In this article you will learn:
As states across the United States legalize cannabis, vaping is becoming a more popular form of cannabis consumption nationwide, representing about 20% of all cannabis sales. You might be wondering, where do I start? When talking about vaping for beginners, there are some basics to help you understand how to get started.
Getting started with vaping for beginners requires a basic understanding of what vaping is. Vaping, or vaporizing, is the act of inhaling a vapor from a vaporizer device at a relatively low temperature. Vaporizers heat oil to a precise temperature, releasing the active ingredients, like THC, in vapor form without burning the substance. Due to these lower temperatures, vaporizers do not produce smoke. This means combustion or burning of plant matter does not occur, which is why vaping is often chosen as a healthier alternative to smoking.
Vaping was popularized in the e-cigarette industry as a popular alternative for those looking to quit smoking. As cannabis legalization has gained momentum, new product forms have emerged and vaping has become a popular option for those looking to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without smoking and combusting the plant matter.
There are three key components necessary when vaping:
The hardware of a vaporizer can come in different forms. Generally, it is a battery which acts as a power source to heat up the device. In some cases, like a disposable all-in-one vaporizer, the battery and heating element are built-in. However, in vaporizers compatible with pre-filled cartridges, like the O.pen, the heating element is actually built into the cartridge. Some hardware uses a button to heat up while others are draw-activated, meaning you can just take a pull and heating begins, producing vapor. The charger is used to charge the battery so you can bring your vape with you on the go without worrying about it dying. Most vaporizers have a 510-thread connection point that is universal with most cartridges. Learn more about 510-thread vapes here.
When vaping cannabis concentrates, you can either get extract to manually fill the vape or you can use pre-filled cartridges. The advantage to prefilled cartridges is to avoid the mess and regular maintenance of cleaning the device. With cartridges, you just attach it to your battery and you’re ready to go! Once the cartridge is empty, you just detach it and dispose of it.
Another type of vaporizer is a load your own vaporizer, typically for dry herb but often also for concentrates, like The Firefly. They work the same way in that they heat up the flower or extract at a lower temperature, that bakes the product rather than burns it. Again, providing vapor without combustion. Load your own vaporizers tend to be sold at higher price points, often over $200 than prefilled vaporizer cartridges (typically $20-75 depending on your selection).
When discussing vaping for beginners it is important to touch on the benefits associated with vaping in comparison to smoking. As mentioned above, because vaporizers heat the oil to a precise temperature without ever igniting the substance. According to studies done over the years, THC vapor is safer to inhale than smoke as it produces less carcinogenic substances which are associated with the combustion of the plant. This ensures no material is burned or wasted during use. Many users find that vaping tends to be less irritating to their throat as well.
A study at Johns Hopkins found that vaping cannabis actually has stronger effects than smoking it. Vaporizers allow for 95% efficiency and emit measured doses to help monitor your intake.
Discretion is a key reason why many people like to vape rather than smoke. Typically, vape pens are small and portable, so they are easy to carry around and hit without people noticing since there is less odor. O.pen’s are also very easy to use. There is no need to load a bowl or roll a joint, just puff and go. If you’re interested in diving deeper into the benefits of vaping you can learn more in our in-depth blog here.
Cannabis is now recreationally legal in 15 states and medically legal in 34 states. In fact, recreational cannabis is now available to 33% of the United States population. If you’re in a state where cannabis is recreationally legal all you’ll need is a state issued ID showing you are over the age of 21, if you’re in a medicinal market you’ll need to have a medical card - qualifications for a medical marijuana card vary state to state.
Typically cannabis is purchased in a cannabis dispensary but in some markets you can even conveniently order it online through platforms like IHeartJane and Dutchie. Prices vary by market but you can expect to pay anywhere from $20-100 for a vaping product depending on your selection.
We hope this was a quick introduction to vaping, how to get started and the benefits of vaping as a cannabis consumption method. If you’re ready to try vaping you can have confidence in selecting an O.pen a brand that's been around since 2012, has won multiple awards and offers a satisfaction guarantee on all of their products.
