Vaping vs smoking? Is one better than the other?
Whether you’re new to the cannabis scene or are a cannabis veteran, you’re likely aware of the increasing popularity of vaping.
Some purists will never deviate from their favourite bong or pipe, and to them, we say, smoke on!
Still, if you’re a more curious consumer, let’s chat about some benefits of vaping vs smoking.
Whether you’ve considered an e-cigarette or vaping product to help you quit smoking tobacco, concerned about your respiratory health, or simply want a new way to indulge in your favourite strains, vaping offers a great opportunity!
So, just what do you need to know about vaping vs smoking? Let’s find out!
Vaping vs Smoking – The Differences
Smoking has long been the traditional way to consume marijuana, and it’s the way most of us were introduced to cannabis.
You buy your flower, grind it, and smoke it from your vehicle of choice—usually a joint, pipe, or bong. Next, it doesn’t take long before the rush of cannabinoids sends a wave of relaxation cascading from your head to your toes.
Smoking marijuana is a well-trodden path, with archaeologists finding evidence of it as far back as 2700 BC. So if smoking was good enough for Emperor Shen-Nung, why should we change things up now?
What is Vaping? Is it Better to Vape?
Today cannabis users have access to many different types of vaping products: oil vaping pens and dry herb vaporizers.
Oil vapes work by attaching a glass cartridge of concentrated cannabis distillate to a battery. The battery heats the oil and powers the atomizer in the cartridge, which the user draws on to inhale the vapour.
Alternatively, dry herb vaporizers work by gently heating cannabis flower so that it releases vapour but doesn’t ignite and create smoke.
We want to make a point here! The lack of smoke is one of the key reasons many cannabis users are making the switch to vaping THC instead of smoking it.
Unlike smoking, vaping does not involve combustion, which means that we aren’t inhaling the tar, toxic chemicals, and carcinogens that come with smoking cannabis or regular cigarettes.
What’s more, many people find vaping to be gentler on their lungs. Vaping is more likely to deliver a more enjoyable experience compared to smoking joints and blunts.
Some smokers also use e-cigarettes as tools to quit smoking regular cigarettes, as they can gradually reduce their nicotine consumption using lower-nicotine or nicotine-free carts.
That being said, e-cigarettes are new technology! While centers for disease control and prevention don’t know the long-term health effects of the use of e-cigarettes, and it will be many years until we get conclusive information, we know so far that vaping is less harmful than smoking.
Benefits of Vaping vs Smoking
There is a lot to consider when choosing between vaping vs smoking. While health benefits haven’t been fully established yet, vaping has plenty of other advantages to consider.
1. Finicky Business
Any seasoned cannabis consumer knows joint rolling is an art. You have to grind your flower to the perfect consistency, make sure you compress it evenly through the paper, so it doesn’t canoe, but not too hard, or it won’t light, and not too light, or it’ll burn too quickly.
Isn’t cannabis supposed to be helping us relax?
Rolling can be a hassle, and for users who have any kind of dexterity issues, it may be completely inaccessible.
Fortunately, vape pens are much easier to handle. Simple vapes don’t require any manual ignition. You just charge it up and vape until it needs recharging.
Some vaping products also feature buttons to activate or adjust the power, but even these are still easier to use than smoking products.
For users who can’t roll or can’t be bothered to roll, vaping products are the way to go!
2. Don’t Get Messy
You’ve rolled the perfect J. Your little masterpiece is waiting for you to indulge, but there are rogue crumbs of flower-strewn all over your tray. If you leave them there, you know they’ll end up getting everywhere.
Is there enough there that it’s worth scooping them up to save for later? Do you commit the sacrilege of scraping them into the bin?
Oil vapes eliminate the waste that comes from smoking flower. Vaping leaves no mess to clean up and allows you to switch between strains with ease.
When evening hits and you want to bounce from sativa to indica, you don’t have to pull your rolling kit out again; simply unscrew your cartridge and pop in your next strain. For users who like variety and hate mess, vaping is a tidy dream!
3. Keep it on the DL
There’s nothing like a wave of weed smoke to announce to your neighbours, “HEY! I’m smoking out here!” For many of us, the distinctive, skunky scent of marijuana is familiar and nostalgic. But for many people, the smell is potent and icky.
Luckily, vaping generally produces little to no scent, and those that are scented, are mild and pleasant.
Many oil carts have sweet, fruity, or minty essences added, providing tasty flavour and emitting an inoffensive odour for passers-by.
For example, our Pyro vape pens don’t produce that skunky odour weed is known for. Instead, they come in a variety of delicious flavours, including watermelon, green apples, mango and many more.
Your THC will smell like fruits, helping you to stay under the radar. Our ceramic vape cartridges are also free of heavy metals, glue and cotton to produce a healthier, better-tasting vapour that’s better for you, too!
For users who want to keep their consumption private, vaping is ideal for discretion!
4. Preserves Terpenes
Terpenes (aka terps) are the aromatic compounds that give different strains of cannabis their certain flavours.
Modern growers have started to cultivate plants specifically for their abundance in terpenes, allowing consumers to choose their strain-based not only on effect but also flavour.
Smoking marijuana involves combustion, creating smoke that masks terpenes.
In contrast, vaping allows terps to shine through so users can enjoy their distinctive flavours. This makes vapes the tool of choice for cannabis sommeliers who, much like wine sommeliers, use terpenes to enhance flavours in food pairings.
For users who want to explore the world of food and flower, oil or herb vapes are the perfect dining companion.
5. Your Lungs Will Thank You
The long-term health effects of vaping are not conclusive, and we aren’t qualified to dole out medical advice here. But there are a few health-related factors that may indicate that vaping is less harmful than smoking.
When comparing tobacco products, e-cigarettes contain fewer toxic chemicals than regular cigarettes, as we covered before.
In addition, nicotine-free vape cartridges can aid in quitting smoking cigarettes. For people who want to stop smoking cigarettes or anyone who worries about the effect of smoke on their respiratory health, switching to vaping may be a beneficial lifestyle choice.
Vaping vs Smoking – Which Pill Would You Choose?
Now you know why vaping is rising in popularity and slowly takes over the cannabis scene. Vaping cannabis is less harmful than smoking and is a better alternative due to its accessibility and ease of use.
Still, we get it! There’s plenty to consider when you’re deciding between smoking vs vaping.
All in all, whether you’re considering switching to vaping or are planning to continue smoking, make sure to purchase your products from a reputable, online dispensary Canada to ensure that what you are receiving is safe to use.
Happy toking!
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