Newbie? No problem, lets get back to basics.

So you’ve probably heard about vaping, (dry herb vaping in particular) and are keen to find out more? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Allow me to explain.

One of the most important finding to come from our recent Vape Store survey among South African cannabis consumers shows that choosing the route of delivery with the fewest side effects, ease of use, being socially acceptable, and offering the greatest efficiency in the healthiest way possible was most important to them. Which is why they choose vaping or vaporization.

But what exactly is vaporization?

Simply, vaporization is a healthy alternative to smoking cannabis. Vaping dry herbs does not facilitate combustion. Instead, to release the active ingredients contained in the plant (in the trichomes to be more specific), a cannabis vaporiser utilizes hot air which decarboxylates the compounds (THC, CBD etc) and converts the material into a gaseous state. This fine mist is then inhaled into the lungs. This is known as vaporizing.

But is it safe?

Since there is no burning of the materials, substances are not in any way lost or altered and one is consuming the material in the purest form. More importantly, by using a vaporizer at recommended vaping temperatures there is no production of toxic compounds, by-products or carcinogens. At combustion temperatures (during smoking) certain terpenes and ingredients found in cannabis flowers are already vaporized and burned away and denatured before they are even inhaled. And whether you use herbal cannabis, concentrated oil or resin, and whether you use it medically or recreational – but particularly for medical patients – the BIGGEST RISK of smoking cannabis is the smoke itself.

Although most researchers are not yet linking cannabis smoking with increased cancer risk, medical research has shown that marijuana smoking does cause an increased likelihood of symptoms of chronic bronchitis that subside after cessation of use. And vaping cannabis does seem to reduce the harmful lung effects associated with smoking.

Unlike a joint, vaporizers only heat cannabis to temperatures that release cannabinoids like THC – the good stuff secreted by cannabis flowers that get you high. These same cannabinoids along with many others, released as a fine mist, provide relief to an array of symptoms including nausea, anxiety, pain and inflammation. This vapour mist is created at a range of temperatures which allows the user to capture more active ingredients in the plant than they would through traditional smoking. But most importantly it does this without creating the toxins associated with combustion.

Comparing cannabis vapour to smoke, a US study found that vapour consists overwhelmingly of THC, the major active component in marijuana. In comparison the combusted smoke contained over 100 other chemicals, including several toxins that are common in tobacco smoke.

Our recent Vape Store survey among our customers reported vaping to be healthier, better tasting, more satisfying and produced better effects. Interestingly, one user also reported that through design a vaporizer device forces you to pay more attention to your breath, which is one of the main tools for guided meditation. This puts you into the perfect mindset for being present and enjoying your vape session to the fullest.

But let’s drill a little deeper and look at the numbers

A dry herb vaporiser converts approximately 47 percent of available THC into vapour whereas the average joint converts less than 26 percent of THC into smoke. That means both more bang for your buck and a better, cleaner high. Many people consider vaping to be more affordable for a number of reasons; for one thing, it is much easier to control the temperature of a vaporizer than the flames of a lighter. This means you are able to effortlessly dose yourself the way you prefer without sending your precious homegrown stock up in harmful smoke.

In closing, both medical patients and recreational users involved in our South African study were asked which method they preferred. By a significant majority, South African respondents preferred vaping to smoking.

Isn’t it time you also joined the cannabis vaping revolution?


Which vaporizer is right for me?

If you are on the market for a vaporizer, there are lots of vaporizers for cannabis and cannabis concentrates out there and making a decision can be difficult! In our (expert) opinion, these are the vapes that work the best.

Best budget vaporizer: Utillian 421

Best value for money vaporizer: PAX 2 Version 2

Best quality vapour: Arizer Solo 2

Best top tier vaporizer: Storz & Bickel Mighty

Most popular vaporizer: PAX 3

Best battery-free vaporizer: Dynavap M

Best vaporizer for concentrates (wax, shatter, crumbs): Kandypens Crystal

Best table top vaporizer: Volcano Hybrid

We hope this helps but if you need more advise to choose the vaporizer that will best suit your habits as well as your budget, give us a call or drop us an email.