If you have ever smoked weed, you should be aware that the effects of the smoke produced during combustion are devastating: cancer, stroke, impotence, bad breath. It’s written on every cigarette packs these days.
Fortunately, technology is here to make smoking a thing of the past.
With the weed industry doing a massive push lately in some countries, both for medical and recreational use, “canna” businesses are now selling cannabis verdampfer.
What is a cannabis vape?
They do not produce smoke but rather vapor. What is the difference here? Vaporization converts the taste and psychoactive substances of the cannabis plant from solid to gaseous state (a process called sublimation) without burning the plant material. We tested several makes and models from the famous leading European suppliers Vaposhop and Namaste Vapes and were amazed with the results.
More than an a simple E-cigarette?
mighty storz and bickel
Vaporizers look like electronic cigarettes, although they are usually a little larger. They fit in the pocket and are powered by a rechargeable battery, most often by USB. The weed, which must be finely chopped using a grinder, is poured into a small bowl usually made of ceramic and exposed to a stream of hot air that vaporizes the cannabis molecules. Its temperature varies from 150 to 200 degrees (adjustable with buttons or via a smartphone application on some models equipped with Bluetooth), never beyond that because cellulose, the main component of plants, burns at around 230 degrees. Most models have an LCD screen and buttons to select the temperature which is highly convenient.
From 180 to 200 degrees, the cannabinoids are vaporized in the chamber, this actives the psychoactive THC substances of the plant. The aromas are then more discreet, and the vapor is denser, which generally pleases smokers. Vaporizers such as Storz & Bickel’s Mighty or Arizer’s Air produce thick, vaporous clouds that will be appreciated by joint smokers. You can feel the relaxing effect of cannabidiol (CBD) after a few seconds of inhalation.
In use, these two top-of-the-range devices have proven to be effective. Their battery allows about ten or more uses and recharges in less than two hours, special mention for the Arizer Air, whose battery is replaceable. Another popular device, the Pax 3, somewhat disappointed us. It heats too much and burns the lips after a few minutes because of its small size. Too bad, because it was undoubtedly the most discreet device in our panel.
Vapor extracted in balloons
The most demanding users will turn to indoor or desktop vaporizers. We tested the famous Volcano by Storz & Bickel. Initially designed for medical use and recognised as a medical device in countries like Israel, the truncated volcano shaped device extracts the steam into a plastic bag equipped with a valve. This system helps users vaporizing and smoking using funny little balloons. Surprisingly, the method may leave you skeptical at first, but the steam quality of this best-seller sold for almost twenty years is exceptional!
After a few weeks spent with these devices, combustion becomes a thing of the past. It is easy to prefer a vaporizer, which offers an incomparable taste and whose vapor dissipates in a few minutes indoors without leaving a trace.
Finally, there is the question of the effect of vapor and the type of components used on health. Science has not given a clear answer to this question yet, but this method is one of the best alternatives available today, according to many scientists and doctors. At a time when cannabis is consumption is on the rise, and health issues are a concern for consumers, vaporizers are part of a risk reduction approach and are an exciting option for nerds who like to vape their plants in a trendy and cool way.