Edibles vs. Vaping: Why Consumption Method Matters

Cannabis consumption is no longer limited to just smoking. The stoner stereotype is fading fast and as the negative stigma that once surrounded cannabis dissipates, consumers new and old are being presented with new consumption options.

An increasing number of cannabis businesses are opening their doors nationwide and customers are feeling overwhelmed by the choice of products on offer, from THC-laced edibles to CBD-rich vape oils. The edibles market is growing, putting it on par with the vape market. Combined, these cannabis products are emerging as some of the most popular new consumption options for medical and recreational consumers.

If you want to get your daily dose of THC or CBD, you’d better enlighten yourself on the benefits of vaping and edibles. So, read on to get the scoop about why consumption method matters.

Cannabis Methods of Consumption May Produce Unique Effects

Ingestion and inhalation are two common methods of cannabis consumption for both medical and recreational cannabis consumers. Tolerance, reason(s) for use, age, gender, weight and your all-important genetics will influence how you feel when you vape or chow down on a batch of edibles. Since everybody’s biological structure and mindset is different, it’s important to understand how cannabis reacts with your body by means of vaping and edibles.  

Vaping Cannabis: What is vaping and will it suit my lifestyle/medical requirements?

Former cannabis smokers often turn to vaping as a way of restoring their health, all the while getting a delicious dose of potent THC or CBD-rich cannabis oil. Just like with smoking, the effects of vaping cannabis tend to kick in within 90 seconds. The ideal temperature for vaping cannabis oil is between 180-200 degrees Celsius.

Vape smoke will not have the same “smoke smell” stigma because you will be inhaling water vapor, not smoke. Compared to smoke, the vapor released from cannabis oil may be lower in toxins. Choose the right type of oil that retains its pure terpenoid profile and you can benefit from a tasty, pure and powerful vaping session.

Perhaps one of the major benefits of vaping cannabis oil is that you can use your vaping device on the move. There’s no need to worry about other people stigmatizing your habit/medication, since many vape devices emit an odorless vapor.

Cannabis Edibles: What are these products and how can they benefit me?

Cannabis edibles are basically an edible product (cookie, biscuit, beverage) that has been infused with naturally-occurring cannabinoids from the Cannabis Sativa plant or from the Hemp plant if it’s solely a CBD product.

Cannabis-infused drinks and foods are generally categorized as “edibles”, since they react with the body in the same way. Unlike with vaping, the onset of the effects of cannabis are not instant when you eat an edible. Instead, edibles tend to kick in approximately 60-90 minutes following ingestion. The effects can sometimes last for 4-12 hours, depending on the dosage.

Examples of common types of cannabis edibles include cookies, cakes, chocolates, hard candies, canna-oil, canna-butter and infused teas. Cannabis extracts, (when applied in tincture form for immediate absorption into the bloodstream,) may also be placed in the edibles category. Combining tinctures with your favorite recipes is a simple way of ensuring you receive your daily dose.

Avoid eating cannabis edibles on an empty stomach, as the effects may be more than you bargained for. Overconsumption risk can be higher with edibles, since 50% of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is metabolized by cells inside the liver. This, in turn, transforms the THC into 11-hydroxy-THC.

Combining Vaping and Edibles for a Synergistic Effect

Ever heard of something called the “Entourage Effect”? This is the scientific nickname given to a chemical, synergistic reaction that occurs when certain cannabinoids react with one another after consumption.

One study on “Potential Cannabis Synergy and Phytocannabinoid-terpenoid Entourage Effects” states how “phytocannabinoid-terpenoid synergy, if proven, increases the likelihood that an extensive pipeline of new therapeutic products is possible from this venerable plant.”

Merging different methods of cannabis consumption simultaneously (within your own personal limits), such as eating edibles and vaping afterwards, could result in long-lasting, synergistic dosage effects.