Vaping is something that just about everyone is aware of. Even if you have never vaped before, you will know of the existence of e-cigarettes and vapes in the various forms. Vapes being the preferred term as it has moved on from being just about smoking tobacco nowadays. There was a point in time when they were not as common and seen as something of a gimmick that many people thought would eventually disappear. That never happened, and now people who use CBD oil and other substances for physical and mental health reasons vape.
If you are completely new to vaping but interested in starting it or just want to learn more, you probably have a lot of questions. In the following post, we hope to answer all those questions and give you a full and comprehensive guide to vaping.
What is Vape?
This seems as good a place as any to start our guide. A vape, as it’s often known now, although in the past it was known as an e-cigarette, is an electronic device that is used to transform a special e-juice or vape juice into vapor so that you can inhale it, to get the effects of a variety of different substances.
Although they have only really become popular in the last couple of decades, the concept of an electronic cigarette reportedly dates to the 60s. There was an American patent that was rejected. The modern models you find these days owe a lot of their device and functionality to the ideas conceived by a more modern design devised by Hon Lik, a pharmacist from China.
Understand the Equipment
For many, vaping can seem confusing, and all the strange terminology and equipment connected to it can feel like a whole new world. In a way, they are right. However hard it may seem at first, it is rather simple to understand, especially when you know the basic components of a vaping device.
The main thing you need to get involved in vaping is a vaporizer. This is a metallic case that has four main components:
- The chamber that holds the vaping substance or oil
- The mouthpiece
- The heating element often referred to as an atomizer
- The battery
How Do Vaporizers Work?
When you switch on the battery in a vaporizer sends an electrical charge to the heating element which warms up and starts to vaporize the oil or other substance held within the chamber, transforming it into vapor. You then can inhale the vapor using the mouthpiece.
Two Different Kinds of Vaporizers
One thing you will notice when you are looking at vaping and the different products out there is that there are two main kinds of vaporizers available. Let’s look at these in a little closer detail.
The two different types of vaporizers that can be used with CBD oil or other substances are:
- Vape Pen
- Tank-Style Vaporizer
Vape Pen
The vape pen is the type of vaporizer you are probably familiar with the most. As you can probably guess by the name and if you have ever seen one, either in person or online or in a store, they look like a slim and long pen. With these devices, there is a coil on the inside of the chamber that holds the concentrated form of the substance, usually in oil form. When the coil warms up, touching the oil, it vaporizes it. The problem with these kinds of vape pens is that the coils tend to burn out after a while and need to regularly be replaced.
We have kept the above very simple because if you are just starting to vape, you don’t necessarily want to get bogged down in anything too complicated. When it comes to vape pens, there are many different variations.
Tank-Style Vape
Tank-Style vaporizers are larger devices that use e-liquid, which is a mixture of CBD oil or the substance of your choice, flavourings, vegetable glycerin, and propylene glycol. These are the types of vaporizers that tend to produce those large and obvious clouds of vapor you may have seen people using.
The heating elements or coils in these are wrapped or filled with either silica wick, nylon or cotton. The material absorbs the e-liquid, and as the material is warmed, the oil is warmed and turned into vapor.
Reusable and Disposable
There are both disposable and reusable versions of vape pens and tank-style devices. While the disposable options can be good from a portable point of view, reusable options are better if you have your own preferred brand, strength, and type of vapour that you prefer to use.
With disposable vape pens, for instance, you get everything you need in the package. Once the chamber is empty, and the batteries have run out of charge, you can no longer use it. With a rechargeable vape pen, however, you can charge the batteries and refill the substance chamber as and when necessary.
How Do You Use a Vape Pen?
The more advanced vaping devices out there may require you to understand resistance levels, wattage and other settings that need to be adjusted. Therefore, many people opt for vape pens in the first place, as they are not nearly as complex. With regards to how you use them to inhale the vapour, there are two basic types of vape pens:
- Push-Button
- Draw-Activated
Vape Pens that are push-buttoned operated are the kind that needs to be switched on first before you can use them. Normally, this involves pressing a button a number of times in a row, with five being the most common number. With some models, you can alter the voltage level, and others have the options for pre-heat modes.
As you can probably guess from the name though, you only need to inhale to make draw-activated vape pens work. You don’t need to press any buttons, and most actually don’t have any buttons on them. Without a doubt, these are the easiest, and if you are familiar with smoking or have ever taken a puff of a cigarette before, these offer the best transition to safer and healthier vaping.
They do not offer as many options as push-button models, just as vape pens, in general, do not offer as many options as mod boxes and tank-style vapes, but if you just want the benefits of CBD oil or another vape substance, these are perfect.
What Should You Choose?
As you can see, there are various options out there if you want to start vaping. The option that is right for you will come down too many different factors, including personal preference and your lifestyle. If we had to recommend one over the other though, for beginners, it would be vape pens, just because of their ease. To help you see the advantages of vape pens, we are going to close out our guide by looking at some of the important benefits of using vape pens.
Benefits of Vaping Using Vape Pens
Safer Than Smoking
Although vape pens are not just used as an alternative to traditional tobacco smoking, it is one of the reasons why people make the switch. There is still a lot of debate over whether it is safer, but many believe it is better for your health if you start using a device like a vape pen rather than smoking a cigarette.
Compact, Lightweight, and Portable
One of the biggest benefits of using vape pens is undoubtedly their design. They are slimline and very easy to use, which makes them ideal for use on the go, whether you are commuting to work or for recreational purposes. You will find that even the more experienced vaping enthusiasts that use mod boxes have vape pens on hand for when they are travelling.
Flexible and Versatile
While in the past, if you were a smoker, you would only have the choice of two different flavours, tobacco and menthol, with vaping there is a world of variety. It all comes down to what you like and prefer, and if you look at many of the top vaping brands, you will find they have various flavours available. This includes:
- Coconut
- Banana
- Apple
- Clove
- Menthol
- Tobacco, of various kinds
- Watermelon
- Strawberry
- Cherry
- Blueberry
- Chocolate
And so much more.
Soothing and Less Irritating
Smoking can obviously cause throat issues. With the delivery method of vaping and the substances that are used as part of it, they can help soothe your throat and do not cause as much irritation. Many consist of essential oils that have anti-inflammatory properties, so they can be a help to your health in general rather than a hindrance.
Helpful for Dealing With Anxiety
Similarly, to the above, many of the essential oils used in vaping devices have properties that can help to promote calmness. This is worth noting if you suffer from anxiety.
We hope with our guide that you have a clearer understanding of all that’s important regarding vaping. We have looked at the different kinds of devices that are available and the benefits they can have to you. Now, when you come to look at whether vaping is right for you, you can make a more informed decision than before.
Just remember not to be swayed by what works for someone else, as it is a highly personal experience.
