As a decade long cannabis user, I couldn’t imagine cutting smoking out of my cannabis routine, I love my little ritual. I prefer the plant in the its purest form- sticky, aromatic, gorgeous green buds. I dislike concentrates (oil pens are not for me) and edibles? Fuggheddaboudit! I don’t like to wait for my high and I also don’t really love the way they make me feel.
Kicking back by the fire and smoking a joint with my friends or taking a bong hit after a long day at work is the best; but as a daily consumer who strives for a healthy lifestyle it was time to rethink my delivery method.
I started doing my research and made the investment in a dry leaf vaporizer. I say investment because these devices are not cheap when compared to my $20 glass pipe or $5 pack of rolling papers. There are many options out there and they vary in technology and instructions, a quick google search will help you determine the best style for your price range and needs.
Here are 5 reasons you should switch to vaping today!
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Smoking IS bad for you.
DUH! In this day and age we all know the risks associated with smoking. In fact in the United States, cigarette smoking has declined 10% since 1997. So many of us say no to cigarettes because of the health and risk factors associated with them and although there has been no evidence of cannabis causing lung cancer, research does show that it can still harm the lungs. Chronic cough, phlegm production and even acute bronchitis are all potential side effects of long-term marijuana consumption by smoking. You will notice after your first few weeks with a vaporizer that you simply feel better. No shortness of breath, coughing or burning lungs will ultimately help you feel healthier.
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It’s more efficient.
Dry leaf vaporizing is a method in which you can use a temperature controlled device to heat the cannabis up without combustion (smoking). The result is a light, clean and flavorful vapor. Cannabis vapor contains 95% cannabinoids versus cannabis smoke which contains less than 15% cannabinoids. So not only are you increasing the plant’s bioavailability (the portion of the plant entering your system), you’re also saving money because you’re using less plant material to achieve your buzz.
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Discretion.
Smoking is NOT low key. It smells, it burns, it’s obvious. It’s not a friendly method of consumption when you’re on the go. The stress and mess can also trigger paranoia and ruin your buzz. Because there is no combustion with vaporization, you don’t have to worry about airing out after you imbibe. In fact, when I use mine, the only time I can actually smell weed is as the oven is heating up to temperature.
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You can actually taste your weed.
Growers put A LOT of effort into making sure their product is of hight quality and vaping helps preserve the integrity of that hard work. Vaping allows you to actually taste the different notes and flavors of whichever strain you’re imbibing with. Flavor profiles can range from bright, citrus notes to rich musky, earthy flavors. Thanks to recent studies we now know that terpenes actually determine the effect that marijuana has on us, this knowledge helps to promote more mindful consumption habits.
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Mindful Consumption.
Gone are the days of just getting whatever “your guy” had. Legal cannabis allows us the opportunity to try a wide variety of strains to help achieve desired effects. Vaporizing is an amazing tool to help hone in on those flavors and effects using different strains and temperatures to customize your high. Focus in the morning, energy in the afternoon and sleep in the evening. Vaporizing helps you integrate cannabis into your every day routine without getting “too stoned” or feeling red-eyed and cloudy after smoking.
As the market matures, we’ll see more studies and more technology around the benefits of vaporizing. Making the switch from smoking to vaping has definitely been worth it to me.
A few things I do to help me stay away from my pipe during the week are plugging in my vaporizer at night when I charge my phone – if you keep it from running out of battery, that will help you from reverting back to smoking. I also bought a cute, smell-proof AnnaBís bag (pictured below) to keep all of my canna-goodies so I can carry it with me while I’m on the go.
Also, if you haven’t already, make sure to invest in a grinder. Grinding up your herb is crucial when using a dry-leaf vaporizer. Grinding up your bud will help expose the surface area of the flower and increase the surface area, resulting in a smoother more even hit.
While I still choose to smoke when the mood strikes, vaporizing daily instead of smoking has ultimately left me feeling healthier and more in control of my high.
Nutty Co. 