You may be looking for an alternative to smoking your medical marijuana and are wondering if getting a vaporizer is worth their typically pretty hefty price tag. Well, this really all comes down to what is important to you, what kind of high you’re looking for, and what alternatives you’ve tried when it comes to consuming medical cannabis. In this article we’re going to explain what vaporizers are and offer a few pros and cons on getting a vaporizer, so that you can decide whether or not it’s worth it as a personal investment. Everyone has different preferences, so with your California medical marijuana card you can head down to your local dispensary and find out what might work best for you.
First off, what is a vaporizer?
A vaporizer (commonly known as a vape) is a device that heats dry medical marijuana to nearly 400*F (which is just below the heat required to light a joint). This allows the active ingredients found in marijuana to be converted into gas, or vapor, which you inhale and exhale as you would when smoking a regular joint. With the advent of the medical marijuana legislation in California, vaping has become a far more common practice. You can find a large variety of devices available on the market but at their core they can really be broken down into one of the following three groups: pen vaporizers, portable vaporizers and stationery desktop vaporizers.
Which vape would be right for you?
It really depends on what you want from your vaporizer, how much you’re willing to spend and if you want it to be easily portable. While each is unique and has its own benefits and flaws they all consist of a standard heating source and a delivery system which in turn allows you to vape your medical weed.
If portability is your main objective look at a Pen Vaporizer
They look pretty much identical to the e-cig machines that have become wildly incorporated with tobacco smokers. There are a huge range of vape pens available on the market and their popularity is continually growing. They are also the cheapest vaping option, but medical marijuana purists argue that their delivery method of conduction heating vs. the favored convection heating means that they don’t deliver the marijuana payload as well as other vaping devices.
Want a good delivery system that is still portable? Check out a Portable Vaporizer
They look a little like a Stanley knife and are slightly larger than their pen cousins, but they are also incredibly portable for those of you on-the-go. The main bonus of a portable vaporizer vs a pen vaporizer is down to the fact that they offer butane and flame options, are more durable, and are easily chargeable when out and about.
Looking to make an investment? Check out a stationary vaporizer
If you’re looking for the best of the best and the medical marijuana purist’s nod of approval, you might want to look into investing in a stationary vape. They aren’t really portable and will cost you $400 – $700 but their delivery methods are considered more effective by many. They offer a convection heating source and a series of different attachments that open up a whole new experience to your standard ‘draw and drag’ delivery method. Again, they are the medical marijuana community’s preferred vaping system but if you’re going to buy one then make sure you know how to use it and recognize that it is an investment for the future.
What are the main benefits of having a vaporizer?
- Vaporizing delivers a more potent level of medical marijuana than smoking does. This is down to the heating systems that do not actually ignite the weed but find a sweet spot where the active ingredients that give you that calm, soothing feeling of smoking are released without burning the weed.
- Vaping is better for your health when compared with smoking. This is both in the short-term and the long-term. With vaping, your lungs are not full of smoke and the coughing and shortness of breath associated with smoking are not an issue.
- Vaping does not smell as strongly as smoking does, it’s more discreet and will not make your clothes, house, or even yourself smell as pungent. Unfortunately, even despite the legalization of weed with a MM card, the consumption is still stigmatized in some circles, so this is a great option for those looking to be discreet.
- Vaping actually saves you money in the long run. While the initial investment is high, studies have shown that vaping converts nearly 50% more of the THC found in marijuana into vapor. This in turn means that you’ll be able to smoke less while getting the same high and save more weed.
What are the cons of having a vaporizer?
- It’s really expensive to get started with a good vaporizer. You don’t want to buy a knock-off imitation, which will break quickly and not deliver its desired payload. If you want the best of the best, it’ll set you back a cold, hard $700; however, a good vape pen can be found a lot cheaper, under $100.
- You have to maintain and charge the equipment. Vaporizers can have charging, cleaning and maintenance issues, so you need to look after them.
- Some people prefer different methods and don’t like the experience of vaping at all. This is just a matter of personal preference and it’s totally up to you, but we’d definitely recommend that you try vaping before you buy.
With your California marijuana license you can try a vaporizer in a weed dispensary. Personally, we love them and think you will too, but we hope that this article will help you make up your mind on whether or not it’s the right way for you to consume your medical marijuana.