An
alternative to smoking, vaping, vaporisation, or using a vaporiser as
a means of inhaling cannabis or other herbal material, has been
around in various forms since the 1960's, but has recently really
caught on in popular culture. Combining new (and some old) technology
while providing a healthier alternative to enjoying cannabis, the
hype behind vaporisers is not overblown.
Vaporisers
(sometimes advertised and sold as aromatherapy devices) heat any
herbal material (cannabis, various dried herbal mixes and some
concentrates) to a certain temperature to form a light mist (vapour)
which you then inhale. In simple terms it's the process of gently
heating herbs or concentrates with hot air to release active
ingredients, which are boiled off and inhaled in the form of vapour.
Most vaporisers these days use convection to heat the herb, this
method heats much more evenly and effectively than conduction.
When
it comes to vaporisation there are a variety of substances that can
be used, including dry herb, concentrates and e-juices*. The material
being vaporised will affect which vaporiser you'll want to use, as
not all vapes work with every substance. It is easier to decide on a
vape when you know what you plan to vaporise most frequently.
Dry
Herb
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Waxy
Concentrates
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While
most vaporisers are designed to be specifically compatible with one
material, multi-compatible units are becoming more common. These
units generally have separate heating chambers for each style of
material that will be vaporised. These multi-compatible vaporisers
are more commonly found in the pen style version and not the larger
portable or desktop vapes.
The
heated air is either drawn through the herb (manual whip) or forced
through with a fan. The temperature can be varied precisely with
analogue or digital controllers, or by the draw speed and strength in
the manual mode. It's all in the personal preference of the user.
Some people prefer to select their temperature to control which
active ingredients are released, and some prefer a single temperature
and vary their draws. Different temperatures release different
proportions of active ingredients in the herb. This affects the
tastes and the experience in general.
They
come in desktop sizes for in-home use or various portable ones,
including Vape Pens, which are proving very popular with the younger
generation in the US, particularly.
There
are several different design factors that determine how a vaporisers
heat source receives power. Ultimately, it will be achieved via
either electricity or flame. Though power cords or a rechargeable
battery are required for the electric variety, they generally perform
better due to the consistent stream of power provided.
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Vaporisers
powered via electricity tend to heat up and maintain temperature more
efficiently than the other options. However, with the flame style
power source, one is not tethered down by wires, which is optimal for
situations where there is no electricity available to recharge a
vaporiser. Controlling the temperature of the vaporiser is key
to achieving the most efficient vapour production. There is a range
in which the herb will begin to release its active ingredients and if
the herb is not warm enough, no vapour forms. Alternatively if the
temperature rises too far, the herb will burn up and defeat the whole
purpose of vaporisation.
Digital
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Analogue
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Press Style
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Monitoring
the temperature throughout the process of vaporisation prevents the
material from being overheated, which leads to combustion and smoke.
The remaining herb should be crispy and a brownish colour, NOT ash.
If the leftover product is black or burned up, a lower temperature is
required to produce vapour.
Along
with choosing the temperature control, it is good to consider how
long the vaporiser will take to go from cold to hot and ready to
vape. Each vaporiser's heat up time is different, however pen style
units are generally the quickest, followed by other portables and
then desktop units (which require more power).
10 Seconds or Less |
1-2 Minutes |
2-4 Minutes |
Vaporisers
that heat up to and maintain a set temperature are more efficient in
terms of vapour production. Units that have a push button control and
rapid heat up time are more difficult to control, which can easily
lead to combustion if you are not careful.
Though
the iconic Volcano
Vaporiser is often what comes to mind when people first think of
a vaporiser, the technology and implementations of vaping continue to
be applied in a variety of forms. As popularity grows, it seems that
innovation around this popular consumption method will continue to
flourish.
Compared
to smoking, vaping is much healthier for you. Your body doesn’t
love it when you light things on fire and then suck them into your
lungs. Studies
show that cannabis vaporisers provide the same level of THC, but
fewer toxins. The same study notes that vaping is less bad for you
than smoking. In some US states that have legalised medical cannabis,
they encourage users to vape or eat cannabis as an alternative to
smoking. In many cities around the world, including New
York, they’ve disallowed smoking altogether, largely for health
reasons.
The
word 'vape' became so prevalent in popular culture and language that
it was named Oxford
English Dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2014, meaning 'to
inhale and exhale the vapour produced by an electronic cigarette or
similar device'. According to OED, you are about 30 times more likely
to come across the word vape - both a verb and a noun - now than only
two years ago.
At
its core, the technology for vaporisers is simple, but stylish. All
vaporisers have a power source, coils that heat and vape the
ingredients, and an LED light at the tip. Portable vaporisers are
super customisable and incredibly discreet, as they leave little
smell and residue behind. If you’re looking for a new way to
consume your favourite plant, a vaporiser might be for you.
While
vaporisers and e-cigs are catching like wildfire amongst tobacco and
cannabis lovers across the US, the law is still trying to play catch
up (*e-cigs are illegal in Australia because nicotine is classified
as a poison). Regulating vaporisers has lead to the creation of
'vaporium' communities for users to buy and inhale vapours. New York
has just cracked down on vaporisers by including them in their Public
Smoking Ban laws.
As
vaporisers continue to become the norm in the cannabis community, we
expect the technology will become even more widely used. However,
laws are expected try to regulate this method. But as legalisation in
the US spreads, vaping obviously stands out as a healthier
alternative to smoking - something we can all get on board with.
Hopefully lawmakers and officials will agree too!
adapted from The Stoner's Cookbook
with additional information from Vapor Nation and
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