You’re not the only one whose curiosity is held in vaping vs smoking weed. Many connoisseurs and novice consumers are completely interested in this debatable topic. So you’re not alone in checking this article. But some traditional tokers remain with a bong rip, a bowl, and of course, a joint. 

When comparing vaping and smoking weed, you may think about the benefits, safety, cons, cost, quality, and the high that each of them can give. It would help you decide which one to choose if you’re torn between the two of them. 

Factors to Look at Vaping vs Smoking Weed

1. Effects on the Lungs

Many coughed and even gave off some phlegm on their very first smoke as the lungs are disturbed. You may notice that it is a bit harsher when you experience having weed with a vape. 

Do you want to know the reasons behind it? The main and obvious thing is you burn the flowers, and there’s combustion when you smoke weed. But vaping is a different process. 

2. The Cost

There’s no much difference between smoking and vaping. The money that you spend would likely be based on the way you partake. If you choose to smoke, a gram of buds would be done after ten hits or three bowls. Smoking this amount daily would make you spend around $49 to $70.

A gram of cartridge filled with THC costs from $40 to $70. Some say that it is cheaper as you can control a vape than the flame that comes out of the lighter. Dosing can be done your way. You can also stretch the use of a single gram as vaporized THC is more potent when it’s in the smoked weed. A gram of cartridge may last over a week when you use it wisely as a medicine. But it won’t happen if you are constantly hitting your vape. 

You know your own consumption so you can figure out yourself on the money you have to spend on weed consumption. 

3. How It Gets You High

A study at John Hopkins came up with the result that vaping weed delivers more intense high than smoking the plant. It happens even though the same dose is consumed. When vaping weed, you should be aware of your dosage, especially if you are a first-timer. 

All participants experienced paranoia, a pounding heart rate, a boost of appetite, and dry, bloodshot eyes. But the ones who vaped have higher THC blood concentration and impairment on cognition and psychomotor parts. It has subjective effects despite taking the same dosage.

Vaping vs Smoking: Pros and Cons

Vaping

You will be able to identify the distinct taste of a certain weed when you vape it. There are other advantages like being discreet and convenient, which will be expanded in the following part.

Pros

1. Pronounced Flavor

You will get a more pronounced flavor when vaping weed compared to smoking it. The latter will tend to obliterate the terpene profile of a strain. Whereas, vaping will give you a taste of every cannabinoid and terpene. You have to bear in mind that the taste will start to vanish at the end of the session.

2. Discretion

What makes vaping a discreet way of consuming weed is that it doesn’t release much odor. It will be further minimized at low temperatures. It doesn’t strongly smell like smoking, so you can be high even you’re in an unsafe zone.

3. No Need for Lighter or Match

You will not be found groping for a lighter or match as it doesn’t require external heat.

4. You Have Control Over the Temperature

You can find heat settings on a vaporizer for you to control the temperature in the entire session. Patience is needed to come up with the right temperature as there’s a need for trial and error. You can experience various effects from mellow to an uplifting and euphoric high. 

5. Its Efficiency

Vaporizing weed is an effective process of extracting cannabinoids from the flowers as it is done slowly. You can gain multiple sessions in just one pack. 

6. The Safety that it Promises

The latest study shows that it’s a safer method as it doesn’t cling with an open flame. 

Cons

There’s a lot of preparations done when you vape weed like learning how to use the device and cleaning it. You have to see to it that it’s plugged or charged with desktop units. There’s more explanation about them as follows:

1. The Need for a Grinder

Vaporizers won’t work well without a grinder to attain a fine result. A grinder is an essential thing that you should have as most vaporizers work by conduction heating. Grinding widens the surface area, and it assures you of the efficient extraction of cannabinoids and terpenes. So you can’t let a grinder pass your way.

2. The Call for Plugging or Charging

You won’t be needing any source of external heat. But you won’t be able to use it when you fail to charge. But the good news is that once you fully charge it, it would last for several sessions.

3. General Maintenance

When you smoke weed, you just puff it without the need for maintenance, unlike what a vaporizer needs. You have to keep it clean and in shape to maintain its good performance. Treat it like glassware and clean it every after few sessions.

4. The Learning Period

The learning period of vaping weed includes a lot of things like obtaining the right grind and pack, setting adjustment, and the proper way of inhaling from the device.

5. A Whole New Different Experience

You can get a clean high from it, but it can seriously make you feel faded. However, you can opt to smoke grams per gram.

6. Not on the Cheap Side

A solid piece of a vaporizer is not cheap. You may find decent and cheap pieces, but it would still cost you around $100. But one can last long so the price will give you its worth.

Smoking Weed

Some consumers still prefer it the old school way as they love rolling papers. It may seem their addiction, not just with consumption. 

Pros

1. Immediate Release of the Effects

Once you puff, the heat of the smoke will have an immediate release of all cannabinoids so you can have the intense effects.

2. No Investment

It doesn’t ask you to invest in something costly unless you decide to get a huge, fancy piece of glass. It won’t make you give off a lot of money when buying a rolling paper.

3. It’s a Sort of Ritual

Smoking weed is like a ritual, so it’s hard to break the routine for some. It has the same processes, such as rolling, packing, and smoking.

4. There’s no Need to Learn Stuff

It’s simple, and you can do it naturally without any practice. Just light a joint or a bowl, then, later on, you can easily figure out the session has ended. On the other hand, vaping properly would require knowledge and experience to handle some things like temperature.

5. Low Maintenance

You may need to clean your bowl or pipe, but it’s not as demanding as the vaporizer. Therefore, it is low maintenance.

Cons

You have to know the health risks of smoking weed even though it’s not tobacco. You have to put a lot of effort into dealing with its odor and effects.

1. The Risk Brought by Combustion

You may have heard that weed is safer than tobacco. But you shouldn’t be too comfortable smoking it as it is a misconception. The presence of combustion produces carcinogens, tar, and other harmful by-products. The harm of secondhand smoking can’t be avoided as well.

2. Strong Odor

The odor that smoking weed releases can be detected from afar, and it even lingers. When vaping weed, it doesn’t expel burning smell as it dissipates fast.

3. Less Control

You don’t have precise control over the effect. It is only limited to making a tight joint or taking a small puff. You have an overall control when you consume weed by vaping.

4. Efficiency Isn’t Dependable

When smoking a joint or bowl, you may surprise at one point that all the weed is gone. Some may be dissatisfied with their stash. But vaping will cook it up at a slow pace so you will be able to extract every bit of THC.

5. The Flavor is Not Distinct

You find it hard to discern the flavor of the strain that you smoke. Experienced ones can figure it out well, but beginners still need to learn more. High temperature depletes the unique smell and terpene of weed.

Sum it Up

Choosing which is better between vaping vs smoking weed is subjective. Medical marijuana users may opt and invest in a vaporizer. But some can just blaze weed by smoking it for recreation. If you are open to a new experience, you can leave the old school way and try vaping. Since you know the pros and cons of both methods, you can properly proceed to consumption the way you want it.