How to Vape Weed: A Beginner’s Guide in 5 Easy Steps

Vaping marijuana, or as enthusiasts have affectionately know it as “weed,” is a popular way to consume cannabis. Although smoking marijuana is the most popular way to enjoy its effects, vaping offers a more discreet, portable, and smokeless experience. If you have never vaped before, you may be wondering how to vape weed. We have the answer for you right here!

There are various devices that you can use to vape weed. You can use a vape pen for oils or dry herb vaporizers for flower. Vape cartridges come in various flavors that disguise the smell of cannabis flower and enhance the experience. But for a truly authentic and smoke-free experience, cannabis connoisseurs would recommend using a dry herb vaporizer. No need to worry if you’re unfamiliar with this type of vaporizer. We’ll lay it all out for you and explain how to vape weed so you can use various devices and enjoy a fulfilling weed experience.

What Vaping Weed Means

Vaping weed means that you can enjoy the benefits of THC and other cannabis compounds from marijuana via a smokeless experience. Unlike smoking, vaping does not use combustion. Vape devices heat cannabis to temperature ranges at which the compound vaporizes. The vapor is inhaled to produce the desired effects.

Some may think that vaping weed is not as potent as smoking it. However, the opposite may be true. Vaping weed is less harsh on the lungs. Instead of inhaling smoke, you’re inhaling vapor, which is smoother and has a rich, velvety texture. Those who enjoy vaping appreciate how the method allows them to enjoy the nuanced flavors and rich terpene profile of their favorite strains.

Vape pens are relatively easy to use and come in different varieties. You can choose to use interchangeable vape carts that come preloaded with cannabis oil that attaches to the vape pen of your choice. For ultimate convenience, try all-in-one disposable vape pens that contain pre-filled cartridges. Or for a more natural method and one that is popular among true cannabis connoisseurs, try a dry herb vaporizer. This specialized vape pen contains a heating chamber to vaporize raw flower, providing an authentic experience.

How to Vape Weed: What You Need

If you use a dry herb vaporizer, you will need several accessories as follows:

• Dry Herbs. It all starts with high-quality dry herbs or weed. Choose dry herbs based on strain and other characteristics. The term “dry herbs” is used to describe raw cannabis flower. This flower will be exposed to a temperature setting that is high enough to release cannabinoids. Still, the heat is not excessive enough to cause the plant material or cannabinoids to combust.
• Vaporizer. There are two types of dry herb vaporizers: portable vaporizers and tabletop or desktop vaporizers. Portable vaporizers are smaller, battery-operated, and contain a heating element to warm the flower. Tabletop vaporizers are larger and must be plugged in. You may also select a vaporizer based on additional functions like temperature control, how much weed it holds, and ease of use. A dry herb vaporizer comes with a loading chamber for the flower.
• Grinder. A grinder will grind up the cannabis flower and ensure it is the right consistency. Most grinders are manual, but some are automatic. Just put the weed nugget in, hand twist it (or turn the machine on), and your weed will be ground to the ideal consistency. Avoid over-grinding and never use the leftover fine powder material.
• Accessories. Cleaning accessories will keep your dry herb vape and grinder clean. Consider having a brush, a cotton swab or two, and rubbing alcohol on hand for maintenance of your tabletop or portable vapes.

How to Load a Dry Herb Vaporizer

Ensure your weed is ground to the right consistency before loading your dry herb vaporizer. Each vaporizer comes with consistency recommendations. Some even allow you to place the bud right in the chamber. However, in most instances, a fine to medium grind will do.

Before loading the dry herb vaporizer, ensure the machine is shut off and fully charged. Then open the chamber and use a small scoop to load the cannabis flower. Most chambers hold between one-fourth and one-half of a gram of dry herb.

Use your finger or a dab tool to pack in the cannabis. The flower should be packed firmly so it doesn’t fall out but not so tight that it restricts airflow during vapor production.

Close the chamber and turn on the device by pressing the power button the appropriate number of times, typically five times. However, your dry herb vaping device may have different operational features. Consult the user guide to make sure you’re operating it correctly.

How to Vape Weed: Step-By-Step Guide

Now that you’ve loaded your dry herb vape, it’s time to use it! Here is how to vape weed. These steps will explain how to use a weed vape and guide you through the step-by-step process of vaporizing cannabis.

1. Heat the Flower. Wait for the weed to reach the desired temperature setting. Ideal temperature settings are typically between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit. A lower temperature will keep the weed in a cool environment so it is less harsh on the throat. However, you can choose the same temperature every time or experiment with low or higher temperature settings to determine which is best.
2. Press the Button To Inhale. Fire the vape by pressing and holding the power button while placing your lips loosely on the mouthpiece and inhaling.
3. Inhale. Take a few gentle puffs without inhaling to produce vapor. When ready, inhale vapor. Long slow inhales are best for cannabis vaping.
4. Exhale and Gauge the Effects. Always wait a few minutes before taking your next hit. Take this time to understand how the strain you’re vaping affects you.
5. If Necessary, Take Another Hit. If you are satisfied with the effects, we recommend that you stop. However, if you feel the effects are not what you expected and need more elevation, take another hit. Always use caution and vape responsibly.

Benefits of Vaping Weed Over Smoking

Whether you use vape pens or dry herb vaporizers, vaping weed offers several benefits. After you learn how to vape weed, you might be wondering what are the benefits. Here are some advantages you can enjoy when you vape cannabis.

• More Potent Effects. Research reveals that 60% of THC is lost when smoking cannabis. Dry herb vaping weed retains more THC and provides a more potent experience.
• Fast Effects. After inhaling a weed pen or dry herb vaping, you will feel the effects almost immediately. Most people will experience the benefits after just 90 seconds.
• Temperature Control. Most dry herb vaporizers have temperature control settings that allow you to customize your weed experience.
• Controlled Consumption. Weed is great but no one wants to overdo it. A vaping device helps you keep consumption under control. Unlike tobacco or nicotine vape pens, vaping weed does not produce strong addictive tendencies. The increased potency allows you to get more benefits with less weed, which also adds up to money savings.
• More Discreet Than Smoking. You won’t stand out in a crowd when you vape. Additionally, the vapor produced helps to disguise the smell of cannabis vapor. So when the vapor travels, no one has to know you’re smoking weed, as the smell is more fruity and aromatic. Most vaporizers are small and extremely portable, increasing the discreet nature of weed consumption.
• Less Harsh Than Smoking Weed. When vaping, you inhale pure cannabis vapor. You don’t get any nicotine or chemicals. You can enjoy a relatively healthy vaping experience. Look for carts that do not contain PEG oil, PG, or VG for optimal health benefits.

Vaping Weed: Legal Status

So you might know how to vape weed. But can you do so legally? Marijuana is federally illegal. However, numerous states have legalized it for recreational and medicinal purposes.

Although marijuana is not legal, hemp is. Hemp is a non-euphoric cannabis plant. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and all hemp-derived products as long as they do not exceed 0.3% THC. If you do not have access to marijuana, hemp-derived THCa vape pens and THCa hemp flower are good, legal alternatives.

If you vape cannabis concentrates that are hemp-derived and have a THC content of 0.3% or less, you are likely to remain on the right side of the law. If your cannabis oil is not hemp-derived and has a higher THC content, you could get in trouble depending on the state you reside in.

Although hemp and hemp products are federally legal, state laws vary. Some states do not allow cannabis at all. Check with your local laws to ensure a safe cannabis experience.

FAQs on How to Vape Weed

Is Vaping Publicly Legal?

Vaping may be publicly legal depending on your local laws. In general, most laws do not allow you to consume weed in public places, even in states where it is illegal. A weed pen is discreet and you may feel okay using it publicly. However, you can be fined and even arrested if you are caught. Check with your local laws to determine if vaping in public, more specifically, vaping weed in public, is legal.

How Often Should I Vape?

There is no clear answer on how often to vape weed. It depends on your personal preference, the type of weed you are vaping, and your wellness and medical needs. Some use weed pens and other vape devices every day. Some use them on an “as-needed” basis.

What To Consider Before Vaping Weed?

A weed vape offers a different experience than smoking. Vaping weed requires that you know how to properly operate a dry herb vape or desktop vaporizers. You may also need several accessories, such as a USB charger for your vape pen and cleaning tools for smooth operation and maintenance of your vaping device. Once you get used to the heat controls and other settings, you will customize an experience that’s right for you.

What Are the Effects of Vaping Weed?

When you vape weed, you will feel the effects immediately, and they will last for a few hours. However, your specific experience will vary depending on the type of weed you are using, and your reaction based on tolerance and biological factors. Go slow and increase your dose gradually to determine how vaping will affect you.

Final Thoughts – How to Vape Weed: A Beginner’s Guide in 5 Easy Steps

Vaping is an ideal form of weed consumption. It is portable, discreet, and less harsh than smoking. But you must know how to vape weed. You can use special vape pens known as dry herb vaporizers to achieve the ideal experience. A dry herb vaporizer requires some prep, but it provides a customized experience thanks to variable heat settings that make it worthwhile. It’s also an authentic way of enjoying real flower compared to vape cartridges or disposable vape pens that contain only cannabis oil or pre-filled cannabis concentrate and terpene blends.

Once you begin your vaping journey, you will find it can be very rewarding. It offers immediate, potent effects, and it is more inconspicuous and socially acceptable than smoking cannabis. Will you include it in your wellness routine? We hope our article has helped you learn how to smoke a weed vape. Give it a try and find out if vaping weed is right for you!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Budpop does not sell marijuana or “weed” products. This article was written with the sole intent of educating the public on one of the most popular methods on enjoying cannabis. Although marijuana is legal in the majority of states for medical and recreational purposes, we highly encourage those who want to experiment with the potential therapeutic and uplifting benefits of cannabis to stick with legal, non-marijuana cannabis products such as federally legal, Farm Bill-compliant hemp products. These products contain legal amounts of THC (0.3% or less) and are legal at the federal level.