Cannabidiol (CBD) is the hottest supplement around these days, and vaping is definitely one of the most popular ways to use it. Vaping is popular among CBD users because absorption through the lungs is the fastest way to get CBD into the system, spreading a feeling of relief and wellness almost immediately. Popular retailers like VSAVI carry pre-filled CBD vape pens and bottled CBD vape oil that you can add to your own refillable vaping device.
If you’re up on the latest health trends, though, there’s a good chance that you already know about CBD and understand what’s made it such a popular supplement. You may even understand why so many people are choosing to vape CBD rather than taking the more common oral CBD oils. What you may not know, though, is how CBD vaping actually works – and that’s what we’re going to explain in this article.
You’re about to learn about the technology behind CBD vaping.
Where Does CBD Come From?
The cannabis plant comes in two primary forms. The first form is commonly called marijuana. That’s the form of cannabis that’s illegal in many jurisdictions – except the ones that allow recreational or medical cannabis use – because it contains the psychoactive compound THC.
The second form of cannabis is called hemp. Hemp contains little to no THC. You won’t get high, in other words, if you smoke it. Hemp has a long history as one of the world’s most important cash crops, and it’s only become more important in recent years.
In the early history of hemp growing, the plant was primarily used for the strong fibers in its stem. The fibers would be woven and used for textiles and cordage. Today, hemp has a number of other important uses. We use the seeds as a rich source of healthy proteins and oils. We also use hemp plants to make building materials and biodiesel fuel.
Relatively recently, we discovered that while hemp isn’t rich in THC, it does contain a large quantity of another cannabinoid called CBD. You can extract the CBD from hemp by exposing the plant material to a solvent such as pressurized carbon dioxide. The process of extracting CBD from hemp is much the same as the method for capturing essential oils for perfume making. Researchers began to explore the potential uses of CBD, and they discovered that it appears to be a very useful compound indeed. The rest is history.
How Is CBD Vape Oil Made?
When you process hemp plant material with a CO2 extraction machine, the resulting oil is extremely thick, viscous and potent – both in CBD and in flavor. The oil requires further processing before it can become a finished consumer product. Some CBD product makers filter and refine the oil to improve its flavor. With thorough purification, it’s even possible to extract pure crystalline CBD from raw hemp oil.
To make oral CBD oil, a CBD product maker blends the raw hemp extract or crystalline CBD isolate with a carrier oil such as MCT oil. The carrier dilutes the CBD oil to the proper strength, ensuring consistency from one batch to the next. Oral CBD oil, however, isn’t appropriate for vaping because it’s far too thick to work with most vaping equipment.
To make CBD vape oil, the producer blends hemp extract or CBD isolate with propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. The vegetable glycerin makes the resulting CBD vape oil slightly sweet and gives the vapor a satisfying mouth feel. The propylene glycol thins the mixture, so it’ll work with standard vaping equipment. Some manufacturers also add terpenes or natural flavoring agents to their CBD vape oils.
How Does CBD Vaping Work?
To try CBD vaping, you need two things: a bottle of CBD vape oil and a vape pen with a refillable tank. If you’re not ready to invest in a full-fledged vape pen, you can also buy a disposable vape pen to get an idea of what CBD vaping is like. Disposable vape pens, however, are expensive to use over the long term. To keep your costs down, you should invest in a refillable vape pen as soon as possible.
Tip: You don’t need to invest in a high-end device from your local vape shop to have a great experience with CBD vaping; in fact, it’s best if you don’t. High-end vaping equipment produces enormous clouds, and to produce huge clouds, you need to use a lot of e-liquid. You don’t want to go through your expensive CBD vape oil too quickly; you’ll have the best experience with a vape pen that’s small, simple and inexpensive.
A standard vape pen consists of two components: the vape pen body and the tank. The battery is inside the body, and it supplies power to the vape pen. In most cases, you can recharge a vape pen through any USB port. The body of the vape pen also houses the pen’s control mechanism – usually a single fire button in the case of simple vape pens – and integrated circuit. The integrated circuit controls the vape pen’s power delivery and monitors for potential safety issues such as high temperatures and short circuits. The integrated circuit also prevents you from using the device when the battery’s voltage is dangerously low.
The next component of a vape pen is the tank. Most inexpensive vape pens include disposable tanks. After you’ve refilled the tank several times, you’ll need to replace it. You’ll notice decreased vapor production – or a change in flavor – when it’s nearly time to replace the tank. Inside the tank is a reservoir; that’s the area that will store your CBD vape oil. In the middle of the reservoir is an atomizer coil. The atomizer coil is a coil of resistance wire that becomes hot when electricity passes through it. A cotton or silica wick draws the CBD vape oil from the tank’s reservoir to the atomizer coil. When you press the vape pen’s fire button, the atomizer coil heats the vape oil until it turns to vapor. You’ll inhale the vapor and hold it in your lungs for several seconds before exhaling it. Within a few moments, you’ll feel the relief wash over you.
