As vaping continues to grow in popularity, a lot of people are starting to ask about dry herb vaping devices. This could have something to do with the controversy surrounding e-liquids, which have been blamed for an outbreak of lung disease among American teens. In response, the US government recently moved to ban most e-cig flavors apart from tobacco and menthol. Other countries have imposed similar restrictions, and some have banned vaping outright.
While using liquid is by far the most common method of vaping, it is not the only one. This is particularly true for the many individuals who like to vape CBD to improve their well-being. If you’re one of these individuals, you may want to look into dry herb vaporizers, which differ considerably from the classic “atomizer” pens and mods.
How are dry herb vaporizers different?
In short, there is simply no liquid involved. Traditional devices work by heating vape liquid, or juice until it changes into vapor, at which point it can be inhaled. The liquid does not contain tobacco, nor does it rely on combustion. That means vaping is free from the harmful chemicals—like carbon monoxide—that help make cigarettes so deadly. Thus, Public Health England reports that vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking.
Of course, vape juice contains its own set of chemicals, additives, and flavor enhancers; they vary depending on the manufacturer and the type of liquid. Not all of these chemicals are harmless. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made a connection between vitamin E acetate, an additive found in some vape liquids, and lung damage.
In the case of liquid used for vaping full spectrum CBD for example, various cannabinoids and cannabis terpenes are included in the mix so that the liquid contains some of the natural aromatic and therapeutic properties of cannabis plants.
Dry herb vaporizers, by contrast, skip all the processing and deliver the cannabis or CBD flower raw. They do so by heating the ground-up buds and converting them directly into vapor, sparing you any unwanted chemicals. Along with offering a purer and more natural vape experience, dry herb devices are generally more compact than their liquid counterparts and are easier to maintain.
Different devices use different heating methods—some use convection and others use conduction—but all of them involve little or no combustion. It should further be noted that dry herb devices can be used to vape an expansive range of herbs—not just cannabis.
Some other alternatives
There are additional ways to vape weed. You can use cannabis concentrates, for instance. These concentrates oftentimes resemble wax (they are sometimes known simply as “wax”) and are famous for their potency. Whereas raw cannabis strains tend to top out at around 25 percent THC, cannabis concentrates have been known to contain as much as 90 percent. Needless to say, there are chemicals involved in their production.
Oil vaporizers, also called vape carts, represent another alternative. These devices use a highly concentrated cannabis oil developed from potent extracts. Vape carts are less complicated than other devices, usually only consisting of a few components. They function similarly to your typical atomizer device, but don’t let that fool you: cannabis oil and vape liquid are very different products.
For those who enjoy vaping both dry herb and cannabis oil, some companies sell hybrid devices that toggle back and forth between the two, obviating the need to purchase and carry around multiple devices. They’re pretty handy.
When it comes to vaping, liquid isn’t the only show in town. So why limit yourself to it? Now that you know about some of the alternatives, give them a shot and figure out what works best for you.
