Recently, there has been a way to inhale cannabis: the vaporizer. Recent vaporizers (including the famous Volcano) heat cannabis (in the form of dry herbs, oils, or extracts) at a lower temperature than its point of combustion, which allows releasing the cannabinoids without burning the cannabis. They are used for medical purposes but also for recreational use. One of the best ways to vape is from hapac®, an innovative proprietary technology system created by Liberty Herbal Technologies Limited a UK based company established in 2016. The new measured-dose inhalable system allows you to vape through a ready to use 0.2g filter paper sachet of pre-ground cannabis. The company has started production of hapac® in Italy in 2019 and it is now looking for expansion in the rest of Europe and North America .
Cannabis can also be sprayed by Dabbing or with a pen spray (Vape pen). Dabbing is the inhalation of vapors of highly concentrated concoctions with cannabinoid levels of 75%. These Dabs are called Oil, Wax, Butane Honey Oil, or Shatter. The Vape pen is used to heat a piece of Butane Honey Oil with resistance. These systems not only make it possible to inhale a vapor containing Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive substance of cannabis, but also other cannabinoids (cannabidiol, cannabigerol).
Some e-cigarettes for nicotine vaping can also be used to vaporize cannabis. A recent study indicates that e-cigarettes are being used more and more by teenagers to consume cannabis (1). One-fifth of students say they use e-cigarettes to vape cannabis (18.4% of those who often use e-cigarettes reported using it for this purpose and 26.5% of those who use e-cigarettes and smoke cannabis regularly). They allow you to use cannabis more discreetly, the smell of cannabis being less strong when inhaled than when it is smoked, and cannabis oil has the same appearance as an e-liquid. Cannabis vapers with electronic cigarettes make homemade e-liquid with Cannabis oil or Butane Honey Oil (HBO) or herbs mixed with vegetable bases or by diluting synthetic cannabinoids in propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol polymer. There are so many “recipes” on the forums!
Vaping cannabis: what uses and effects?
The motivation for vaping cannabis with a vaporizer or an electronic cigarette is that it allows discreet consumption, healthier also, and less expensive too. This raises the question of consumer satisfaction: do vaping cannabis bring them the same effects as smoking cannabis?