The modern cannabis user has a multitude of ways to consume cannabis. There is smoking, dabbing, vaping, sublingual, and a few others. While most of these ways of consumption are contemporary, smoking cannabis is a centuries-old method where you inhale cannabis for medical or recreational purposes.
In addition to smoking, vaping is another method of consumption that involves inhaling the constituents of your favorite, but that is where things get a little perplexing. Since smoking and vaping involve inhaling cannabis, users often get confused about the key differences between the two.
In this article, we will shed some light upon how smoking cannabis is different from vaping it, which method of consumption is better than the other, and how to decide whether you should smoke cannabis or vape it.
Vapes Are More Psychoactive
If you are consuming cannabis for medical purposes only, this point may not affect you much, but if you’re looking forward to a truly psychoactive experience with cannabis at a private pool party, then vaping is the best way to go.
When you are vaping, you essentially heat the cannabis below combustion levels. This allows you to get rid of potential smoke and instead, inhale THC in a pure form, contributing to a better buzz.
A study published in JAMA Network Open found out that participants who consumed cannabis through vaping experienced greater psychoactive effects than those who smoked a roll. It is also why the trend of vaping cannabis is gaining traction today, particularly among the new users.
Smoking a Pre-Roll Provides Less Control
There are different types of vaporizers people use to vape cannabis. One of them is the dry herb vaporizer that enables users to fluctuate the vaporizing temperatures. This means that users have control over the psychoactive buzz they experience with each puff (by setting the desired vaporizing temperature).
On the other hand, smoking a pre-roll doesn’t offer users this type of control, which means that users have limited control over how much of the psychoactive buzz they experience.
The Dispute between Smoking and Vaping Safety
Some experts believe that smoking cannabis is safer than vaping it since vaping liquids may contain certain elements that could be harmful to the body. On the contrary, other experts state that vaping cannabis is a safer alternative since users are not inhaling smoke during vaping, which means that it rarely does any harm to the lungs.
In fact, since the COVID-19 breakout, most users have started replacing pre-rolls with vaporizers to keep themselves safe from potential lung damage. Further research is underway to find out which method is better than the other in terms of health and safety.
Some users have stopped inhaling cannabis altogether and moved to much safer alternatives like edibles or sublinguals, which don’t involve inhaling.
Vaping Cannabis Offers Enhanced Flavor
Medical cannabis users may not be concerned about the taste of the product, but users opting for adult-use cannabis certainly do. In the case of the latter, users have the choice to opt for flavors that they love and enjoy the overall inhaling experience.
Smoking a pre-roll means you’re only relying on cannabis terpenes present in your strain which can be helpful to a certain extent, but the flavors will not be as strong as a cannabis vape may provide.
Avid users of cannabis prefer the natural taste of cannabis which is why they continue to smoke their strains while new users are more inclined towards cannabis vaping.
The Debate Is Subjective
While cannabis itself is beneficial for the human mind and body, it is often the accessories used to vape or smoke it that may cause harm to the users. For instance, smoke from the burning paper used in certain rolls may contain carcinogenic compounds. Similarly, certain low-quality materials used in vaporizers can have negative effects on the body.
It is strongly advised to always opt for top-grade rolling paper while smoking cannabis, or better yet, buy a pre-roll from a reputable cannabis dispensary, like the best dispensary in OC, Planet 13 Dispensaries. In the case of cannabis vapes, always opt for the best manufacturers to ensure the use of top-grade materials. Leading cannabis dispensaries normally offer the best strains and products that you can use for safe cannabis consumption.
In a Nutshell
Whether it is safer to smoke cannabis or vape it, is a subjective debate right now. Some experts favor vaping cannabis, while others prefer its inhaling counterparts. A lot more research is required to become certain about the pros and cons of each type of cannabis consumption.
Whichever method you choose, the Planet 13’s Santa Ana dispensary will have what you’re looking for. Our knowledgeable budtenders will be happy to help you, should you opt to come in for an in-store experience. Our Orange County dispensary also offers curbside pickup, and OC delivery. Visit our website for more information!
