Our previous articles have familiarized you with the beneficial effects of aromatherapy in general and herbs in specificity. In this article, we will be explaining what the benefits of vaporizing dry herb are, cannabis especially, and why they outshine vaporizing with concentrates.
There are quite a few pros to choosing to vape dry herb over concentrates. These include:
- A better and more hands-on flavor profile
- Vaping dry herb is much easier to clean
- Dry herb is more accessible than concentrates
- It is less expensive
- Growing the herb is much easier than making a concentrate
- When vaping cannabis, you are getting the complete plant; the flower contains all the beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, and more all by itself
Allow us to go a little more in depth on these different aspects of dry herb vaping. One of the primary differences between dry herb vaping verses vaping concentrates is the flavor profile. If you enjoy tasting the herb you are using when you breathe in, then vaping dry herb is the way to go. By vaporizing the herb or flower instead of oils or other concentrates, you get to choose exactly how your vapor tastes. This customizability unlocks an endless array of possibilities and allows you to truly tailor your vaping experience to suit what you like. You can choose to add peppermint or something similar to your herb to enhance the flavor as well as provide additional effects. With concentrates, you do not have the ability to do this and are stuck with what you get.
Cleaning
Another draw to vaping dry herbs instead of vaping concentrates is that they are much easier to clean out of your vaporizer. All that you need to keep your vaporizer clean is a small brush and a bit of rubbing alcohol. Cleaning vaporizers after use with concentrates can be a much more daunting process due to what is left behind by the oils. Cleaning your vaporizer after using dry herb requires less effort and technicalities to clean, as dry herb leaves fewer residues to clean up later. This means you can get right back to vaping much quicker than you would otherwise, and who wouldn’t like that?
It is also much easier to find dry herb as opposed to finding concentrates compatible with your device, or even a device compatible with concentrates. Generally speaking, dry herb is much more available compared with oils or concentrates, partially due to the fact that it has been around longer. If you decide that you want to vape concentrates, you will be hard pressed to find exactly what you are looking for in addition to a device that will suit your needs. Looking at cannabis and its rising popularity specifically, people are now exploring many ways on how to enjoy the herb. This has led to people searching for different options in vaporization. A large number of enthusiasts have utilized wax in order to maximize both the recreational and medical benefits.
Wax
However, you shouldn’t join this new trend so quickly, as the price can be a turn-off. The price range of cannabis waxes compared with just the dry herb can vary greatly. Concentrates can cost as much as 500% more! This increase in price is mainly due to the process needed to extract from the herb, not to mention the numerous risks that are involved in making it.
Making cannabis wax can ultimately be dangerous. Butane is a highly volatile liquid; the smallest spark, or even a sudden shift in temperature, could cause the liquid to explode. It is also very possible that there are still remnants of butane in the cannabis wax. Unfiltered butane left in the concentrate can be considered a poison, and this could, very obviously, produce negative side effects over time. This negates the exact reason people choose to vape dry herb in the first place: for the beneficial effects that aromatherapy can have on their lives. It doesn’t make any sense to choose to vape something that goes against the reason you started vaping to begin with.
What Are Terpenes
One of the primary reasons to opt for dry herb is that it is unprocessed. This means that you will be getting not only the beneficial cannabinoids but also the terpenes and other plant molecules as well. With some concentrates, some of these terpenes do not survive the extraction process, and one of the most crucial aspects of vaping dry herbs as opposed to concentrates is that you get these terpenes. You might be asking “ What are terpenes?” Well, the answer for what role they play in both recreational and medical cannabis use is quite simple.
When herbs are heated, terpenes are released into the vapor, creating a vast spectrum of flavors. Terpenes are the aromatics in plants that give plants their unique smell and, when heated, flavor. These compounds are pretty sensitive to heat and will be quickly destroyed at higher temperatures. They are actually considered to be the next big thing for those who advocate medical cannabis. Terpenes have been found to have the capability of synergistically working with the cannabinoids. To put it plainly, this means that they can increase the potential healing properties that cannabis has. The reason behind this is that terpenes, which are actually hydrocarbons, have an affinity to the cannabinoid receptors. Basically, they can increase the amount of cannabinoids that get through the blood brain barrier, and therefore multiply the effect of each gram of your dry herb.
Apart from the synergistic relationship that cannabinoids have with terpenes, it is also worth mentioning that terpenes, similar to cannabinoids, have their own individual properties that are beneficial to the human body. Specifically, terpenes like Myrcene help with promoting sleep, and terpenes like Limonene help to enhance the mood. Another example is the terpene Linalool which, when combined with THC, gives a lavender aroma to some cannabis strains and may enhance the herb’s muscle relaxant effects. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to treat liver cancer.
Use A Vaporizer
As vaporizers become more and more innovative and as more and more consumers are turned towards vaporizing as a more efficient, healthier, and less odorous method of consuming dry herb, it will no doubt overtake combustion as the preferred method of dry herb ingestion for both medicinal and recreational users alike. These numerous benefits to vaping dry herb over concentrates can really influence your decision in what vaping method is right for you. If you are looking for something that is more customizable in flavor, will not require too much down-time between vaping sessions with cleaning, will be easy for you to acquire, is not as costly, is easier to make if you choose to, and provides all of what you need for aromatherapy purposes, then dry herb is exactly what you want.
And here at DaVinci, we are dry herb specialists.
Our most recent model, the IQ, was made exclusively for dry herb. Where other vaporizers fall short by trying to handle both dry herb and concentrates at once, the IQ was designed exclusively for one purpose: delivering consciousness via technology. Whether you’re a flavor chaser, looking to up your fitness level, a medical patient, or just looking for some inspiration, we're here to ensure that you know how to optimize your session and get the most out of it. You can capitalize on the IQ’s features by utilizing the flavor chamber to add a terpene boost to your session, which you can do by adding dried peppermint, lavender or citrus peels. Not only will you get a flavor boost, but you’ll also receive the health benefits these plants offer.