There are more and more ways to consume cannabis, and with the appearance of cannabis concentrates and extracts, other methods of consumption have gained much popularity, such as the marijuana or cannabis vaporizer.
But since all of us, or almost all of us, are used to or have consumed cannabis by smoking it, let’s look at how these two ways of consuming cannabis differ.
Vaping or smoking?
With varying opinions on which is "healthier", vaping or smoking, the main difference between them is the combustion process that occurs when the herb is lit.
With a vaporizer, cannabis is heated to a much lower temperature, which means your throat and lungs suffer less. On top of that, when smoking cannabis it’s very common to add tobacco, which can affect us even more.
Beyond this, there are also several differences between the vaporizers themselves. And we're not just talking about brands or models, but rather a chemical process that differentiates marijuana vaporizers.
Types of vaporizers
To understand how a vapo works, we must begin by understanding that there are three different ways in which heat travels, "conduction", "convection" and "radiation".
In conduction, heat transfer occurs when one body or object is in contact with another.
Convection, on the other hand, is produced by the movement of gases or liquids at different temperatures.
Finally, radiation is a transfer of heat without the bodies being in contact, through electromagnetic waves.
An example that illustrates this would be that of a pot of boiling water: the fire heats the pot (radiation), the metal of the pot heats the water (conduction) and the hot water rises due to the effect of the heat (convection).
In the case of vaporizers, we can find them by conduction or convection.
Conduction vaporizers
As the name implies, they heat the herb by placing it in direct contact with the heating element. Due to the high temperatures they reach, they are usually characterized by a thick, dense vapor, full of flavor.
They were the first vaporizers to appear and are usually less expensive than convection models.
Some examples of conduction vaporizers are the PAX 3 or the Puffco Proxy.
Convection steamers
In this case, what heats the marijuana bud or extract is the hot air produced by the vaporizer. Going back to the cooking analogy, if we wanted to eat broccoli, cooking it in a hot pan would be the conduction method and steaming it would be the convection method.
These vapes are characterized by a smooth, even vapor, which is even less throat irritating than its conduction-based siblings, but may not be dense enough for some veteran vapers.
They are also usually easier to clean since they do not have the herb or extract in direct contact with the heating element. One downside to mention is that they tend to be more expensive.
Examples of convection vaporizers are the G PEN ELITE or the PLENTY.
Conclusion
Whether for discretion, or because you prefer the smoothness and temperature of the vapor to that of smoke, or because you don't need to know how to roll, the reality is that vaporizers are becoming more and more popular and this is reflected in the growing variety of brands and models that we find.
If you’re in Barcelona and want to try a convection or conduction vaporizer but don’t have one, don’t worry. At our cannabis association, BCN Kush, or any other one near you, you’ll be able to do so without any problem. We look forward to seeing you!
You may also be interested in
- How Do You Use a Bong?
- Smoking Marijuana for the First Time: We Explain What to Expect
- Smoking Marijuana at Night: Best Strains and their Benefits
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