7 Reasons To Vaporize Weed Instead Of Smoking It

Though I've been a fan of marijuana since 2006, I jumped on the vaporizing weed bandwagon in 2015. I'm not really sure what took me so long; I was just so used to smoking weed that I didn't really consider investing in a vape. But now that I have, I'm never going back. The benefits of vaping instead of smoking cigarettes are well documented, and while smoking weed is not nearly as dangerous a vice, there are also several reasons why even the most occasional stoner should consider making the switch from smoking weed to vaping it.

Not only is it better for your health, but vaping weed instead of smoking it can really up your public consumption game. Discreet in smell and appearance, but strong in taste and effect, some vaporizers can even allow you to blaze unbeknownst to anyone else so you don't have to that girl (though, TBT, sometimes I do love being that girl). And while buying a high-quality vape might be a slight initial investment, making the switch — especially if you've been rolling joints — will save you mucho dinero in the long run.

So if you live in a state where smoking marijuana is legal and you are above the age of 21, here are a few reasons why you should consider making the switch from smoking to vaping.

1. It May Be Better For Your Lungs

While many pro-marijuana advocates site the study that says smoking marijuana has not been proven to cause lung cancer (and might even actually help prevent it) it's true that smoking anything is not great for your health.e

As Truth on Pot explains, "the combustion of marijuana still produces several known carcinogens and tar, which can irritate the lungs and lead to chronic bronchitis. Vaporizers were mainly designed to overcome this issue. By heating marijuana at a lower temperature than combustion, the devices produce an inhalable vapor that still contains the active medical ingredients in marijuana (cannabinoids), but without the harmful by-products.

Vaporizing cannabis is said to remove approximately 95 percent of the smoke that is inhaled. What’s more, vaporizing has been suggested to increase the yield of anti-inflammatory terpenoids that protect the lungs from irritation." Right then.

2. It's Discreet

While some portable vapes do still emit a noticeable vapor and smell, in general, vape pens are much more discreet than smoking a joint or a one-hitter in public. The smell of weed is still there, but it makes much less of a fuss or cloud, which I personally prefer.

4. You'll Taste The Flavor Notes More

I've noticed that using a vape means I can really taste the "flavor notes" of marijuana more. Likely because I'm not burning the weed to a crisp, it just tastes that much cleaner, clearer, and yummier.

5. It's More Cost-Effective

Like I said before, while some vapes are an initial investment, (though others can run you as little as $40), vaping saves you money in the longterm, because you need to burn less of it to get just as high.

Again, as Truth On Pot explains, "a collaborative study conducted by California NORML and MAPS found that vaporizers could convert 46 percent of available THC into vapor, whereas the average marijuana joint converted less than 25 percent of THC. Likewise, patients ranked vaporizers as the most efficient method of marijuana intake — requiring a lower dose than smoking, edibles, and tea — in a recent study published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs."

If you're looking to save even more money, Mary Jane: The Complete Marijuana Handbook For Women mentions that you can even use your leftovers (or "the duff," as it's hilariously called) to cook some edibles. You'll need about twice as much of the duff to make the recipe as strong, and it won't be quite as tasty — but hey, leave no trace, right?