The joint is an iconic symbol of cannabis consumption and is the most widely used method of delivery worldwide. In fact, it’s not even close. But are joints really the best way to enjoy weed or is there a better way? Do vaporizers, for instance, produce a better buzz and are they better for your overall health?
Because marijuana is a natural product that does not contain the carcinogens and noxious chemicals added to cigarette tobacco it poses a much smaller risk to one’s health than smoking. Smaller, but not non-existent. You’re still breathing smoke into your lungs which, no matter how you spin it, is not an ideal situation.
Does vaping herb provide a way to avoid the (modest) risk posed by smoking joints? And are there other benefits vaping can provide over joints? That’s what the team at your friendly Denver vape shop is here to find out.
Vaporizers or Papers? A Deep Dive
To provide an answer to the vaping vs. smoking question, our Denver smoke shop team has looked at several different issues related to cannabis consumption to see how vaping compares to smoking joints.
Issue 1: Discretion
Okay, this is not about health, it’s about being able to go about your life without packs of anal retentive folks getting in your face and equating you to Hitler because you released a bit of smoke into the air.
Unfortunately, not everyone is as enlightened as those of us here at 710 Pipes, so anything that enhances your ability to enjoy your favorite cannabis discreetly is a good thing. Vaporizers do that.
Joints, on the other hand, are often mistaken for or equated with cigarettes, which is all-too-often a signal for the unhinged to spring into action. So in this case the edge definitely goes to vaping.
Issue 2: Lung health
Although it might represent some kind of iconic cultural experience, smoking a joint is still in some ways kind of a nasty thing. That’s especially true when you get down to the end of the joint and it’s burning your lips and you’re drawing hot, smoke-filled air directly into your lungs.
When you vape you have the option of setting the device to a low temperature which will keep that super-heated joint air out of your lungs. The cooler air is most definitely healthier for your lungs and will also help prevent you from developing a sore throat or dry mouth.
Does that mean that vaping is the same as taking a nice deep breath of crystal-clear spring air? No. Inhaling anything other than nice clean air is potentially problematic. But what we’re talking about here is risk reduction. And in that sense, vaping has it all over smoking weed in joint form.
Issue 3: Economics
Anyone who has bought quality weed in the past 50 years or so knows that it’s not cheap. Therefore, getting the most out of your purchase is a paramount concern. Burning cannabis inside a paper wrapping turns out to be a pretty inefficient process with more than 75% of the cannabinoids burned off before they ever get to you.
By comparison, it is estimated that during the vaping process only about 5% of cannabinoids are wasted. And of course the more potent the smoke the less you’ll have to use to achieve your preferred buzz level. So the choice is yours. Would you rather get 25% of what you paid for or search for a “vape shop near me”, pick up a vaporizer and get 95%?
Issue 4: Protecting your skin
People who smoke cigarettes for years develop what is known as “smoker’s face”. The combination of smoke and the chemicals in the tobacco that promote the production of free radicals undermines the health and elasticity of the skin. Because there are no chemicals in weed the effect is not as pronounced in pot smokers, but it’s still there.
If you are not happy with the prospect of your skin suffering to any degree, then try vaping instead of smoking joints. Vaping does not produce smoke and so your odds of avoiding smoker’s face over the long term are good.
Issue 5: Impact on your home
Most people around the vape shop are in agreement that cannabis has a very agreeable scent. They’re also in agreement that if you smoke too much around the house the drapes, the furniture, the carpet and everything else will pick up a strong, vaguely musky odor.
That might be fine if the only people who pass your front door are yourself and your stoner friends. But if you like to have friends, relatives and neighbors over who aren’t aficionados of the weed you’ll get plenty of turned-up noses when they enter. And if you rent your home or apartment you can be sure the landlord will not be amused by the smell permeating his property.
Vaporizers are a great way to avoid this particular problem. Just keep the temperature down on the device and you won’t be producing vapors in sufficient quantities to get into all the various fabrics.
The Bottom Line
Joints have the historical and cultural cache that pretty much ensures they’re not going away any time soon. But there is little doubt that vaporizers provide a healthier, more economical, more discreet alternative to burning cannabis. Drop by our vape shop on Evans Avenue in Denver or 104th in Northglenn and check out our complete line of vaping devices.