People use reusable and disposable cannabis vape pens for all sorts of reasons:
You might be looking for a discreet, convenient way to access the beneficial effects of cannabis compounds like CBD or THC. You may wish to avoid smoking to get at them. Or you may want to skip other methods of imbibing cannabis which require more effort and know-how to make work.
Whatever your reasons, the increasingly less humble cannabis vape pen might just be the solution for you.
But there are a lot of options out there. A newcomer’s first survey of the field of options often leads to a simple question:
“Should I go with a disposable cannabis vape pen or a renewable one?”
What is vaping? (a.k.a. vaporizing)
Vaping is the colloquial phrase used to describe the process of vaporizing cannabis so it can be inhaled. This isn’t the same as smoking. The cannabis in a vaporizer never gets to the combustion stage.
Instead, the heat inside a vaporizer turns the active ingredients in the cannabis into vapor. This is generally thought to be healthier for you than smoking – and certainly, you won’t find many vapers who will argue with you. Inhaling vapor is a far lighter experience than inhaling smoke.
What is a vape pen?
A vape pen is a small handheld device designed to vaporize cannabis oil, or occasionally wax or even cannabis plant material, ready to be inhaled. A vape consists of:
- An atomizer – which supplies the heat to convert the oil into vapor.
- A battery – which supplies the power.
- The cartridge or tank – where the material to be vaporized is stored.
- The mouthpiece – where you place your mouth to inhale
There are many different types of vape pen. The most important difference is that between those which are designed to be reused and those which are not.
What is a disposable vape pen?
A disposable vape pen is a single-use vaporizer designed to be as convenient as possible. They are fitted with a pre-charged battery and pre-loaded with a certain type of cannabis oil, ready for instant use.
The most common types of disposable vaporizers will be:
- A disposable THC vape pen – would come pre-loaded with a tank containing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is one of the 113 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant (and which are also found elsewhere in nature). THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis, and is used for pain relief, appetite enhancement and many other purposes by people around the world.
- A disposable CBD vape pen – would be loaded with CBD (cannabidiol, another cannabinoid found in cannabis). CBD is a non-addictive, non-psychoactive compound which has started to begin to be used in wider society. Currently, its only FDA-approved medical use is as a treatment for certain types of epilepsy. Yet its qualities as an anti-inflammatory and anti-emetic – not to mention its stress-relief, pain relief and several other potentially beneficial effects – have seen its use spread far and wide.
How to use a disposable vape pen
You use a disposable vape pen by:
- Take your new vape out of the packaging
- Locate the activating button. Press it and an indicator should light up. There may not be one. If not, skip this step.
- Place the mouthpiece in your mouth.
- Take a short inhale. If there was no button, you’ll probably see the indicator light activate when you do. Longer inhales are best saved until you become used to vaping.
- Hold the vapor in your lungs for a moment or two.
- Exhale the vapor.
Vape pens: disposable vs reusable
Here’s how to choose whether a pre-loaded CBD or THC disposable vape pen or a reusable model will be a batter choice for you:
Disposable vape pens
- Come pre-charged, pre-filled and ready to use
- No need to charge between uses
- Much cheaper initially, but will be more expensive if you vape regularly
- You can only use the strain of cannabis which is in your vape
- Comparatively wasteful in terms of environmental impact
Reusable vape pens
- Need to be charged and loaded before use
- Pre-filled cartridges are available
- More expensive initially, but becomes much cheaper over time
- Wide variety of cannabis strains which you can swap and change between
What makes for the best disposable vape pen?
When you’re trying to choose a reusable or disposable vape pen, you’re likely to find yourself a little overwhelmed by the huge variety of options on the market.
A good starting to point is to:
- Know what you’re looking for – are you looking to enjoy the benefits of THC or CBD?
- Always choose the highest quality you can – disposable vape pens might be the affordable end of the market. But it makes sense to always choose the highest quality option you can. Look for a high purity factor of distillate or choose a full spectrum product to take advantage of the entourage effect.
- Go to a trusted supplier – ideally, you want to know exactly what’s in your vape and where the cannabis inside comes from. For example, any K.I.N.D. product you buy will be clearly labeled with its potency, as well as marking the fact that the cannabis it contains or was distilled from was a natural, organic, All-American product.
