Are Cannabis Vape Pens Safe to Use?
When I turned 21 in 2016, I received a small, sleek birthday gift box from my friends. What could it be… I doubt they would send me a gift like a luxury ball pen for uni. When I opened the gift, I was delighted. Yes, it is a pen, or should I say, something that looks like a pen. To my surprise, my friends told me it was a vape pen! When vape pens were the hottest trend, all the cool kids had them. I have always wanted to have one, and finally, I got it. And all of us have one for each! Mine is a matte black pen with a gold-colored mouthpiece. It looked dope, and I loved it!
We hung out in my house or any of my friends' houses on our weekend movie nights. And there, we tried experimenting with the weed vape pens. We evolved from passing on glass bowls of weed and finally kept up with the trend: vaping devices! We enjoyed every sniff and smoke and even tried the vapor tricks. And the best part is that we can bring it anywhere and no one would notice! It was fun, and now I am collecting different styles and designs of vape pens!
What are Weed Vape Pens?
A weed vape pen is a portable gadget powered by batteries and is being used with a marijuana concentrate cartridge. Unlike regular tobacco cigarettes, which burn sticks to produce smoke, vaporizers heat the drug until it vaporizes and is then smoked or inhaled through the battery-powered device with small metal coils. Weed vaping devices vaporize marijuana rather than burning it, producing vapor rather than smoke. 364 individuals were asked how they like to take medicinal marijuana. According to the findings, 53% of respondents prefer to use vaping devices.
Some marijuana users choose to vape instead of smoking because no smoke is being produced, and the vape pens are convenient and portable. Weed vape pens are on the rising trend nowadays, especially among teenagers. Still, there are doubts regarding the safety of these items. In 2019, the CDC and the FDA issued a warning against using THC-containing e-cigarettes or vape pens, providing information that these devices may contain toxic materials that increase your risk of respiratory problems. Weed pens can be found at every nearby dispensary, assuming you live in a cannabis legal state!
Are Weed Vape Pens Safe?
Cannabis concentrates and vaporizers are two of the marijuana industry's fastest-growing and evolving products. In Washington alone, the business for concentrated marijuana extracts and vape pens grew by 145.6% from 2014 to 2016. Concentrates are most commonly used in vaping or inhalation, with special “rigs” used for quick vaporization of cannabis oils. They are most frequently made with solvents to separate the herb's natural oils from the organic plant material itself.
Vape pens, in particular, have received a lot of good reviews from their users. Most say that it feels lighter in the body and feels safer. It is why vapes are the most popular alternative for combustion-based Marijuana smoking. It is correct that vaping is safer than smoking, and it applies to weed vaping as well.
Some popular chemicals to vape pens may affect human health, according to a 2017 study reported in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. As stated in the study, propylene glycol (PG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) are the two main additives in these devices. Both materials are usually used to smooth or thin out the thick, honey-like fluid in electronic “juice” in vape pens, as well as the vape cartridges themselves. The US FDA considers these additives to be harmless. However, when the temperature reaches the point of combustion, it may convert into more toxic elements, the administration claims. Also, the problem that may arise from weed vaping is if the viscosity of the weed oil is incorrect. The concentrate will harm the vape user if it has a gooey consistency. It may become a choking hazard that sticks in the lungs.
Furthermore, many portable and disposable vape pens still utilize plastic materials and the device's heating components. While most weed vape pen polymers are labeled “heat-safe,” it is still generally known that these materials can outgas organic and synthetic chemicals that pose unforeseen health hazards that can be serious or even fatal when warmed up. Some plastic materials contain bisphenol A (BPA), a recognized hormone-disrupting contaminant that imitates the hormone estrogen in the system. While several chemical substances have been used to substitute BPA, many alternative components have not been thoroughly investigated yet, and the general health implications of breathing several plastic off-gases still remain unclear.
The other concern for using vapes is the waxy cuticle build-up. The vape user can inhale the waxy cuticle of a plant. A Marijuana plant has a waxy outer layer and is processed by the manufacturers to remove it. It does disappear when you burn them; that's why joint smokers aren't affected by this.
Also, some disposable vape pen cartridges may include thermal components made of substandard or low-quality metals, with such little awareness of how vaporizing and absorbing these materials affect human health. Because less expensive materials might cause your vape pen to burn or melt, it is essential to keep a constant check on your gadget every time before and after using it, especially if your device has a temperature control feature.
However, any untoward incidents or health risks may be avoided if you choose not to settle with cheap, low-quality weed vape pens. It also depends on the situation and the substances involved in the oil. So, there's no absolute way to say whether weed vaping is truly safe or not. But, what actually do you need to look for when buying a good vape pen? Or what makes a vape pen good? Lucky you, we also added these things to this article!
Factors to Consider When Buying a Vape Pen
One thing is for sure: the vaping craze isn't going away anytime soon, or not yet. Weed vape devices blend in seamlessly with the rest of the cannabis sector. They're one of the greatest marijuana pleasures since they're smooth, discreet, and simple to use. Choosing the best vape pen might be difficult with so many options available. That's why we've broken down some of the most significant properties to check and consider before making your weed vape pen purchase.
- Quality Airflow
When picking a vape pen, airflow is crucial. It is highly fundamental to have the option to adjust the airflow, as well as having a physical feature that allows high-performance air intake. Improved airflow is gentler on the mouth and throat, producing more vapor and making the sensation cooler. Meanwhile, reduced airflow can dry and irritate the mouth and throat, produce less vapor, and result in a harder, hotter draw.
- Weed Flavor
Weed flavor is affected by the composition, airflow, temperature, and vaporization procedure. Weed vape pens with temperature controls that can be adjusted may be great for individuals who want to experiment with how the warmness and coldness of vapor affect the taste of their weed. In addition, the flavor of weed varies depending on the cannabis strain you choose to vape. So, choose the one that appeals to you the most to get the most out of your cannabis vaping experience.
- Power Modes and Rechargeable Battery Power
Any good vape pen should have a range of adjustable power levels. Low, medium, and high settings are often available to adjust the dose for each inhalation. Handheld vapes are also highly recommended because they come with built-in rechargeable battery packs of different voltages and capabilities that may last for several days with moderate use. A USB charging input is seen on many weed vape pens. Any weed vape pen that needs to be disassembled just for you to charge it is likely out of date. Since many weed vape pens come with USB ports and magnetic charger connections, disassembly of parts might be annoying and undesirable.
- Design and Technology
Weed vape pens are composed of various elements and are available in a multitude of styles and designs. Opt for vape pens models with a sleek or minimalist design with a color scheme and aesthetic appeal that make you feel proud of it anywhere you go. But, if you are more of a rock-style icon, you can always go for the artistic and vibrant-colored styles — you decide! In addition, high-quality weed vape pens are always designed with innovation and advanced technologies. Although aesthetic appearances are significant, it is the intelligent functions that will truly distinguish a high-quality vape pen. Key features of a good weed vape pen include a power usage indicator, power control settings, and a charging status display.
Looking Back: History of Weed Vape Pens
The vape business, which is now thought to be extremely profitable — though exact figures are difficult to conclude on a worldwide basis — was scarcely existent a decade earlier. Hundreds of people's habits of getting high or administering drugs have been radically altered as vape pens entered the trend in the cannabis market.
Vaporizers, often known as vapes, have been here for several decades. But, now they can connect and interface with your smartphone, produce vapors of both marijuana concentrates and dried flower without the hassle, and provide adjustable temperature settings. Others resemble fountain pens and have built-in cartridges and water filters. The mechanical part, the butane ignition vaporizer, was developed by Joseph Robinson in the early years of the twentieth century. It was the first marijuana vaping gadget in history. The product's patent, issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 1927, was the nation's first-ever recorded type of vaping device. The modern vape device was not invented until 1960, when Herbert Gilbert, a metal recycling merchant and Korean War veteran, developed and patented a device named the Smokeless.
Gilbert's device had a liquid solution heated by a battery-powered mechanism, resulting in a cloud of vapor that the user could inhale. The Smokeless included neither cigarettes, tobacco, nor nicotine, despite being dubbed the “first electronic cigarette” and having his work referenced multiple times by today's innovators. Gilbert is still proudly living with today's never-ending innovation in the business. He has expressed pleasure in knowing that his innovation paved the path for technology that makes people's lives safer, more efficient, and even healthier.
Additionally, Eagle Bill created the Shake & Vape, the first vaping device marketed for the public in 1993. The Shake & Vape is a little glass tube with a herb container. The consumer would then warm up the bottom part of the chamber with a powerful burner until vapors are produced and sucked through the tube. When Eagle Bill participated in the 7th Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam in 1994, the year following its creation, the gadget instantly attracted attention. The gadget became the most striking display at the festival for the next decade, and the marijuana culture started to appreciate vaping. There have been countless breakthroughs and advances in the realm of weed vaping since then.
The Volcano, a desktop vape created by German entrepreneur Markus Storz in 1996, was another popular gadget during the time. In 1999, he was granted a patent for the gadget, which was then released in the United States in 2003. Although it was relatively pricey during that time, it was designed for dried plants and was renowned for its power to make robust vapors.
Then, commercially, marijuana business owners developed marijuana oil for vaping devices. Hon Lik, a Chinese chemist, produced the first advanced vape pen in 2003, which consisted of batteries, a cartridge containing the cannabis concentrate or a mix with any vape juice, and an atomizer. In 2007, the first vaping device reached the market in the United States, spurring entrepreneurs to create gadgets for marijuana and cannabinoid goods.
The long-running history of weed vape pens has shown the success of the industry, as well as how it grew and came to be the most popular purchase in the cannabis market nowadays. Although some people may still doubt the safety of weed vape pens, decades of continuous innovations of weed vape pens prove that such devices can keep up with the demands of the ever-changing cannabis industry.