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HARVEST
CARTRIDGES
A cartridge is a pre-filled container of cannabis oil or cannabis concentrate specifically designed to use with an e-cigarette, vape rig or pen. Cannabis cartridges - often referred to as "carts" - are available in many forms. For example, you can have a 510-threaded cartridge that twist onto a battery or you can have a pre-filled "pod" that magnetically snaps into place.
THC Cartridge vs. CBD Cartridge
Basically the differences between a THC oil cartridge and a CBD oil cartridge only lies in the difference between THC and CBD in general. Essentially, THC is a the cannabinoid known to create that "high" feeling whereas the cannabinoid CBD does not. A cartridge that contains a higher amount of CBD compared to THC may not have any psychoactive effects, but it offers strong medicinal benefits - depending on the type of cannabis present in the oil or concentrate.
HOW DO THEY WORK?
The cartridges - whether oil or concentrate - work in tandem with the vape pens batteries. The battery of the pen powers an a device called an atomizer in the cartridge. This device heats up the oil which not only activates the various chemical components in it but also turns the oil/concentrate into a smokable vapor. Some advanced vapes have multiple functions that allow the consumer to control the temperature and dose given.
BENEFITS OF A VAPE
Discretion
Portable vape pens slide easily into pockets, purses or backpacks. You avoid having to search and dig around for your lighter, flower, or a bowl. All you have to do is slip out the pen and hit the button. Even when you exhale smoke, it's odorless vapor that vanishes without clinging to your clothes like cigarette smoke.
Consistency
Dosing
The effects and potency of flower can diminish over time, especially if not stored correctly. Also, their can be a discrepancy within the same strain, from harvest to harvest. It's nearly impossible to constantly create the same exact plant because of how complex the plants creation of terpenes and cannabinoids are. Replicating batches of concentrates are much easier to do. Of course, depending on the flower used their can be discrepancies, but since concentrates have higher levels of cannabinoids and terpenes, it's less noticeable.
Controlling the amount of cannabis consumed is much easier to control using a vape. You can even get vape pens that allow the consumer to use cartridges that only have enough cannabis for one dose. These usually are refillable or come with multiple dose-controlled cartridges. Others can show you how much have consumed, so the consumer can choose their desired effect each time.
CON'S OF A VAPE
Faulty Electronics
With flower, all you need is a working lighter and dry cannabis flower. But if your vape pen isn’t working you can’t just ask a friend or passerby if they have a spare battery on them for you to borrow. Despite this, the good news is that vape pens seem to be pretty consistent and most dispensaries will replace the rare faulty cartridge.
Price
If you are only an occasional smoker, than vapes can be quite pricey. But if you are someone who smokes often and you discover that your preferred method of consuming cannabis is vaping, then it might be in your interest to invest in a high-quality tabletop vaporizer. Vape pens are slightly more affordable, but you’ll need to continuing buying replacement cartridges often and you'll need to replace the battery every few months.
Additives
Many vape cartridges out there contain propylene glycol (PG), polyethylene glycol (PEG) or other glycerin cutting agents. While there isn’t much research on the dangers of these additives yet, both of these can potentially be broken down into carcinogenic compounds like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde This can happen when they are heated above a certain temperature. Right now, researchers are thinking that the temperature of a vape pen’s heating coil is one of the most important, if not THE most important, factors in avoiding the potentially harmful risk of these agents being broken down into harmful compounds. The cheaper vape pens out there on the market tend to contain coils which heat the cartridge at a much higher temperature than necessary, which increases the health risks for the consumer. It is highly recommended that you source a high-quality vaping device from a reputable manufacturer rather than simply going for the cheapest one. Luckily, more and more manufactures are creating all-natural, additive-free catridges.
HOW LONG DO THEY LAST?
Of course, this entirely depends on the consumers rate of consumption. Naturally, you buy cartridges is measurements of grams or milligrams, the higher the grams the larger the cartridge, so it will last longer. For example, half a gram (0.5g or 500mg) is generally the "small" size and 1 gram (1g or 1000mg) is the "large" size.
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Some vape cartridges can be refillable, the consumer would refill the cartridge with fresh oil from a syringe. Using a syringe helps with accuracy when refilling. Non-refillable cartridges have to be disposed of and the consumer has to buy a new one every time.
HOW TO USE A VAPE
It’s quite simple: Attach the cartridge - whether twist-on or magnetic - to the battery and start puffing. If you're vape has On/Off button, use it.
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Just some quicks tips to remember while smoking an oil vape cartridge:
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If your vape has an On/Off button, chances are you turn it on by clicking 5 times consecutively. The same number turns it off.
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Make sure your cartridge is completely and correctly attached to its battery to avoid any oil leaking out.
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Keeping your vape upright also helps to avoid oil leakage.
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As always - start off slow with dosing, as it is very easy to overconsume with vapes.
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Keep an eye on the vapes temperature to make sure your cartridge isn’t burning too hot, which could alter some of the oil’s chemical components. Usually 3 clicks will adjust the temperature.