Lots of things are different about marijuana consumption today. No longer are we restricted to just joints, pipes and bongs—these days, it seems like everyone prefers to vape. Vaping is when low heat is used to vaporize cannabis flower or marijuana concentrates (oil). You aren’t burning the cannabis as you do when you smoke cannabis from a joint or out of a pipe. The effects, though, are immediate as with smoking, and that’s one reason why people like it: You get a similar effect from vaping without the dangerous carcinogens that come with combustion at high heat.
That being said, there’s still no clear scientific evidence on whether vaping is healthier than smoking. But you’ll notice vaping does produce less smoke, odor and lung irritation than smoking does. So, if vaping is something you’re interested in, read on to see our three most popular Q&As on vaping. Our community of seasoned cannabis consumers gave some great advice on vaping, which we hope you’ll find helpful.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
Q: How do I determine my dosage when vaping?
Answer: @pamelahadfield Cannabis is different for everyone, so it’s largely trial and error. That said, you should always err on the side of caution and start very slowly. The nice thing about vaping or smoking in general is that the full effects are felt within seconds to minutes, so I would suggest take one inhale and see how you feel, then another and so on. I am highly THC-sensitive so one inhale for me may be enough but for my partner it may take 5–10 inhales to be sufficient. Unfortunately, there’s no recipe for this that is one-size-fits-all.
The other thing to be aware of is the percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in your vape pen cartridge. Is it 5%, 20%, 90%? The THC levels vary wildly, this too influences your tolerance with your pen.
I would guess by your question that you are perhaps new to cannabis. Always err on the side of caution—always! Also, know that a high-CBD tincture can help subdue an intense high if you should happen to get into a situation where you feel uncomfortable. Please know that if you feel uncomfortable, it will wear off, just drink a glass of water and go to bed!
I am not a doctor and this answer represents my opinion only. I hope this helps.
RELATED: THE INS & OUTS OF VAPING MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Q: What’s the experience like vaping with concentrates?
I am used to vaping bud. What’s the experience like with concentrates vs. bud?
Answer: @onlyyourdime In my opinion, you get a much smoother pull from vaping concentrates over flower. You sacrifice some of the major flavor profiles using oil, but what you gain is consistency, less burn, and less smell (it’s much more inconspicuous).
The biggest benefit is consistency and uniformity when it comes to concentrates. I know exactly what one pull from a concentrate will do. With flower, you could have a section of bud that’s highly concentrated and there’s no real way of telling before smoking it. As mentioned by a previous poster, concentrates are also significantly more potent, resulting in fewer tokes.
Edit: Forgot to add that even though the jury may still be out on this one, I personally believe that vaping in general has less health risks over combustion. As mentioned above, there’s no way to combust oil, so you’re probably in a safer place with concentrates than flower.
Cheers Mate!
Read more answers to this question here.
If you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 post. HelloMD can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it’s easy, private and 100% online.
