A guide for inexperienced cannabis users

One question many new cannabis users have is whether to smoke or vape cannabis. By the time I first started, I was already a heavy cigarette smoker on my way to switching to vapes, fueled by the ever-growing evidence that vaping is better for you and just as powerful as cigarettes. When I first started with cannabis, I thought the same principle would apply, but it’s actually not that straightforward.

Vaping cannabis has become increasingly popular in recent years. In Canada, vapes have emerged as the most popular Legalization 2.0 product, and I wonder if that has anything to do with the growing number of new cannabis users who have the same idea as me.

Since many users are trying to figure out which method to be satisfied with, here are some key differences between smoking and vaping weed:

power

A study conducted by experts at Johns Hopkins University found that vaping cannabis had stronger effects than smoking. There is also research suggesting that vapor can contain up to 80 percent higher concentrations of cannabinoids compared to smoke. For users who cannot stand smoke, the taste of joints, or the stinging sensation of smoking, this can be good news as it is an ingestion of fewer moves to get the same effects. That being said, the potency of vaping or smoking can depend on other factors such as product quality and whether or not you got it right. Whatever the case for you, the first time you use cannabis, it is a good idea to increase your pace so as not to get too high.

Taste and smell

Generally it is called Vaporizing produces purer and lighter flavors which make it easier to distinguish between the flavor profiles of different varieties. This may be because of how quickly and intensely terpenes are wiped out when weed is burned, and how the smoke can quickly overwhelm other senses. Vaporizing also creates a lighter flavor that won’t linger. On the other hand, some people prefer that denser, stronger flavors from smoking. In addition, many cannabis users perceive sharp cannabis smoke as an indicator of a good batch. For these people, the lightness of the cannabis vapor is only really beneficial when they are in public and trying to be discreet.

price

The biggest cost associated with vaping is the cartridges, which typically retail at between $ 40 and $ 80 per half gram legally. The previously cited evidence that vaporizing is more effective, as well as the fact that vaping uses a heating method that is gentler on cannabis compounds, suggests that vaping is a more efficient way of consuming cannabis than smoking. But do these small differences in efficiency actually mean you’re spending less money? There is no real data on this yet, so I recommend that you ask yourself these questions:

• Are I more likely to use a $ 60 cartridge in a week or smoke $ 60 worth of buds in a week?
• Am I willing to risk buying my cartridges or buds on the black market where there are more competitive prices?
• Is there anything about vaping or smoking that is potentially worth a higher price tag?

Convenience

Vaping beats smoking in one area: discretion. Otherwise, smoking has my vote for the convenience factor. Vapes need to be charged in advance. When you’re outdoors for a full day without a charger, or want to do something off the grid like backcountry camping, you can’t really rely on your vape. Aside from that, Most vapes still use outdated micro-USB charging ports. This means you will likely have to carry an extra cable around with you. Vapes also require some level of maintenance, e.g. B. Cleaning, replacing batteries, and more. The only potentially tedious thing about smoking is rolling your own joints. On the other hand, there are always pre-rolls and helpful friends to work around that.

Bless you

While studies have shown that there is no association between cannabis use and lung cancer, an article published in 2007 showed that cannabis vaporizers had fewer respiratory symptoms compared to smokers. There is no open flame when vaporizing and burning is the main cause of these respiratory symptoms. However, the emergence of vaping-related diseases has raised concerns about the potential health effects of vaping cannabis. As an advocate of both, the media hysteria is confusing and unhelpful, but there are credible resources out there to help you figure out which ingredients are actually harmful to you.

Why not both?

Photo by: @fortheloveofsmoke

Personally, I find that both vaping and smoking have their own merits. I don’t think they’re really that different from each other. I prefer the taste of vaporized weed, but I have a thing for the evergreen novelty of smoking. Perhaps the answer is not to pick a favorite, but to make room for both options.

If you’ve never vaped before, vaping won’t feel any different than smoking a hookah or bong. If you haven’t already done so, there is a way to “test drive” the vaping so you can get a rough idea of ​​how powerful it is and whether or not you would enjoy the experience. There are vape lounges across Canada where you can try Volcanos and other vape products. Although I would be overcoming this activity for a safer world after COVID-19.

Much of what we know about vaping shouldn’t be considered the end of the story. Science is still trying to catch up with the steam phenomenon. At the end of the day, experiment with different options to see which one works best for you. Here you can start by learning more about the best THC vape pens and batteries currently on the market.

Do you smoke or vape weed? Let us know why in the comments and follow CLN for more cannabis news and articles.