You must be at least 21 years old to use our website

By using our website, you agree to view medical cannabis content, pricing, and promotional discounts and incentives

Download our app and enable push notifications to never miss a deal! Learn more

What is Vaping?

January 7th, 2022

Vaping cannabis is a common consumption method, second only to flower in the state of Utah in terms of product sales. Vaping has also had its fair share of media attention over the past couple of years, which may make some people wary of using them for their medical cannabis needs. We’re here to give you all the facts you need to determine if vape is right for you.

For those who want the cliff’s notes, here’s a short summary of the basic reasons you might choose a vape product:

Now we’ll dive into more detail for our patients who love a good research session. By the time you’re done, we hope you have all the vaping facts you need to decide if it’s the right method of consumption for you in your cannabis wellness journey. 

What is a vape cart and what’s the best way to use it?

Let’s get to the fundamentals of what a vape actually is, and how to use one. In this section, we’ll talk about the basic components of a vape, cartridges, and batteries, and how they work together to deliver cannabis medicine to your body.

Vape cartridges work in conjunction with vape pen batteries. When you put them together, the battery powers an atomizer in the cartridge that heats up the oil, activating the cannabinoids in it. Cannabinoids are then absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the lungs upon inhalation. 

Sometimes a vape cartridge will come with a battery (pre-loaded), but most of the time you’ll have to purchase the battery and cartridge separately. The threading on the vape pen battery provides the connection to the cartridge, so make sure they are compatible before purchasing one. One of the most common pen batteries is 510 threaded which works with most vape cartridges on the market today. 

Here’s a diagram of the vape and all of its components below. 

Ac   Copy    of Vape Anatomy Infographic

Tip: To get the most out of vaping cannabis, we recommend using a low temperature from 280F - 350F so most of the beneficial terpenes and cannabinoids are preserved. If you vape using higher temperatures of 446F or more, you are actually burning the cannabis oil and risk losing more of those great cannabinoids. 

In Case You Didn’t Know: Cannabinoids are substances found in the cannabis plant like CBD, THC, and CBG that give patients relief from symptoms ranging from pain relief to muscle relaxing and anti-nausea. See the chart below for the benefits of different cannabinoids.

Cannabanoids

How do I use a vape cart?

When you purchase a vape cartridge, it comes with a mouthpiece so all you have to do is connect it to your battery to begin use. The vape cartridge contains the distillate or cannabis oil with the cannabinoids and terpenes (the good stuff!), but you’ll always need the battery in order to properly use the cartridge. 

Patients have a lot of options for vape pen batteries, and all of them work just a little bit differently. Here are the directions below on how to use the reusable Vessel vape pen available at WholesomeCo: 

Using the Vessel Vape Pen 

Most vape cartridges allow for multiple uses, it all depends on how much you consume per session. 

How does a vape compare to other consumption methods?

Vapes are fast on, fast off. Typically, onset is within 30 seconds to a minute and will peak in 15-20 minutes. Effects tend to wear off in about 90 minutes. This method of consumption is great for breakthrough pain and anxiety where quick relief is needed. 

Since vaping is much more concentrated, we recommend starting slowly with one, one-second inhalation, especially if you’re used to using flower. Low and slow is the best method when vaping cannabis.

How is vaping different from a flower vaporizer?

It boils down to length of onset, and potential availability of cannabinoids and terpenes. Vaporizing flower can take longer to have an effect (typically a few minutes). It peaks in roughly 20 minutes, and effects tend to wear off in 2 hours. Flower’s effects typically last longer than a vape cart because there are waxes, plant matter, and a host of other molecules along with the cannabinoids, terpenes, and terpenoids when vaporizing the whole flower. 

Here’s a quick pros and cons list comparing Vapes to Flower Vaporizers to make it a bit simpler to understand:

Advantages of Vape

Disadvantages of Vape

What are the different types of vape formulations? 

Vapes come in a variety of formulations: 

Vessel vape cart

Our favorites for patients are ratio and full-spectrum formulations because they offer a broader range of benefits. Patients can use these types of formulations throughout the day for breakthrough relief from symptoms, while still being functional. 

In Case You Didn’t Know: Ratio products are formulations that combine THC with other cannabinoids to deliver additional effects associated with other cannabinoids. To learn more about how cannabinoids work together through something known as the entourage effect, check out our Cannabis 101 booklet

How do I ensure my vape product is safe?

In the past, there were concerns about vaping because of carrier oils like Vitamin E that were added to cartridges, which are harmful to ingest. While some carrier oils have been found safe to ingest, there are still concerns about safety when they are heated and vaporized.

To double-check your vape cart’s safety, make sure there isn’t any Vitamin E acetate, PEG or PG on the ingredients list, or ask for a certificate of analysis. If you're concerned about the potential harm, seek out raw products that only contain cannabis distillate and cannabis-derived terpenes or purchase from a licensed, reputable pharmacy. 

Rest assured, all vape cartridges at WholesomeCo do not contain any Vitamin E or harmful ingredients.

More Questions on Vaping?

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of vaping and if it’s right for you. If you have further questions, schedule a consultation with a WholesomeCo pharmacist to discuss what method of consumption is right for you. Schedule a free consult here.

Stay in the loop

Sign up to receive the latest news and exclusive offers.

By signing up you're agreeing to receive emails and text messages from WholesomeCo.