VAPING – The action of inhaling and exhaling vapour containing CBD through the mouth, usually from a battery-operated device that heats up and vaporises a liquid or solid.
SUBLINGUAL – From the Latin word for “under the tongue”, refers to the pharmacological route of administration by which substances diffuse into the blood through tissues under the tongue.
There are many ways to benefit from the effects of CBD. Some people take CBD oil as tinctures, others like to pop capsules or edibles. There are also those who prefer dabbing CBD concentrates. Although each method has its own benefits — nothing compares to the efficacy offered by vaping CBD oil.
NOT ALL CBD OILS CAN BE VAPED
You can’t just pour your regular CBD oil into a vape pen and expect it to bring you relief — it doesn’t work that way.
Most likely, you will destroy the vaporizer in the process and waste your precious oils. Vaping CBD calls for using a special type of CBD oil, also known as CBD E-liquid. Before we elaborate on which CBD oil you can vape and which not, let’s investigate the many benefits of vaping cannabidiol.
PROS OF VAPING CBD OIL
1. Vaping CBD Has Higher Bioavailability
Bioavailability refers to the amount of CBD that enters one’s bloodstream after consumption. The higher the bioavailability, the more cannabidiol you deliver to your system. For example, the bioavailability of oral CBD, such as capsules and edibles is roughly 4% to 20%. This means that in the best-case scenario, only 1/5 of the active substance will reach the bloodstream. The bioavailability of sublingual products (oil drops, tinctures) turns out slightly better, varying between 25% – 35% . Vaping CBD oil is the most efficient consumption method as it ensures that up to 56% of the cannabinoid content will enter your bloodstream. Therefore, you need far less CBD to feel relieved when you vape CBD oil instead of using drops or ingesting a CBD-infused snack.
2. Vaping is More Convenient
Most vaporizers on the market are easily concealable, some units are small enough to fit inside a pocket. Given the above, vaping CBD oil is one of the most convenient ways to take cannabidiol. All you need to do is load your vape pen, select the desired temperature, heat the oil up, and inhale the CBD-rich vapor to your lungs.
3. Vaping Gives You Precise Control Over the Dosage
CBD vape oil is generally marked with the total amount of CBD per bottle. A typical vape tank can hold 1 mL of oil. If you want to calculate how much CBD is in a single serving of your vape, you’ll need to know the amount of cannabidiol per each mL of the liquid. For example, if you have a 30 mL bottle containing 1000 mg of CBD, each mL should contain around 33.3 mg of CBD. If your recommended dose of CBD is 25 mg daily, you’ll need less than one full charge to get the effects, so there will be some CBD oil left in your cartridge the following day.
4. Short Onset of Effects
When you eat a CBD edible, you’ll have to wait for anywhere between 30–90 minutes until you can feel the effects. While CBD lasts longer when consumed this way, you may not be satisfied if you’re aiming for instant relief. That’s because oral CBD must pass through the digestive tract before moving into the bloodstream. Tinctures are absorbed faster because they reach the bloodstream via the capillaries gland in your mouth, which reduces the onset time to around 15–20 minutes after ingestion. But to be honest, nothing can beat the speed of the vaporized CBD. When vaped, CBD gets diffused directly into the bloodstream through the lungs. This allows the user to avoid the so-called “first-pass effect” so they can feel the effects of CBD almost instantly.
5. Enjoyable Form of Consumption
With all the extra flavors you can infuse into your CBD vape oil, vaping is considered by many to be more enjoyable than other forms of consumption. When you vape CBD oil, not only can you enjoy different aromas and flavours, you can also puff much denser clouds of vapor than if you vaped CBD flowers or concentrates. Given the above qualities, vaporization is more attractive for younger users. With the increasing popularity of CBD oil, teens and young adolescents may begin to turn to a safer alternative to the addictive E-cigarettes containing nicotine.
CONS (POTENTIAL RISKS) OF VAPING CBD OIL
A small number of CBD users can be allergic to some of the compounds used in vapes. There is also some evidence to suggest that products designed for vaping can be contaminated with heavy metals.
1. Heavy Metal Contamination: Is Vaping CBD Bad for Your Lungs?
Vape pens come with heating elements that are typically made of stainless steel, nickel-chromium alloy, or pure nickel wire. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health expressed a small concern about the exposure to these elements when they get heated: “Overall exposure to metals from electronic cigarette use is not expected to be of significant health concern for smokers switching to electronic cigarette use, but is an unnecessary source of exposure for never-smokers.” Simply put, the aforementioned materials can release metal nanoparticles that you wouldn’t otherwise deliver into your system. Given this, it’s paramount to research what materials have been used in your vaporizer or vape tank to confirm your dream device isn’t made from inferior materials. Choosing a unit made of borosilicate glass or stainless steel, preferably with a titanium heating coil or quartz wick should eliminate the risk of inhaling heavy metals with the vapor.
2. Allergy to Certain Ingredients in CBD Vape Oil
Some CBD users report headaches, nausea, and sinus irritation when vaping CBD oil. This is most likely caused by an adverse reaction to propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin — the two main ingredients besides CBD oil. Most severe symptoms of allergies include swelling, break out in hives, skin irritation, and difficulties breathing. Fortunately, both these allergens are so common in our lives that it would be difficult not to tell if you’re allergic to one of them before trying to take CBD vape oil.
3. Unknown Long-term Adverse Effects of Vaping CBD Oil
Short-term and mid-term studies on the health impact of vaping have found no significant dangers to users, but we still don’t know if the long-term use of vapes is completely risk-free. Sometimes, this argument is enough to persuade people to ditch vaping in favor of other CBD formats, such as tinctures or edibles.
4. Vaping CBD Oil
CBD oil comes under many names. If you’re willing to investigate how vaped CBD feels, make sure that you use a vape-compatible CBD liquid. There is definitely a difference between CBD oil for swallowing and CBD oil for vaping.
PROS OF SUBLINGUAL CBD INGESTION
CBD Oils
The term CBD oil refers to an ingestible form of cannabidiol that should be used sublingually (under the tongue) or added to a meal. They’re made with carrier oils like olive oil, MCT oil, coconut oil, or hemp seed oil. Cannabis sublinguals come in flavoured, dissolvable strips, whilst others are in a spray form. Cannabis sublinguals are popular amongst cannabis users who prefer a discreet and portable method of consumption. This form is popular among people who prefer not to vape, but want a product that acts quickly.
CBD STRIPS & SPRAYS
Whether in strip form or spray, when consumed the CBD is absorbed by the oral mucosal membranes located directly under the tongue. Rather than waiting to get absorbed by the digestive system, these membranes provide a straight route to CBD to enter your circulatory system. CBD sublinguals dissolve within seconds and benefits can be felt immediately, because the travel time to the brain is fast. The sublingual absorption bypasses the conventional route of regular edibles by travelling through the stomach, liver, and lungs before reaching the bloodstream.
HOW TO USE CANNABIS SUBLINGUALS
The correct way to ingest CBD suglinguals is to place directly under your tongue and keep your mouth closed for about five minutes. This allows the dissolved material to be absorbed by your bloodstream and not be washed down into your digestive system. If you swallow it like a traditional medication, it will pass through the digestive system and will take more time before you feel its effect.
THE PROS…
· Good alternative for patients who do not want to swallow a pill or eat a sugary edible
· Effects are faster than oral administration
· Improved bioavailability since it does not pass through the digestive system
· Dissolves into the buccal cavity without liquid
· Discreet
· Alternative to smoking or vaporizing
THE CONS…
· May interfere with talking, eating, and drinking
· Can have an unpleasant or bitter taste
· Slower onset than vaporising
· Effects diminish faster than edibles
It really comes down to your personal preference around how you feel most comfortable taking your medicine as well as the desired onset period. Try each method and then decide for yourself as everyone has their own unique endocannabinoid system.
