If you are or ever have been a smoker (cannabis or otherwise), odds are you’ve heard of vaping. Aside from being touted as a “healthy” alternative to cigarette smoking (although this is debatable), and an effective delivery system for cannabinoids from marijuana, many people aren’t always aware of its other uses.

The truth is that people can vaporize all kinds of mixtures, including flavored essential oils, waxes, and nicotine-free cartridges. But more importantly for this topic, you can also vape CBD oil. That’s right, the liquid version doesn’t just come in the form of oral drops.

A lot of people might prefer vaping for a variety of reasons, be they practical or pleasurable. For instance, you may want to use a vaporizer for your CBD oil because it feels more authentic. Maybe you’re a smoker looking to quit, but you still want to hang out with your friends in the smoking section at work or while out on the town. Or perhaps you’re not a fan of the taste or consistency of CBD oil drops.

Whatever your reason, vaping is certainly a solid option. But if you’re new to this (which we assume you are), obviously you’ll want to know what vaping the oil entails and, more importantly, how it will make you feel.

The CBD oil we write about the most comes from hemp plants — CBD hemp oil. Because of its non-intoxicating properties, you can purchase CBD hemp oil from a variety of retailers in all 50 states without a prescription.

What sets CBD vape oil apart from its oral alternative is the delivery method (which we’ll cover shortly). Typically, the oil comes in cartridges or in refill bottles (depending on the equipment) that are smoked through a vaporizer – it’s as simple as that.

Of course, retailers have taken full advantage of the vaping trend, which tries to make the experience as great-tasting as possible. To that end, there are all kinds of different CBD oil flavors that deliver the desired effect with an awesome flavor to boot. Fruit flavors are pretty popular, but there’s really no end to your choices, depending on where you shop – and there are plenty of options in that area too.

What is a Vaporizer?

Simply put, a vaporizer is a tool that allows the user to heat up the vape contents and convert them into vapor for inhaling. There’s more than one type of vaporizer out there. Some are for oil, while others are designed for smoking plant matter (cannabis and other dry herbs) or wax. There are even ones out there – although more expensive – that can actually work with all three.

But if you’re new to the vaping trend, then it’s best to start small.

Vape Pens

If you’re looking for something discreet, portable, and, of course, cheap, then vape pens are an ideal choice. These can range in price from as little as $30 U.S. and they still effectively deliver the CBD you need.

So how do they work? Despite their simple appearance, these little gadgets are fairly complex. They function by using several different components. Regardless of the vaporizer you choose (pen or otherwise), the formula is similar across the board.

First, we have the mouthpiece. This is pretty self-explanatory. That’s the part that you put in your mouth in order to inhale the vapor.

Next, there’s the tank. This could refer to a physical tank that you refill with liquid, or a slot for disposable, pre-filled cartridges. The tank area holds the liquid so that it can be heated up and smoked.

The third component is called the atomizer. No, it doesn’t destroy or modify atoms. It’s simply a small heater – similar to the convection electric elements on most stoves – that increases the temperature of the oil and turns it into vapor. Some vaporizers allow you to control the temperature, while the heat on basic ones (i.e. pens) can’t be adjusted.

For more information on vape pens, see our article: CBD Vape Pens: A Beginner’s Guide to Vaping Devices

At What Temperature Does CBD Vaporize?

If you’re lucky enough to have a vaporizer with an adjustable temperature, it might be handy to know how much heat is perfect. According to a study from BioMed Central, they were able to vaporize CBD at “210°C and 230°C” (410°F to 446°F), with the latter yielding the highest concentration of CBD vapor.

Vaporizers need to know when they’re hot or in use, which is why they contain sensors. Depending on the vape you use, you might activate the vapor simply by inhaling, but otherwise, it’s a heating element that you activate with a switch or button. Either way, sensors are responsible for determining whether or not the user is inhaling, or if the on/off button (or heat amount) is being toggled.

Finally, vaporizers can’t function without a battery – again, pretty straightforward. Vaporizers don’t use regular disposable batteries, but rather a lithium-ion rechargeable one built right in. Typically, these come with USB chargers that you can plug into a computer or USB wall adapter.

cbdfx cbd vape

How Does Vaping CBD Feel (CBD Vape Oil Effects)?

Common sense would dictate that taking in CBD through any medium would ultimately achieve the same thing, but it’s not that simple. The delivery method does ultimately make a difference.

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much empirical research specifically into CBD vaping. Consequently, the information in this area is mostly anecdotal.

Fortunately, we have a lot of anecdotal evidence because vaping happens to be one of the top ways that people like to use CBD. People who vape CBD report that it helps them relax, decrease anxiety, and mitigate pain. One of the main reasons people prefer the vaping method is for the speed of its effects.

Vaping CBD provides the fastest onset of CBD effects.

Benefits of Vaping CBD – Efficiency

Out of all the available delivery methods including oral, topical, sublingual ingestion, vaping CBD is the most efficient manner to intake cannabidiol.

So why is vaping more efficient? The answer comes down to human biology. CBD, like any compound, needs to reach certain receptors (called cannabinoid receptors) inside your brain and body. In order to do this, the CBD has to get into your bloodstream. Ingesting the chemical takes longer because it passes through your digestive system to be metabolized by your liver before finally dispersing in your bloodstream. The lungs, on the other hand, work differently.

Let’s go back to high school biology. If you haven’t forgotten those lessons, you might remember how oxygen makes its way into your body. Without being too technical, the air is inhaled into the lungs, passes through membranes, and distributed into the bloodstream. The bottom line is that the delivery is more direct and, therefore, much faster.

In short, imagine your digestive system as a two-lane road, while your lungs (and vaping) are a four-lane express highway.

The trade-off as you may have guessed is that CBD effects from vaping do not last as long as with oral ingestion. This isn’t a problem for most users as they will simply dose more often when vaping CBD.

Benefits of Vaping CBD – Convenience

Another benefit of vaping CBD oil is the convenience and portability of the equipment used to inject the substance.

Vaping is easy…all you need is CBD vape oil and a vaporizer to vape it.

All vapes have certain components in common that help them to operate.

Those components are a battery, heating element, the mouthpiece, and a compartment to hold the oils you will be inhaling.

What is great about these devices is that they are small enough to fit into your pocket or purse and vaping has seen such widespread popularity that people are unlikely to question you about the substance you are vaping or why you are taking it.

– is also discreet because it doesn’t give off a strong smell.

Additionally, vaping equipment creates little smoke, as compared to traditional cigarettes, or other equipment used to ingest substances.

Many people often vape indoors, but please check your local laws to ensure that when you are vaping in a public place, your local laws permit vaping or smoking.

Concluding Remarks

In the end, there’s no right or wrong way to take CBD hemp oil. Some like tinctures or edible variations, while others prefer vaping. If you’re unsure what you might prefer, it can’t hurt to try different products and methods. But for those who enjoy smoking in general, vaporizers might be a perfect fit.

As always, however, don’t get into CBD without consulting a doctor. Although there’s no evidence that this product is inherently dangerous, it’s always a good idea to cover your bases.

Summary

So far, we’ve covered the following:

• CBD vape oil is simply CBD oil meant for use in a vaporizer.

• The oil is available in cartridges or refill bottles, depending on the equipment you use.

• Vaporizers are tools that use heat to convert the content of oils or other materials into vapor, allowing the user to inhale them.

• Although vaporizers come in many forms and functions, a vape pen is the cheapest and simplest, making it perfect for beginners.

• Vaporizers consist of a mouthpiece, tank, atomizer, sensors, and battery.

• Customers report that vaping CBD doesn’t hit them as heavily as taking it orally (this could be a positive or negative quality depending on what you’re looking for).

• Although vaping may not be as strong, its effects are consistent and many people do it for the experience.

• Vaping is the fastest way to absorb CBD because it passes directly from the lungs into the bloodstream.

• CBD effects from vaping tend to not last as long as oral ingestion. This can be resolved with more frequent dosing.

If you’re ready to try vaping CBD oil, start with our friends at CBDfx who offer a large selection of vape pens, kits, and vape juice.