Choosing Between Dried Cannabis Flower and Vape Cartridges

Modern technology continues to improve numerous areas of patient comfort within several major medical areas, and the medical cannabis world is no exception. Where those utilizing medical marijuana in past decades were limited to just one or two potential intake formats, patients today have several quality options, including edible marijuana, bath and body products, and perhaps most popular of all, vape cartridges.

At Whole Leaf Medical Dispensary and CBD, we’re proud to offer a wide range of options for both prominent inhalation methods: Traditional dried flower as well as vape cartridges. Choosing which is right for you depends on evaluating both for several factors – here are some pros and cons of each, plus information that will help you make your decision.

Pros and Cons of Smoking Dried Flower

For many patients, smoking dried flower marijuana is still the go-to method for consuming THC medication. One of the primary reasons for this among several demographics is the ease of use across multiple smoking formats: Dried flower marijuana can be smoked in a rolled-up format like a joint or blunt, from a smaller glass pipe or bubbler, or even from a larger water pipe (or “bong”).

In addition, smoking is a speedy form of THC intake – patients are able to feel the effects of the medicine almost instantly, as compared to methods like marijuana edibles, which may take some time to be digested before they kick in. Finally, dried flower is easy on the wallet and simple to clean up after, particularly if you use joints or blunts and will never be required to clean a glass piece.

The primary downside of dried flower for many people, however, is the compromised potency compared to other formats, including vaping. Marijuana flower contains not only valuable THC medicine, but also burning plant material, embers and other possible materials. The burning process also can destroy a large portion of the cannabinoids in the flower, making your hit less potent.

Pros and Cons of Vaping Medical Cannabis

Vaping is a more modern method, one that’s preferred by many patients due to the stronger high it creates. These kinds of concentrates eliminate much of the non-THC material present in dried flower, making for a more potent hit plus less strain on the lungs during inhalation. Vaping devices also allow for precise control over temperature, which can impact everything from high potency to taste and scent. Finally, vape smoke is both thinner and less invasive odor-wise than traditional flower, helping you blend in when needed.

Now, vaping isn’t without it’s own potential downsides for certain patients. For one, it tends to be a bit more expensive than dried flower, although there’s some debate about this – some advocates of vaping argue that over time, your costs will roughly even out here. Some also don’t enjoy the waiting period to heat up vape devices, which also require charging. Finally, first-time or newer users may want to try flower first, as the potency of the high with vape materials may be a bit overwhelming.

For more on choosing between traditional dried flower and vaping, or to learn about any of our medical cannabis services, speak to the staff at Whole Leaf Medical Dispensary and CBD today.