Why Marijuana is More Beneficial When Vaped
The cannabis industry has skyrocketed in the last decade. Medical and recreational use of marijuana is legal in Canada, large parts of the United States, and legalization looks likely to sweep across Europe in the coming years. A lot of the stigma attached to cannabis is being swept away, and as a result, a lot more people are showing an interest in the medicinal and therapeutic properties associated with the plant.
Because marijuana has been illegal in so many places and for so long, research into the health benefits it can provide has been hampered. While there is strong evidence that points to the efficacy of medical cannabis, the average person is still unsure about its benefits.
Since legalization, innovative new ways of consuming cannabis have emerged. Vaping marijuana is a relatively new trend, and many people prefer it to smoking. Early research has shown that it may be healthier to vape than smoke cannabis. If you’re on the fence over which is the best way to consume cannabis, here are a few reasons why you might want to give vaping a try.
Different kinds of vaporizers
There are many different ways to vape cannabis and a large variety of devices depending on your preferred method. The traditional way of vaporizing weed is with a volcano. A volcano is a bit of a cumbersome device that is designed for home use. Cannabis is loaded into the vaporizing chamber, and a custom made plastic bag is attached to the top. The vapor fills the bag, which the users then inhale.
More modern vaporizers tend to be much smaller, handheld devices that are easy to carry around with you and much more discreet than a volcano. Vape pens are shaped like a pen, other models are the shape and size of credit cards, and others are more robust units that fit in the palm of your hand. There are many different forms of cannabis available on the market, dried flower, wax, shatter, rosin, and hash, to name but a few. Each type of cannabis will vapourize at different temperatures, so different devices exist for each form.
Effects on the lungs
Depending on whether you smoke or vape weed, the effects on your lungs differ drastically. Although smoking cannabis carries much less risk to your health when compared to smoking cigarettes, there are still some risks involved. A 2013 report detailed that “regular smoking of marijuana [causes] visible and microscopic injury to the [respiratory system] … and is associated with an increased likelihood of chronic bronchitis.”
While research into the cardiovascular effects of vaping is still in its early days, most medical professionals and those in the nicotine and cannabis industry will tell you that vaping carries much less risk than smoking, including vaping cannabis. When cannabis is vaped, it is heated to a specific temperature, which releases the active ingredients without burning the product. The vaporizing temperature is much lower than the smoking temperature, and fewer toxins are released from the cannabis.
Discretion
Smoking cannabis is one of the least discrete activities you can partake in. First, you have to get out your bong or smoking papers, then release the aroma of cannabis as you grind up the flower. Next up, you’re surrounded by a thick cloud of potent smelling smoke that clings to everything; clothes, upholstery, furniture, your hair. Even in areas where cannabis consumption is legal, not everyone wants to draw attention to themselves in this way or walk into their workplace with the stench of marijuana following them.
Vaporizing changes everything. Cannabis vapor and smoke are very different. Because the cannabis does not burn, the vapor is much thinner, it doesn’t linger around like smoke, and it has almost no smell whatsoever. Vaping is a much more discrete process than smoking, and it is also more convenient. Vaporizers can be pre-loaded with cannabis and taken with you wherever you go.
For many people who are interested in cannabis for its medical benefits, the adverse effects and stereotypes of smoking may be enough to deter them from the plant. If you are one of these people, then vaping may well be the solution you are looking for.
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