Medical cannabis can be used in a variety of ways, and qualified medical marijuana patients in West Virginia have a lot of freedom when it comes to how they consume their medicine.
While many patients are familiar with smoking, an alternative to smoking is vaporizing cannabis, and it comes with its own pros and cons.
For some, vaporizing is the end-all-be-all, and for other patients, smoking is the most effective way to consume their medicine.
In this article, we’ll cover the differences between smoking and vaporizing cannabis, why you might choose one over the other, and what the benefits of both vaporizing and smoking cannabis are!
Smoking vs Vaporizing Medical Marijuana
Why Medical Marijuana Patients Smoke Cannabis
Medical marijuana patients opt to smoke cannabis for many reasons.
Smoking offers a handful of benefits. It has the ability to produce immediate effects, it’s reasonably convenient, and dosage can be measured relatively easily. There are plenty of different devices for smoking cannabis, and especially for newer patients, it can be one of the more approachable ways to intake cannabis.
Smoking isn’t without its downfalls, as patients with lung or breathing problems such as asthma, COPD, or lung cancer may not be capable of smoking at all.
And in truth, burning anything will create toxic carbons that are unhealthy to inhale, and smoking cannabis is no exception. Smoking cannabis is not among the healthiest ways to consume cannabis, and although smoking cannabis doesn’t produce the same carcinogens as cigarette smoke, there are still risks associated with smoking altogether.
Vaporizing Cannabis Offers an Alternative to Smoking
Vaporizing cannabis is entirely different from smoking.
As opposed to burning or combusting material, vaporizing effectively “lifts” the compounds from the plant and transmits them through a vapor into your lungs.
Though it might look like smoke, vapor is an entirely different composition than smoke, and vaporizing doesn’t produce the same carbons or carcinogens as smoking. In fact, vaporizing only transports the specific compounds that are being vaporized.
For cannabis, the compounds that are vaporized are the medicinal compounds such as THC, CBD, and terpenes.
For medical marijuana patients, vaporizing offers a healthier alternative to smoking that lets you intake the desirable compounds from the plant in an efficient and easy manner.
Why You Should Vaporize Cannabis Flower
Vaporizing Offers a Longer, “Cleaner” High for Medical Marijuana Patients
Vaporizing offers a unique “high” and many patients find this experience very enjoyable.
The high from vaporizing tends to last a little longer and feels a little airier or lighter than a traditional high from smoking cannabis, where effects tend to be a little more up front and aggressive.
The high from vaporizing cannabis is arguably longer as well, traditionally lasting for around 45 minutes to 1 hour, whereas cannabis flower often lasts between 30 minutes and 45 minutes.
Though your tolerance and biology will determine a large part of how vaporizing works for you, vaporizing cannabis flower can be an efficient way to get an effective dose of cannabis without the harms of inhaling toxic carbons.
Vaporizing Can Produce a Heavier High, With Less THC Lost
Vaporizing can still produce a heavy experience.
Larger doses can be sedative with vaporizing, and in some cases, it can even trump smoking when comparing similar doses.
Vaporizing allows you to get significant amounts of THC into your system, because essentially you are pulling the compounds directly from the cannabis plant and sending them right to your airways, where they are transported through the bloodstream.
With smoking, there’s a significant amount of THC lost due to excess smoke that’s not inhaled. THC is also inhibited by joint or pipe filters, and overall, combusting plant material causes a total loss of somewhere around 60% - 63% THC.
Vaporizing only causes a loss of around 46% THC, making it a better way to get the most out of your cannabis.
Vaporizing Cannabis Can Save You Money
Vaporized Cannabis Flower Can Be Used in Edibles
Vaporizing cannabis offers a few additional benefits that you won’t see with smoking.
Vaporized cannabis can be saved and baked in cannabis edibles, and because the cannabis flower has already had its THC activated, you don’t need to decarboxylate cannabis flower that has been vaporized to use it in edibles.
That’s right, you can take the cannabis flower that you’ve vaporized and immediately use it to cook cannabis edibles, skipping the decarboxylating process altogether!
Once vaporized, cannabis flower will turn from its bright and lively colors to a darker brown color because the cannabis is heated to only a level that allows the compounds to be lifted from the plant.
This flower can be saved and used to make edibles, tinctures, and even concentrates such as RSO.
Vaporizers Have Gotten Cheaper and Better
At one point in time, vaporizers required a hefty deposit to get into.
With some devices ranging in the thousands of dollars, the average cannabis consumer likely shied away due to the up-front costs that were once required to get into vaporizing cannabis.
Nowadays, you can get cannabis flower vaporizers for under $100, with the average cost ranging from $250-$500 depending on the model that you choose.
There are even refurbished vaporizers for sale that can be purchased at a significant discount, making the up-front costs much more manageable for medical marijuana patients on a budget.
Look out for vaporizers that are only designed for concentrates. A vaporizer that is only designed for concentrates (such as the Puffco Peak) will not work with cannabis flower, so be sure to find a vaporizer that works with dry herb.
Devices like the Dr. Dabber Switch, Volcano Vaporizer, and Pax 3 Vaporizer are among some of the best choices for vaporizing cannabis flower and offer an affordable way to efficiently vaporize your cannabis flower.
Get Your Medical Marijuana Certification in West Virginia
West Virginia medical marijuana patients can legally purchase and possess medical marijuana without the fear of legal repercussions. To become a medical marijuana patient, West Virginia residents must first apply for a medical marijuana card through a qualified physician. It’s easy to do, and you can get your medical marijuana card today!
You can even receive your medical marijuana certification from the comfort and safety of your own home today!
Take the steps to schedule your medical marijuana evaluation appointment today and get access to legal marijuana products available at dispensaries.
Being a West Virginia medical marijuana patient allows you the freedom to take your medication the right way for you. We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way! Feel free to give us a call at 877-303-8424 and we can answer your questions about getting a medical marijuana card in West Virginia.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
West Virginia Marijuana Card’s mission is to help everyone achieve
wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana.
Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for
our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at 877-303-8424, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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