FEB/MAR 2018
37
CANNABIS COLUMN|
VAPE PENS
By Martin James
Vaporizer pens are the newest and hottest trend in the cannabis industry, but many still
don’t understand how they work and exactly what is in them. They make it so easy and
discreet to consume cannabis that you might find people using them at the bar or on
a chairlift (although this is still illegal). Another nice thing is that they are vaporizing the
product rather than burning it, meaning they are somewhat less harsh and harmful to your
lungs. So what exactly are you smoking in these things? Well that depends on what type
of pen and concentrate that you are using.
Whole Flower Vaporizers
As the the name implies, these are vaporizers that you can put ground up cannabis flower
into. This is nice because you can change strains depending on your mood and you know
exactly what you are getting. The downside is that they are a little bit more bulky than the
sleek “pens” that you see everywhere nowadays and they have a bit more of the recogniz-
able aroma. The Pax is by far the leading brand in this market.
Concentrate Vaporizers
Similar to the flower vaporizers (and often compatible), these vape pens allow the user to
load their own concentrates (dabs, wax, etc.). They are often more discreet than the flower
versions, but with products like the Pax 3, you can actually use both. Because concen-
trates are also more concentrated (go figure), they last longer and are much stronger than
flower. In addition to the Pax, G Pen and Cloud Pen are other brands to look for.
A fully disposable vape pen from Quill. Clean style and easy to use.
Disposable Vape Pens
These are one of the hottest products on the market right now. The sleek design means
that the battery and cannabis concentrate are both designed to expire at the same time.
When the oil runs out, the battery is also done, and you dispose of the whole thing (a little
wasteful I know). The concentrate used in these pens is usually CO2 extracted, meaning
that carbon dioxide is used to separate THC and other cannabinoids from the plant mate-
rial, creating the viscous oil that is then vaporized. While this CO2 oil can be quite high
in THC, one company, Cura Cannabis Solutions, has actually made pens that are more
mellow, the Social. These use an extract that is only about 20% THC and combine them
with essential oils for a tasty and mild vape experience. They also make a Social that is
exclusively CBD, for thos e medicating for anxiety or other reasons.
Vape Cartridges
There are more and more companies making vape cartridges everyday and the quality
and effectiveness varies quite a lot. While many companies use a CO2 extract in their car-
tridges, others are switching to a distillate, where the extract is further refined to remove
impurities and increase potency. You may pay a little more for the distillate but you get
what you pay for; these distillate cartridges can get up above 90% THC! The nice thing
with these is that you can find a cartridge and strain that suits your needs and tolerance.
You also can recharge the battery part of the pen and replace the cartridge, reducing the
waste associated with the fully disposable pens.
This type of cartridge often comes in 0.5 gram and 1 gram sizes. The potency can range
anywhere from 15-95% THC with many CBD specific strains as well. The coil or wick that
works to heat the concentrate is also contained within the cartridge so this is something
to consider when choosing a brand as well. Lower quality wicks can burn and leave you
pen tasting bad, so coil types are often prefered. Some brands with high quality cartridges
include Select, Open Vape, and NW Kind.
FRIED CHICKEN
LOTTERY GAMES
Disposable vape pens with battery and charger. An Open Vape battery and cartridge
on the left and a NW Kind cartridge and High Desert Pure battery on the right.
BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR
(541) 330-2323
BILLIARDS AND GOLDEN TEE