Vaporizer Introduction (Vaporizers 101)

What's a vaporizer?

A vaporizer is a device used to release the active compounds from plant material to achieve the same effects as smoking without all of the negative effects on the lungs. Vaporizers are usually designed to be used with tobacco but can be used with almost any herb, plant, botanial, or essential oil.

What's the advantage to vaporizing?

Vaporizing is easier on the lungs because the active compounds are released by gently heating the plant material without reaching the burning (or combustion) point. This greatly reduces the harmful carcinogens and tar normally found in smoke.

Because vaporizers produce no smoke, very little odor is generated and the odors will not linger. Vaporizers are a great alternative if you are living in a dorm, apartment, or home where the other residents may not tolerate smoking.

It has been shown that a large amount of active compounds are destroyed when the plant matter is burned. With vaporization, these compounds aren't broken down to the same extent and most users testify that vaporizers are 2-4 times more efficient and often provide a clearer, more cerebral experience. BE CAREFUL: Tobacco (nicotine) and other species of plants are toxic and can make a person ill and even induce death - start off with a very small amount then gradually increase the dosage as needed, wait a minimum of an hour between each session.

Another advantage is that the true aroma/flavor of herbs are retained during vaporization.

How does a vaporizer work?

The basic concept of vaporization is simple, vaporizers work by heating the plant material to the temperature at which the active compounds are released. Most botanicals will vaporize in the range of 250°-400° F (120°-205° C). The majority of vaporizers use a ceramic or wire-element electric heater and have an adjustable temperature so that different herbs can be vaporized.

Once the plant material is heated, the vapor is released in the form of a thin mist.

What types of vaporizers are available?

The first type of vaporizer involves conduction to directly heat up the plant matter. Normally the plant matter sits on a heated element and the resulting vapor is collected in a glass dome. Once the dome is full of vapor it can be drawn out at the user's leisure.

The second type involves convection to pass heated air through the plant matter. The fist method is where the user draws air through a heated element and the heated air passes through a glass "whip" containing the plant matter. A second method involves the same basic principles but uses an electric fan to push the air, sometimes into a collection "balloon".

Convection is generally regarded as the best and most efficient method of vaporization. Some users prefer balloon style vaporizers because the vapor has a chance to cool in the bag before being inhaled and it is easier to use when multiple people are present. Still, some people prefer whip or stem style vaporizers because of the simplicity of no moving parts and generally a thicker resulting vapor.

A third type combines both conduction and convection. This is normally achieved by suspending the plant material in a heater which directly heats the matter while allowing warm air to pass through as the user inhales.