Smoking cannabis is the most popular way for people consume the plant, however it has many drawbacks, some you might not even be aware of. Dry herb vaporizing on the other hand, has many benefits.
Dry herb vaporizing is when you use a device that heats up the cannabis below the point of combustion, releasing a vapour that you inhale, rather than smoke.
Here’s 3 reasons to switch from smoking to dry herb vaporizing:
1. Inhaling smoke can be harmful
While science hasn’t found evidence that smoking cannabis can lead to lung cancer, there is evidence that it can cause chronic bronchial issues and make you more susceptible to lung infections. Cannabis smoke is high in carcinogens such as tar, benzopyrene and benzanthracene.
Dry herb vaporizing drastically reduces the tar and other carcinogens you get from smoke. It’s what doctors recommend for medical users.
Inhaling smoke can also age you. Inhaling smoke reduces oxygen to the skin, decreasing blood circulation which then makes your skin look older than it is.
2. Smoking cannabis destroys the terpenes
Lighting your cannabis on fire destroys the terpenes. Terpenes are delicate and they have boiling points, using a dry herb vaporizer allows you to target these boiling points for you to release the desired cannabinoids and terpenes. If you’re mindful about whole plant therapy, you should know that dry herb vaporizing is a much better method for experiencing the entourage effect.
Terpenes also have a wonderful taste which you don’t get to enjoy as much when you smoke cannabis. Dry herb vaporizing, especially on a lower temperature, allows you to taste the full body of the terpenes in your cultivar.
3. Dry herb vaporizing reduces the smell
When you smoke cannabis, everyone within a one-block radius will know. However dry herb vaporizing drastically reduces the smell, especially when you use a Smoke Buddy or my new favourite device, the Eco Four Twenty personal air filter, which takes away most of the smell. If you live in a building shared with others, this will make sure no one will smell your cannabis.
Switching from smoking to dry herb vaporizing can be a little strange at first as vaporizing has an airy feel to it. My husband switched to dry herb vaporizing after he quit smoking 10 years ago and it just took some getting used to. I recommend starting at a higher temperature to reduce the airy feel and then experiment with temperatures over time, to find your personal preference.
– Shannon Chiarenza is the founder of weedmama.ca