Why are so many people vaping CBD?
Vaping is a very popular way of consuming CBD, thanks to the speed of the relief. Vaping is also more convenient and discreet than smoking a strain of CBD-rich bud. However, for those who haven’t vaped before, the various types of equipment can be quite overwhelming.
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by Toby Kilroy
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There are different types of CBD vaping products for a reason – not everybody is looking for the same thing! For some, a small dose is enough to enhance general wellbeing. But for those remedying chronic pain, perhaps as a result of chemotherapy treatment, a much more potent dose is likely required.
There’s no need to overspend and purchase too many accessories if you’re just looking to get started with vaping. In this guide, we’ll take you through the vaping basics, and show you what you need to get up and running.
Understanding the popularity of vaping CBD
The health risks of smoking have been drummed into us for decades now, and this has filtered through to medical cannabis users who want less harmful ways to consume cannabinoid medicine.
But some methods, such as edibles, don’t offer the same rapid relief, as the cannabinoids only make it into the bloodstream after travelling through the gut and liver. For those with slow metabolisms, it can take as long as two hours for CBD to start working – however, it’s worth pointing out that CBD stays in the system much longer with this method (the slow release is ideal for some ailments).
Vaping offers the best of both: a consumption method that doesn’t put the lungs under needless stress yet doesn’t compromise on reaction times. The CBD enters the lung where it is absorbed by alveoli, and then passed on into the bloodstream where it can begin to modulate the endocannabinoid system.
Each vaporizer comes with a heating element, or atomizer, which vaporizes the substance. Some vaporizers work only with dry herb, some just with concentrates, and others with e-liquids.
While one could theoretically purchase a high-CBD strain of cannabis, grind it up and vape that, this is a fairly inefficient method. Instead, CBD concentrates and CBD e-liquids tend to be most popular with vapers.
A vaporizer must have a tank to vaporize CBD e-liquid – it is these sorts of devices that are able to produce the huge clouds of vapor that have become synonymous with vaping. A CBD e-liquid typically contains CBD, a carrier oil (either propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin) and, depending on the product, possibly some flavorings.
Then, a choice must be made between refillable and disposable vapes. For efficiency on-the-go, cartridges can sometimes be better as the expired one can be removed and a new one fitted with minimum hassle.
However, refillable vaporizers seem to be the most widely used, perhaps because of their success in the tobacco industry – many smokers have moved over to vaping in recent times, so they can still enjoy a nicotine hit without the side effects.
Depending on the dosage that’s needed, it may be better to vape CBD e-liquid or CBD concentrates. Concentrates can administer much greater doses of CBD in a short space of time, but most users only require more moderate dosages. And e-liquids even work for big dosage vapers provided they aren’t in a rush.
Some vapers just want a vape that can give them their medication quickly, whereas others like to tweak the various parts of their device, so they have control over everything – think of it as the difference between knowing how to use a computer and knowing how to set up a computer.
Benefits of vaping CBD
It’s really easy to get started with vaping CBD, and that appeals to many. There’s no need for a doctor’s recommendation or prescription. In the United States and United Kingdom, CBD is legal everywhere so long as it has been extracted from the industrial hemp plant. In US states where medical marijuana is legal, CBD products may also be made using other strains of cannabis.
On top of that, many simply find the experience of vaping enjoyable, in the same way that the act of smoking was historically perceived to be. It can be pleasurable to just sit back on a nice day, and inhale cool, flavorful, therapeutic vapor into the lungs.
It’s also easier to get an accurate dose when vaping a CBD e-liquid instead of high-CBD cannabis. The cannabinoids on cannabis flower are naturally not going to be spread in the same consistency all over – so no matter how hard to try, there’s always likely to be a variance of a few milligrams with each dose. For some, this isn’t a concern, but for those who want to take CBD just as they would any other medicine, knowing the exact dose is importance. The exact cannabinoid content of a CBD vape oil will be labelled clearly on the bottle.
Furthermore, vaporizers that take CBD cartridges generally emit the same amount of e-liquid with each draw, offering even more control over the dosage.
Vaping also doesn’t create the pungent smell that smoking cannabis does (even if it’s high-CBD cannabis), because there is no burning involved. This may not be the case if a CBD e-liquid is also infused with terpenes – these are the aroma-giving chemicals. For example, if you’ve ever wondered why some strains of cannabis smell like lavender, it’s likely because of the presence of the terpene linalool.
Final thoughts
We also shouldn’t forget that CBD would not have become the popular alternative medicine that it has without its non-psychoactive status. The prospective benefits of cannabis have been known by society throughout its prohibition and were embraced for thousands of years by various cultures. But with the consciousness-altering effects of THC causing mental health difficulties in some users, the world has always been hesitant to embrace cannabis.
Yet with CBD, we are harnessing the potential of a cannabinoid that contains many of the therapeutic effects of cannabis, yet with none of the psychoactive properties. The only change that CBD can cause mentally is an improvement in mood!
However, more importantly, CBD is coming to the aid of people with vastly different conditions. Children with medication-resistant epilepsy are benefitting immensely from the compound’s anti-seizure effects, while many older patients are finding the anti-inflammatory properties a welcome pain management option for arthritis.
Toby Kilroy
Writer at POTVToby has been vaping since early 2012 and has used an array of devices and kit in that time. He sometimes writes up reviews but is often found with his head stuck in pages of code with a confused smile on his face. Toby also helps run his wife's site gethistory.co.uk and has two children. He sometimes fondly remembers having free time and occasionally manages to sneak away to put his head into a good book!
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