Dry Herb Vaporizer: A Safer Alternative To Smoking?

Features

• An overview of what a dry herb vaporizer is
• The benefits of vaping vs. smoking
• An overview of the different products available to purchase

Why You Will Love This Guide

For so long, it seemed like smoking was the only way to consume cannabis.

We now know that there are many ways to use cannabis, from topicals to edibles, that extend beyond just smoking.

However, members of my Well With Cannabis Community still want the quick effects associated with smoking, without the health risks.

That's where a dry herb vaporizer comes in.

In this guide, we will review what a dry herb vaporizer is, explore the benefits, and discuss different models available to purchase.

What is a Dry Herb Vaporizer?

A dry herb vaporizer is a small, battery-operated device.

This device is used to heat, decarboxylate, and vaporize the THC, CBD, or CBG found in cannabis to be inhaled by the user.

This inhalation method has been described as "smoking cannabis, without the smoke".

This method is gaining popularity because it can quickly deliver cannabinoids to the bloodstream, without many of the unwanted side effects associated with smoking.

It is important to note that a dry herb vaporizer is much different than vaping cannabis oil.

Dry herb vaporizers use dried cannabis plant matter, just like smoking does.

However, instead of using a lighter to heat and torch the plant material, this device heats up the plant material until the terpenes and cannabinoids are released in gas form.

Benefits of Dry Herb Vaporizers

Dry herb vaporizers offer many benefits, both health and preference-based.

The general preference advantages of vaping include portability, concealability, and efficiency¹.

The general health advantages of vaping include a lack of combustion and smoke, which can produce carcinogens².

We will explore the preference and health benefits in more detail below.

Personal Preferences

Using a dry herb vaporizer is more discrete than smoking, due to its lack of smoke and reduced smell.

This makes dry herb vaporizing a convenient option for many people, especially in public or on the go.

Using a vaporizer also allows you to control the heat settings and adjust the amount you are inhaling, giving you the ability to micro-dose easily.

This is perfect if you are new to cannabis and unsure of how it will make you feel.

A dry herb vaporizer will allow you to ease into the experience of inhaling cannabis.

You can also control whether you want to enjoy a THC-dominant or CBD-dominant cannabis to enjoy, based on your personal preferences.

Last but not least, connoisseurs prefer dry herb vaporizers because they feel it gives cannabis a cleaner, more appealing taste by preserving many of the terpenes.

Health Benefits

Smoke, regardless of its source, can be filled with carcinogens that are detrimental to your health ³.

While smoking a joint, pipe, or bong may be comfortable and enjoyable, combustion and inhalation are undesirable from a health standpoint.

Despite the health risks, many people still want the experience of smoking because of the quick onset of effects, typically 1-3 minutes.

While not without risk, vaporizers can serve as a lower-risk alternative to smoking.

As published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health, compared to smoking "cannabis vaporizer use can reduce the emission of carbon monoxide, chronic respiratory symptoms, and exposure to several toxins" ⁴.

A pilot study published in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics found that  "vaporization of cannabis is a safe and effective mode of delivery of THC" ⁵.

In addition to reducing your exposure to toxic chemicals, vaporizers reduce the likelihood of throat, lung, and mouth irritation from excessively high heat associated with smoking.

While more long-term clinical trials are needed, the Canadian Journal of Respiratory Therapy concludes that "vaporization of cannabis is likely less harmful than smoking" ⁵.

Disadvantages

Of course, dry herb vaping does not come without its own share of drawbacks. Disadvantages of using a dry herb vaporizer include:

How to Shop For Dry Herb Vaporizer

One of the major drawbacks of using a dry herb vaporizer is the expense. Top of the line vaporizers can cost several hundreds of dollars or more.

However, if you are a frequent cannabis consumer invested in your health and wellness, a high-quality vaporizer may be a worthwhile investment.

Purchasing a dry herb vaporizer is a personal experience that will take into account your preferences in style and use along with the budget.

Just be sure you are specifically purchasing a dry herb vaporizer as opposed to other vaporizers that use liquid and concentrated oils and extracts to vaporize.

Heating Method

There are two main heating methods a dry herb vaporizer can use: conduction and convection.

Conduction vaporizers heat the plant material directly through a heating chamber.

While conduction vaporizers may be a lower cost they also use up plant materials much quicker and may affect the taste of the plant.

Convection vaporizers heat your dried plant material through heat and steam.

They can prolong the life of your plant materials and are considered the premier vaporizers with regard to taste. Keep in mind convection vaporizers are often more expensive initially.

Vaporizer Design

An important part of the vaporizer is the mouthpiece used for inhaling the plant.

These mouthpieces come in a variety of sizes and different materials for your comfort and preferences. The devices are compact and come in a variety of styles.

The vaporizers are quick and simple to use oftentimes only requiring the touch of one button.

Most options are rechargeable for your convenience rather than requiring it to remain plugged in for use.

Convenience

Consider your needs and habits when deciding which option will be best fitted for your needs.

There are portable options for vaporizers which are rechargeable and small and desktop options which are larger in size and will require the vaporizer to be plugged in for use.

And don't forget, you can use your leftover plant material, "already vaped bud" to make edibles!