Smoking CBD Flower vs. Vaping CBD Flower

by Martin B. · August 27, 2022

One of the most prevalent consumption methods of CBD is via inhalation. However, if you opt for this solution, you stand before a decision. You can either smoke your CBD flower in a more traditional manner (rolling up a CBD blunt or joint) or put it in a vaporizer. Both options offer pros and cons.

For starters, smoking might be more readily available to you than vaping. This is due to the fact that the latter is still a relatively new alternative. Smoking, on the other hand, has a long tradition. Consequently, you can find numerous shops with smoking equipment — you may even buy a CBD Rich Hemp Preroll to unwind without having to roll up the joints yourself.

Still, vaping CBD flowers is also not without merit. Besides being less harsh on the lungs, it can preserve the terpenes that are present in the CBD flower, making for a more pleasant experience. Nonetheless, its critics might point out that it can offer a weaker high than smoking.

Here is a rundown of the arguments put forward by both sides to help you choose the best option for you:

Smoking CBD Flower

Pros:

Available everywhere — smoking is an age-old tradition that is easy to access. All you need is a lighter and rolling paper or a pipe, and you are good to go.

Easier to use — no fancy gadgets are required to smoke a CBD flower. Just grind it up, roll it up, and smoke it. That is it!

Quicker high — when smoking CBD flower, the effects of the cannabinoids will probably hit you more quickly than when vaping. If you are looking for immediate relief, this is your best bet.

Cons:

More harmful to the lungs — inhaling any kind of smoke into your lungs is not beneficial for your health. Even though CBD is non-intoxicating and relatively harmless, it can still be harsh on the lungs if you smoke it regularly. Moreover, when smoking cannabis in general (not just CBD), some of its components can cause carcinogenic effects in your body. You should also note that the process of decarboxylation (which changes CBDA into CBD) occurs at around 110°C (230°F). Not all smokers might reach this temperature, so you will not receive the full amount of CBD from your joint compared to vaping.

Lower bioavailability — besides being harsher on the lungs and causing less decarboxylation, smoking also causes a higher percentage of CBD to be lost through metabolism and exhaling before entering the bloodstream. In fact, only about 31% of active ingredients in smoked cannabis actually get absorbed into the bloodstream; this number is significantly higher for vaping.

Vaping CBD Flower

Pros:

Less harmful to the lungs — unlike traditional smoking methods, such as blunts or joints, vaping does not involve combustion. Because of this reason alone, it is much less harmful to the lungs than other methods since no carcinogens are present in the vaporized flower.

While studies have not been done yet on how safe vaping hemp flower specifically is, they have found that vaping cannabis, in general, can lead to fewer respiratory problems than smoking it. As a result, if you want a method that will be easier on your lungs but still provide similar effects as smoking, then vaping may be a better choice for you.

However, keep in mind that some vaporizers have been found to have potentially harmful chemicals such as diacetyl, so make sure that you do your research before buying one.

More potent — while the effects of smoking and vaping CBD are usually pretty similar, vaping tends to be more potent and thus provides more benefits. This is because it leads to higher decarboxylation of cannabinoid acids such as CBDA into their more active counterparts (CBD) than smoking does.

Moreover, it also results in a higher percentage of CBD and other cannabinoids being absorbed into the bloodstream than smoking does. Still, this difference is only noticeable if you use a good quality vaporizer; otherwise, the difference will not be as pronounced.

More pleasant taste — when you smoke your hemp flower, some of the terpenes present in the plant are destroyed by combustion, resulting in a less pleasant taste. Vaping, on the other hand, does not involve combustion. Therefore, it preserves the terpenes present in the CBD flower and can offer a more pleasant experience.

This is especially true if you use a lower temperature setting when vaping since burning terpenes can create an unpleasant flavor.

Cons:

More expensive — a decent vaporizer can cost you around $100, which is more than what most smokers are used to spending. While cheaper options may be available, they will probably be of lower quality and thus provide you with a subpar vaping experience.

If you want an excellent vaporizer that will last you for years to come, you might have to spend a lot of cash on it. Nonetheless, the fact that it will last longer can offset the initial high expense over time.

Not as readily available — since vaping is still a relatively new phenomenon, it is not as easy to access as smoking. You might not be able to find a shop selling vaporizers in your area, so you might have to order one online.

It can take some time before your vaping gear arrives at your doorstep; in contrast, smoking equipment is much easier to access since shops selling glass pipes and rolling papers are ubiquitous.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, smoking and vaping have their pros and cons. In the end, it comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer smoking because it’s easier on the wallet, while others prefer vaping because they feel it offers better effects.

Smoking might be the better option if you prefer a more potent high. In this case, you can go ahead and buy a CBD hemp preroll or roll your own joint. On the other hand, vaping is probably a better pick if you want to preserve the terpenes in the CBD flower and prefer a less harsh way of inhaling the smoke.

It is up to you to decide which of the two options is more appealing. There is no right or wrong answer.

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Martin B.

Ex-smoker, passionate vaper who loves to tell the world about the life-changing potential of vaping. Co-creator of Ecigclopedia with a background in Business & Finance. Prefers a dessert flavored vape and loves to innovate.