More and more people are seeing the value of marijuana as a medical solution. In fact, there are now several places where medical marijuana has been legalized, provided that intake is heavily regulated and strictly supervised by a qualified health professional. When the case for medical marijuana first gained traction, the only way for people to benefit from the weed was to smoke it as a joint or using a bong. These days, however, a much healthier alternative has been developed and is quickly gaining popularity. We are talking about the use of vaporizers.
What Is a Vaporizer?
A vaporizer is a device used to extract the active ingredients of plant material and emit them in the form of vapor that the user can inhale. The device is made up of various types of extraction chambers and is made from such materials as metal and glass. There are vaporizers that come with an inflatable bag where the vapor is collected and there are those that come with a hose or pipe from where you can directly inhale the vapor. It saves you from the harmful effects of smoking because the vaporization process does not involve combustion, which means nothing is ever carbonized.
Although it can be used for a wide variety of plants and purposes, the vaporizer is most popularly used for inhaling marijuana to treat a number of ailments. Those who undergo chemotherapy, for example, inhale cannabis to keep nausea and vomiting at bay. Vaporizers typically have a temperature control feature to help you get the desired effect. There are hundreds of chemical constituents in the cannabis plant, and these constituents have different boiling points. This is why you need to be able to control the temperature of the vaporizer so you can extract the ingredients needed for treating your particular medical complaint.
So far, no one has proven that vaping is 100 percent safe. This method of ingesting weeds and herbs is relatively new and studies to determine its health and safety issues need some time to arrive at convincing results. But the mere fact that it doesn’t involve burning weeds and inhaling smoke should be enough to convince us that it is, at the very least, healthier and safer than smoking. And one study has actually shown that vaping is a very effective tool for those who wish to quit smoking. In this case, it has been proven more effective than using nicotine replacements or quitting cold turkey.
Important Considerations Before You Buy Vaporizers
There are various options available to you where vaporizers are concerned and the choice can be quite overwhelming unless you know what to look for. Finding the right vaporizer requires you to take some things into careful consideration. Once you’ve considered these things, that’s the best time to buy vaporizers, not before. To help you out with the process, here are the choices you have to make so you can arrive at a well-informed purchase decision:
1. Heating Method
There are generally two heating methods used in vaporizers: convection and conduction. In devices that use conduction, the heating element comes in direct contact with the weed to vaporize it. In those that use convection, heat is transferred to the weed via an airway, which means there is no direct contact between the weed and the heating element. Convection is generally deemed as the better heating method because it doesn’t involve the risk of combusting (burning) the weed.
Among other things, you’ll have to decide whether to buy a vaporizer that uses conduction or convection as a heating method. Flickr.com photo by hardworkinghippy
The process of burning releases toxic chemicals like carbon into the air, which is one of the biggest issues concerning smoking. Note, however, that most vaporizers currently available on the market use conduction, which means it can be a bit more difficult to find a convection vaporizer that suits your needs. The good news is that vaporizers of the best quality are designed in such a way that the risk of combustion remains minimal.
In connection to the heating method, you’ll also have to decide whether to get a vaporizer that’s powered by butane (lighter fluid), batteries, or direct power source. Tabletop vaporizers are typically plugged into an electrical socket whereas portable models run on either butane or batteries. The choice, in this case, depends solely on your preference.
2. Manner of Inhaling
As mentioned earlier, there are generally two ways you can inhale your weed of choice when using a vaporizer. Some models require you to inhale the vapor directly via a hose or pipe whereas others collect the vapor in a bag or balloon from where you inhale it. There are also vaporizers that allow you to do both. As with the choice of power source, the decision on whether to buy vaporizers that come with a bag or a pipe depends largely on your personal preference.
3. Temperature Control
Some vaporizers automatically set the temperature based on the weed or herb you place in the chamber. Other models allow you to set the temperature via an analog or digital temperature control. It is generally advised that if you value precision in terms of temperature settings, then a vaporizer with digital temperature control would be your best choice.
Price may also be deemed an important consideration by some people when they buy vaporizers, but you have to remember that just like any other consumer item, a higher price does not necessarily mean better quality when it comes to vaporizers. It would be much better for you to set a budget before you shop for a vaporizer and then buy the model that meets all your needs and preferences and is well within the budget you have set.
Smoking is bad for you. That particular argument has long been settled. While the argument on the medical use of marijuana is still going on, if you feel that it can help ease your ailment and as long as you go about the process legally and with professional supervision, you shouldn’t let anything stop you from availing of its benefits. And the best way to do that just might be with the help of a vaporizer.