping is better health wise, vapes made up the second largest sales category in the cannabis sector in 2018. A few cannabis companies taking on the vape industry this year include Planet 13 Holdings (CSE:PLTH) (OTCQB:PLNHF), North Bud Farms (CSE:NBUD) (OTCQB:NOBDF), and Aphria (TSX:APHA).
Of course, though, this is not the only advantage to cannabis vaping.
Many praise cannabis vaporizers for producing more pronounced flavors than traditional smoking, allowing users to taste the difference between strains more distinctly. And even though the flavor diminishes towards the end of the vape's life, it still produces more than smoking, which often obliterates the taste.
Users also have control over temperature on their devices; this is a feature that has proven to be yet another advantage to cannabis vaping. For the most part, cannabis vaporizers have adjustable heat settings, which can produce different effects during a session.
Cannabis vaporizers also do not require a lighter or matches, which adds to their convenience. And after health concerns, perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of cannabis vaping is that it is discrete. Specifically, vaping cannabis does not produce as much of an odor as traditional smoking does, particularly when the vape is set to a low temperature.
It's Not All Smooth Sailing
Cannabis vaping has its advantages, and it's something active users should seriously consider switching to. But that doesn't mean it's all smooth sailing. Like everything, vaping has some drawbacks. For instance, cannabis vapes often require a grinder, they aren't always cheap, and even though you don't need a lighter, you will need to charge it from time to time.
That said, with the recent surge in popularity of cannabis vapes, companies are trying to eliminate some of these drawbacks. An example of this is the Vessel Vape Pen, produced by Vessel Brands, which holds a charge for roughly two weeks.
Further, Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY), which soared on its first day of trading in 2018, produces both cannabis vapes and grinders specifically designed to help break up the plant before putting it in a vape.
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Takeaway
"Better" is a subjective concept, so we can't say cannabis vaping is better than smoking cannabis. We can, however, say that cannabis vaporizers have a competitive edge against traditional smoking. If you're concerned with your health or want a more discrete way to consume cannabis that gives your taste buds more of a kick, you might want to consider the switch.
And with more companies looking at creating cannabis vaporizers, like Canopy Growth (TSX:WEED), which entered the market in December 2018, now is the time to start embracing the technology!
Featured image: DepositPhotos © gawriloff
