7 pros and cons of vape pens

There are many ways to consume marijuana, but none of them are as simple and convenient as a vape pen. These devices can be purchased from pharmacies and come in a variety of models, some of which are disposable and some of which only require a cartridge change and a quick charge. They have understandably become the most popular items in the cannabis industry, with sales increasing by 50% between 2017 and 2018.

While vape pens aren’t the most extreme form of cannabis use, they are a bit of a upheaval if you’re used to smoking flowers. Here are some of the most noticeable advantages and disadvantages of these devices.

Portability and discretion

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Vape pens are one of the most portable and discreet ways to consume cannabis. Once you have one, you no longer have to worry about where to keep your pen or who is looking at you as you vape. These devices generally smell much more muffled than joints and pipes, and are also difficult to distinguish from e-cigarettes.

Fast consumption

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One of the reasons vape pens are so useful is because you don’t need anything else (other than the cannabis extract) to get high. A missing lighter won’t ruin your plans, and you won’t have to waste minutes rolling a joint or grinding weed and then packing it in a bowl.

dosage

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Another positive aspect of vape pens is the fact that they are much easier to use than bongs and dabs. While either of these methods can get you high from a single hit, with vape pens it only occurs when you take multiple hits at once. Unless you are a beginner or have little experience with vaping cannabis, one puff on a vape pen won’t result in an overdose.

Flavors

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This can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your perspective, but flavors are definitely one of the things that make vape pens more appealing to a wide variety of users. Flavors make the smoke and cannabis taste more palatable, especially if you are someone new to the drug and don’t like the aromatic and herbaceous taste and smell that comes with consuming other forms of weed. Vape juices come in all flavors, whether fruit, drinks, mint and more.

There is a learning curve

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Switching from smoking marijuana flowers to vaping requires some adjustment, as the latter is usually much stronger. A 2018 study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine analyzed two groups of subjects: one smoked concentrate and the other smoked flower. Both groups took the same dose. The study found that subjects who smoked concentrate had more anxiety, paranoia, memory loss, and distraction in the short term.

Charging required

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Unlike flowers, bongs and dabs, vape pens require charging. This shouldn’t be a huge problem with regularly charging your devices, but it could cause trouble if you lose the charger or if you forget it and plan to smoke while out and about.

TLC

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Vape pens require some care depending on their price and level of complexity. While disposable pens can be thrown away when they run out of juice, more expensive products require regular cleaning, protection from extreme weather conditions, a protective case, and regular recharging.