What are We Talking about When We Talk about CBD Vape Pens?

In the last year or so, it kinda feels like vape pens and vape kits have colonized the world and like everything that goes mainstream fast, we are found flooded with various data on the subject not knowing what to believe. It is so much healthier than cigarette smoking vs. it is not healthier at all, or it’s the best way to take CBD vs. it is not the best, this is more affordable, that is more affordable. So, your mind feels full of all of this information and all of these products that you just feel lost. Here we will try to clarify some points on vaping, CBD vape pen and CBD vape kits ( what’s the difference?!) and give some practical advice for beginners.

What is vaping and how is it different from smoking?

This question is not only for the lost souls on this site but also for beginners in the vaping world as well as experienced vapers who are not sure how vaping is different from smoking.

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which is produced by an e-cigarette, vape pen or a similar device. The aerosol is actually a suspension of fine particles or liquid droplets in the air. Whereas in smoking, tobacco or another substance is burned to produce smoke, in vaping devices, the oil or some other liquid is only heated enough to produce an aerosol (a similar process of heating water to become vapor).

You might ask if there is a big difference in the smoke and the aerosol produced, healthwise, and I can say that there is. In the process of smoking regular cigarettes, over 7000 toxic substances get to your lungs. It is not known how many are created while vaping but it is safe to say much less than 7000. Some reports say that it is 95% less detrimental to your health than smoking. Also, when burning any substance, PAH’s (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are produces which are very potent carcinogens. In vaping, there is no burning and therefore no PAH’s which is a big relief on your body by itself.

However, that does not mean vaping is completely safe for you (95% is not 100%). It is not yet known what kind of chemicals get created while heating CBD oil and therefore the total effects that vaping makes on your health are also unknown. The reason why it is so shady when it comes to vaping is that the production of vaping liquids is not regulated or controlled. “There are no regulations, there’s no one telling companies what to do,” says Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the trade group US Hemp Roundtable. This basically means that companies providing vape liquids and oils can put in them whatever they want. They can dilute it, change its flavor, composition and health effects and no one can tell them that they are not doing it right since there are no laws telling which standards should be respected. That’s why it is important to look for CBD oil producers that offer lab test results for you to see that it is safe and of good quality.

Should I or should I not use vape pens for taking CBD?

The safest way to take CBD is either by taking pure CBD oil directly or in some form of food. Vaping is not the safest simply because you are taking it through your lungs, which are made for taking air only. So anything else than air is not optimal. There is some research that claims that vaping produces serious lung damage, but that is mostly due to the quality and purity of the liquid vaped, so be careful what you vape. On the other hand, vaping is the fastest way to get CBD in your blood so if the speed of onset of CBD effect is important to your situation you might consider vaping. Also, vaping is much safer than smoking and with people trying to quit smoking vaping could prove to be a much better alternative.

What to consider when buying a CBD vape pen?

You thought about it, waged the pros and cons and decided that vaping is for you. Now, you need to choose the best vape starter kit. But, there are so many of them, so many new terms. Besides pens, you hear of “kits”, “mods”, “tanks”, “squonks” and what not and you find yourself lost. It’s not that complicated as it sounds. Or maybe it is but I am here to make it simple for you. Whether we are talking about an e-cigarette, vape pen or a mod, they all come with three basic components: a battery (mostly rechargeable), a coil or atomizer (this part by using the energy of a battery transforms the oil into an aerosol which you “vape”) and a tank. Vapes with larger tanks call themselves tanks or mods and those with learner tanks are referred to as pens.

Since it is not yet known what kind of effect vaping has on your health you should equip yourself with quality gear and quality oil. This does not always mean the most expensive though. But it does mean that the material the tank and the atomizer are made of are of high quality and not of potentially toxic material. Also, when choosing your oil, please, buy only the lab-tested products.

Many of the providers of vaping equipment offer starter kits for beginners in which you get the vape and the oil also. The good thing about starter kits is that they can optimize their oil to their device and simplify the process for you in the beginning. Later, you will learn all about temperature regulation, different types of tanks and atomizers, wattage, power and why all of this might be important for you. In the beginning, the most important thing is to have a reliable and safe device, and lab-tested, safe oil.

Which vape starting kit should I buy?

The market is big and vapes come at various sizes and prices. Do a little research, have in mind the things I pointed out and I’m sure you will soon find the best vape kit for you.

Here I will present a couple of suggestions for you to consider and see what is important when buying a new vape kit.

Look for something simple but all-inclusive, as if containing a vaping device with a rechargeable battery, a charger, and CBD vape oil cartridge. Make sure that the oil is pure CBD oil and that it is lab tested. And don’t be lazy to look beyond the big providers (Colorado has many small farmers that produce pure organic CBD oil which is lab tested) and do your research.

You can find sets that have replaceable cartridges or sets with refillable pods. Both are great, but the pods are usually bigger in volume and refillable with different kinds of oils. Another thing that is very popular is different heating temperatures. This might be fun to experiment with but bear in mind that CBD oil is intended for heating at lower temperatures so you probably won’t be using the higher levels of heating at all (unless you want your oil to burn and produce carcinogens).

I believe I have provided you with the necessary basic information for you to get started. Don’t be lazy to do your research and don’t forget that the most important part is the quality and purity of the oil. Enjoy and stay safe!