Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a popular medicinal tool that has been used for centuries. Though, it wasn’t until 2012-2016 that several state governments fully recognized cannabis’s potential and began decriminalizing its use. It was only recently made legal in MS during the 2022 legislative session. While it has taken time to produce the product, dispensaries are opening in early 2023.
Ever since cannabis’s adoption for medicine and recreation on (some) state levels, a plethora of THC-laden products have come to market: gummies, edibles, wax, topicals, inhales, concentrates, and more. However, two dominant forms of marijuana products remain popular and deserve distinction: flower products and vaporizer products.
While both forms of marijuana provide the same medicinal and recreational benefits, it’s important to note the key differences between cannabis flowers and vaporizers.
Cannabis flowers are the most traditional type of marijuana product. They are the dried buds clipped off of a matured marijuana plant. You can consume “bud” in a variety of ways, including smoking, vaporizing, and edibles. Regardless if you turn the flower into a wax (for vaping) or an edible, all THC is extracted from the same source: a cannabis flower.
One of the biggest advantages of marijuana flower products is that they are widely available and can be found at most dispensaries. They offer experienced cannabis connoisseurs the raw means for making at-home products. For example, you can use cannabis flowers to make your own edibles.
However, many people have strayed from the flower, opting for vapes or edibles. Using bud can get messy as pieces of the flower break apart or shed crystals. The flowers produce a loud smell, which many people find disruptive to the senses. And the smell doesn’t allow for discretion, either.
Pro Tip: Do not confuse a THC flower with a CBD flower.
On the other hand, marijuana vaporizer products are a newer medium for consuming cannabis. Cannabis vapes use a concentrated form of marijuana, often called "oil," that is distilled from the flower. The oil is contained in a chamber that fits either as a removable piece or as a built-in component (typically a single-use, battery-powered vape).
The vaporizer heats up the marijuana oil to a specific temperature, releasing the active ingredients in the form of vapor. This vapor can then be inhaled, providing the user with the medicinal and recreational benefits of marijuana.
One of the main advantages of marijuana vaporizer products is that they are considered to be healthier than smoking marijuana. When marijuana is smoked, it can be somewhat harmful to the lungs. Vaporizing marijuana, on the other hand, heats the marijuana oil to a high enough temperature to release the active ingredients but not high enough to create smoke. This means that the user inhales vapor instead of smoke, which is much less harmful to the lungs.
Another advantage of marijuana vaporizer products is that they are more discreet than smoking marijuana. Because vaporizers release a much less noticeable odor than smoking marijuana, they are a good option for people who want to use marijuana discreetly.
Marijuana vaporizer products also tend to be more potent than marijuana flower products. This is because the concentrated oil used in vaporizer products contains a higher concentration of active ingredients than the dried flowers used in flower-based products.
This means that a smaller amount of marijuana vaporizer product is needed to achieve the same effect as a larger amount of marijuana flower product. However, this does come as a disadvantage for inexperienced users, as it is easy to inhale more THC than desired.
While both marijuana flower products and marijuana vaporizer products provide the same medicinal and recreational benefits, there are some key differences between them.
Cannabis flowers are the most traditional form of marijuana product that is widely available, and marijuana vaporizer products are a newer type of marijuana product that is considered to be more potent and more discreet than smoking marijuana.
Ultimately, the choice between marijuana flower products and marijuana vaporizer products will depend on personal preference and specific cases for use.
Contact a medical marijuana professional to help you choose the right product for your needs.
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