How to Vape Cannabis

Vaping has become a popular way to consume cannabis over the years. It’s the preferred method for many people because it discreetly delivers potent puffs. Plus, vaping is convenient. 

September 23, 2020

If you’re wondering what vaping means or how to vape cannabis, don’t worry. We’ll go over all of the basics so you can have a better understanding of the vape world.

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What is vaping? 

When you vape weed, you are bringing the flower or concentrates to a high temperature without ever combusting, or creating smoke. Instead, the materials convert into a vapor. 

Vaporization occurs at a lower temperature than combustion. The benefit of vaping is that the cannabinoids and terpenes in the weed will be more abundant, as smoking can destroy some of the compounds. If you vape the same amount of flower as you would smoke, you may find yourself more high than if you smoked because more less compounds are destroyed in combustion. 

Vaping has many possibilities and does not come in one form. First, there is the option to vape cannabis concentrates. Concentrates are extracts from the plant concentrated into a very potent form. They are made to keep only the desirable compounds. And then there is vaping flower, where you simply heat the cannabis until it produces a vapor. 

There are also three main ways to vape cannabis: tabletop vaporizers, portable vaporizers, and vaporizer pens. Each has unique benefits and reasons for use. 

Let’s take a look at each one. 

The different types of vaping devices 

Each different vape device has its own benefits and drawbacks. Many serious vapers use multiple types of devices because they fit different occasions. 

Tabletop vaporizers

As the name suggests, tabletop vaporizers are stationary and sit on tabletops. They are plugged into an electrical source and only work when plugged in. 

Sometimes referred to as desktop vaporizers, these tabletop devices come with a few different options for inhalation: balloon bag, whip-style (essentially, a hose for inhalation), and hybrid. 

Essentially, you heat up the device, add your ground herb, and allow it to produce vapor. When it’s ready, you can inhale the vapor from the bag or whip. 

It’s common to use desktop vaporizers to vape ground cannabis, but some also can vaporize concentrates. 

Portable vaporizers

This type of vaporizer is very common because they are more discreet than portable ones, can be taken on-the-go, and they deliver potent puffs. Portable vaporizers come in a variety of functions, with some offering a ton of different modes and others crafted more simply. 

Using a portable vaporizer is easy. Just fill the chamber with ground herb (or concentrates, for devices that allow them) and heat up the device. They function very similarly to desktop vaporizers. Instead of puffing from a tube or bag though, you inhale from the mouthpiece on the device. 

Vaporizer pens 

The ultimate device for discretion and convenience in the vaping world is a portable vaporizer pen. There are two options for types of vape pens: disposable vapes and cartridges with rechargeable batteries. 

Unless the device comes with an attachment for dry herbs, you cannot add fresh herbs to a vape pen. This means vape pen users almost exclusively vaporize cannabis oil. 

Vape pens typically work by pressing a button or just taking a draw from the mouthpiece. This initiates the release of vapor. 

Rechargeable vape pens are great for frequent users as they are cost-efficient and easy to use. Disposable vape pens are great for the occasional user who just wants a discreet puff without making an investment. 

What is the difference between vaping and smoking? 

You may be wondering why people would choose to vape instead of smoke. There are many answers to this question. 

First, many people choose to vape because it is healthier than smoking. When you smoke anything, whether it’s cannabis, tobacco, or any other substance, you have to combust the material to start the fire. Doing so can release various carcinogens. It doesn’t matter how organic or clean your weed is. If you are smoking it, you are creating combustion which releases carcinogens. 

When you vaporize weed, the materials do not combust. They reach a high enough temperature to create a vapor you can inhale, but the vapor is not smoke. Thus, it does not produce carcinogens like smoking cannabis does. 

Now, some of you may be skeptical that vaping is healthier than smoking. And with good reason. A 2019 vaping crisis brought the potential dangers of vaping to the attention of millions. Keep in mind that the vaping products in question included both cannabis-related vaporizers and pens used to vaporize nicotine. 

Additionally, many of the products that caused adverse health effects contained additives that were not healthy for inhalation. Not all cannabis oils for vaping have additives and dangerous ingredients. 

If you’re worried about the potential dangers of vaping cannabis from oil, you can still vape using flower. You just need to use a desktop vaporizer, a portable vape with an herb chamber, or a vape pen with a dry herb attachment. Bringing ground herbs to the right temperature to vaporize without combustion is considered healthier than smoking ground herbs. 

Keep in mind that not all vaporizers are created the same. Many are crafted to absolutely never combust, such as the Volcano by Storz and Bickel. This device was crafted for the medical community to be as safe of a consumption method as possible. However, many others may reach very high temperatures which can result in combustion. If you want to avoid combustion, keep your vaporizer at a fairly low temperature. 

Because vaporizers do not combust, they tend to produce a much weaker scent. When you smoke, the smell tends to linger for a while. Smells from vapes tend to disappear quickly if they are even noticed at all. 

Should I switch to vaping?

Many long-time smokers have made the switch to vaping for personal or health reasons. Some find it to be more convenient to pull out a pen whenever they want a dose, and others find that vaping irritates their lungs less or is a healthier option for their lifestyle. 

It comes down to personal preference, though. You must decide what is the best option for your lifestyle. 

The good news is, if you decide to vape, there are many options available. You can keep a vaporizer at home for after-work sessions, or have a handy device in your bag for on-the-go puffing. They are more discreet than smoking and offer the benefit of increased potency. You may be able to stretch your weed out further if you choose to vaporize it. 

Want to try vaporizing cannabis for yourself? Stop by and we’ll guide you to the best devices and products to get started! If you already know what you’re doing, check out the 5 most popular vape cartridge brands at Satori!

See Related: Going Camping? Check Out Our Favorite Cannabis Strains & Special Products For Camping!

Top 5 Most Popular Cannabis Vape Cartridges at Satori!

Coldsmoke

Coldsmoke cartridges feature a mix of only pure H.T.E (high terpene extract), Live Resin & distillate oil. No polyglycol, no synthetic or natural fillers, or flavor additives aside the strain specific Live Resin H.T.E. of any kind are used. The result is a flavor and powerful combination of strain specific magic. Cold Smoke Cartridges come in a variety of flavors including Mango Glue, Zkittlez, Ice Cream Man, Orange Poison, Animal Face, Tahoe Apricot, i95 Cooiesm Gelato 33, White Urkle!

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Refine

Refine’s award-winning Loud Cartridges offer the flavors and punch in their signature Loud Resin™ in high quality, easy-to-use cartridges. Loud Cartridges are 100% cannabis extract and feature native, strain-specific terpenes extracted from the best locally grown cannabis paired with RAD! – Refine Activated Distillate – for a refined cartridge experience that stands out for both flavor and potency. Offered in all of the best selling strains and limited edition releases. Refine’s Loud Cartridges deliver the loud terps you’re after in genuine CCELL cartridge that delivers an ultra clean, pure, and delicious cloud of vapor every time.

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Buddies

Buddies™ is a West Coast Cannabis Brand rooted to the core elements of cannabis. With over 20 years experience in cultivation and processing, Buddies™ understands the craftsmanship that’s pushed the evolution of our industry to what we all know it to be today.

Buddies™ is a brand you can always rely on to represent a genuine cannabis experience. Let our decades of knowledge be the comfort in your selection of a cannabis brand.

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Crystal Clear

Crystal Clear brings you the purest form of cannabis, our crystal clear distillates provide fully activated thc and cbd in a clean, consistent & potent product. The possibilities with distillates are nearly endless, making this convenient and discreet option one of the fastest growing product types on the market.

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Dabstract

Dabstracts High Potency Pen (HiPo) cartridge not only has soul but it has heart as well. Taking our beloved High Terpene Extract and blending it with our very own high THC or CBD activated distillate oil, we deliver to you a cartridge that brings more flavor and potency to the equation than perhaps anything else on the market. It is the perfect balance of strain specific flavor and high potency.

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