Vaporizing Dried Cannabis
Patients often ask, “What is vaporizing and why it is recommended over smoking cannabis?”
Vaporizing is a clean, safer, and more efficient way to consume medical cannabis by inhalation that maximizes the benefits of your dry flower.
How Does It Work?
In the simplest of terms, a vaporizing device passes hot air over and around dried cannabis which creates a “vapor” that is then inhaled. This heat process is called “decarboxylation” and activates the medicinal compounds contained in the plant matter. This is one of the most natural ways of consuming your cannabis; plant plus hot air…and that’s it!
Most vaporizing devices are handheld and will have a range of temperature settings. Some models will have 2-4 preset temperatures, while others can be dialed in to your desired temperature by degree. Alternately, desktop models like the Volcano, can be used when portability is not necessary.
Temperature Matters!
Cannabinoids and terpenes each have their own unique boiling and vaporizing properties. By setting your vaporizing device to a temperature that activates the compounds you seek benefits from, you can tailor your experience even further. Click here to learn more about cannabinoids and terpenes.
Lung Health and Avoiding Carcinogens
When cannabis is burned during smoking, it is heated to over 450 °C which can create by-products such as carcinogens; harmful chemicals that can be damaging to your health. By using a vaporizer instead, you are extracting the medicinal compounds without creating unnecessary health risks.
Here is an example of 4 buds that were vaporized at 4 different temperatures to show you the effects of vaporization on the dried cannabis buds.
Photos provided by J. Williams
The Difference Between Vaping and Vaporizing
Although the terms sound similar they are quite different!
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“Vaporizing” is used to describe inhaling dried cannabis flower via a vaporizer unit.
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“Vaping” is a term used to describe the consumption of a liquid concentrate in an electronic cigarette style device and was popularized as an alternative to smoking cigarettes and consuming nicotine.
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With the wave of cannabis 2.0 products coming to market there are also vape concentrate “pens” available for use with cannabis oil.
If you are interested in consuming your medical cannabis in this fashion, we recommend speaking first to your healthcare practitioner and cannabis educator, followed by obtaining your medical cannabis products via a licensed producer to ensure that you are using products that have met Health Canada testing standards.
When inhaling cannabis, it’s important to seek the most health-conscious ways and safest methods possible. Have questions or want to learn more about using a vaporizer or vape pen? Contact our patient care team for more guidance at 1-844-488-4633.
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