What are the cons of vaping dry marijuana?

Years ago, smoking marijuana was the only way to inhale the THC from the herb. This changed with the invention of the vaporizers, where a whole new process of ingesting the drug became available. Soon the debate was on, as to which was the healthier choice. 

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There are certainly two camps on which is the best method of inhaling THC (the stuff that makes you high) from dry marijuana.

The choice of one or the other could be nostalgia, as vaporizers are a more modern development.

We will break down each of the pros and cons of vaping dry marijuana to help others choose for themselves, which is the better method. We will also look into the best way to maintain a vaporizer. 

Note: In this article, we will be referencing vapes that use dry marijuana and not cannabis-derived oils.

What Are the Cons of Vaping Dry Marijuana? 

As we compare the pros and cons of vaping dry marijuana, we will start with the cons, or give me the bad news first, as they say. Not everyone will find these cons of great concern.

It depends on where you are at in your level of imbibing in marijuana. Still, to others, these cons and the later pros may be the decision-makers for them.

• The initial cost of vaping dry marijuana is higher due to the cost of a good vaporizer. Sure, there are knockoffs that pretend work fine, but a vaporizer that does the job right, can cost $200 and up.
  
  That’s pretty expensive when considering rolling papers are $1 a pack and $2 for a three-pack. The good news is, as we will see later, some of this cost can be recuperated.

• There are batteries to change. This may not sound like a deal-breaker, but imagine you are on a camping trip miles away from civilization, and your vape batteries go out. Hopeful you packed some extras, but if not, this would certainly be a con. 

• Another con is that you must keep our vaporizer clean for it to operate properly. It is recommended that you clean your dry marijuana vaporizer at least once a week and preferably after each use.
  
  Anything less and this expensive piece of equipment could stop working altogether. As residue builds up in the system, it can cause the heating element to overwork and fail. 

• The last con of the vaporizer is that long-term health risks are not known. Although we know what actual smoking issues are for dry marijuana, vaporizing dry marijuana just hasn’t been around long enough to gather good data.
  
  Similar systems such as vape pens that use oils are showing risks due to chemical reactions, but the dry marijuana vape will take a few more years before the evidence shows itself. 

What Are the Pros of Vaping Dry Marijuana? 

Now that we have covered the bad news, we can dig into the benefits of vaping dry marijuana. 

• Using a vaporizer is more discrete than smoking. Nothing says, “Hey, I am smoking weed,” like pulling out a lighter and firing up a joint while walking down the street.
  
  By using a vaporizer for your dry marijuana, you can be a little more discrete when in public. 

Although not completely odorless, a vaporizer smells far less pungent than marijuana smoked through a pipe or in rolled joint form.

The lack of smell plus the fact that people are used to seeing vaporizers in public, make vaping a bit less conspicuous. Besides, who wants to have to carry around a lighter and rolling paper all day? 

• Outside of using a vaporizer, all other ways of dry smoking marijuana cause the bud and leaves to burn and release smoke. This is where the risk of not using a vaporizer comes in.
  
  That smoke is filled with most of the harmful ingredients that a tobacco cigarette has other than nicotine. Of course, we all know the trouble with all of these chemicals. 

Using a vaporizer to smoke dry marijuana, on the other hand, does not require the same plant material to burn to release the THC from marijuana.

The vaporizer uses the heat of an element to raise the temperature enough to release the THC but keep it low enough not to ignite the material.

The benefit is that you get the substance that creates the high, without the nasty chemicals that come with burning.

• Another pro for using a vaporizer with dry marijuana is that the bud’s burning does not overshadow the flavor of the different strains.
  
  Some connoisseurs of marijuana find this to be just as pleasant as a wine or coffee aficionado who likes the characteristics of various brands and vintages.
  
  If you appreciate the flavor of different strains of marijuana, a vape may be the way to go. 

• The last and maybe the most important pro of using a vape with dry marijuana is that the bud will last much longer than burning it in a pipe, joint, or bong.
  
  These savings may make up for the cost of the vaporizer, as discussed above. Anyone who is considered a regular smoker will tell you the cost of weed replacement can become expensive. For this reason, many are turning to the vapes as a form of cost savings. 

How do I Clean a Vaporizer? 

The longer you go without the cleaning your vaporizer, the more chance you are taking on not only its failure but on how it affects your experience. Without proper cleaning, the flavor, and ability to create the wanted high will be affected. 

Here are steps to adequately clean a vaporizer to keep it and your experience in top condition. 

Daily Cleaning

1. After each use, dump out any dry residue and use a hard-bristled brush or a pipe cleaner to clean out the chamber and screen for the dry marijuana. This will help keep residue from building up over time and make for an easier clean. 

2. Next, use rubbing alcohol (never water) and a cotton ball to wipe down the outside of the vaporizer along with the mesh filter screen and mouthpiece. The alcohol will remove any residue, but will almost immediately evaporate, which makes it safe to use, unlike water.

Weekly Cleaning

Once a week, completely disassemble your vaporizer and do a thorough cleaning. Start by taking out any removable parts and individually wipe them down with rubbing alcohol.

The screen filter may need to soak in a bowl or cup with rubbing alcohol to loosen any stubborn residue. 

Conclusion

Wrapping up, we have looked at both the pros and cons of using a vape for dry marijuana.

Although there does appear to be some negatives to vaping, there are certainly some benefits that may outweigh the old smoking method.

The jury is still out on whether the vape is safer than actual smoking, although we know you will not receive most of the harmful chemicals as you would from firing up a joint. 

Keeping your vape clean will ensure that it not only works properly for years, but you will get the best flavors and efficiency out of it. Just don’t forget those extra batteries or a charger if you go camping.