The market for cannabis vape oil, or THC Vape pens, is growing exponentially. It’s easy to understand why. Vape pens are a healthier option than smoking marijuana because you can control the temperature of your vaporizer and avoid burning anything. They’re also discreet, portable, and easy to use. But it’s important that you know what ingredients are inside your THC pen so that you don’t end up with something dangerous or unwanted. Here are six points to look for when buying vape oil.
What’s Inside Your THC Vape Pen? Let’s Find Out
1. Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable glycerin is a thick, sweet liquid that is used as a base in many different foods and beverages. It’s also an ingredient in e-cigarettes, making it one of the most common ingredients in vaping.
VG has been used as an ingredient in e-cigarettes since their inception, but if you don’t know what it is or why people use it, here are some important things to keep in mind:
- VG is derived from vegetable oil and has been used for years due to its sweet taste and smooth texture. While other types of glycerin are on the market today (like propylene glycol), VG remains popular because it offers some unique properties that make vaping more enjoyable than traditional smoking methods (see below).
2. Propylene Glycol
For decades, propylene glycol (PG) has been a non-toxic organic compound used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. It’s also common in e-cigarettes as a solvent to create the vapor.
The FDA considers propylene glycol safe in e-cigarettes, but only some agree with that assessment. Some studies suggest it could be harmful when inhaled over long periods. However, there are only a few studies on the effects of inhaling PG directly over an extended period.
3. Distillate
There are many forms of cannabis oil, but the most potent is distillate. The distillate is a pure form of cannabis oil that contains no solvent residue and has been purified through several different processes, including vacuum distillation, rotary evaporation, and CO2 extraction. Because it’s so potent and contains no solvent residue, it’s often used in vape pens and other products with THC content, like edibles or topicals.
Creating distillate is complex, but here’s the simple version: First, the cannabis flower is extracted using a solvent like butane or CO2. Then it’s heated in a vacuum at a shallow temperature until all that remains is pure THC and CBD. Finally, the substance is removed from the vacuum chamber and allowed to cool down so it can be bottled.
4. Terpenes
Another essential ingredient of a cannabis vape pen is terpenes. Terpenes are compounds that give plants their smell and are also essential oil in cannabis. Terpenes can have a wide range of effects on your body, but they’re also found in other plants. For example, lavender and citrus are known for their relaxing properties due to their high concentration of linalool, a terpene with sedative effects when inhaled through vaping methods such as those used in THC vape pens.
The most common terpene used today is called myrcene, which gives off an earthy aroma similar to cloves or hops — often, you’ll find it used alongside other varieties, such as limonene (which smells like citrus). You’ll also come across pinene (pine), caryophyllene (spicy), humulene (hops/mushroomy), and caryophyllene (spicy).
5. MCT Oil
MCT oil is a medium-chain triglyceride that is derived from coconut oil. It can be used as an ingredient in vape oil and as a dietary supplement.
MCT oil has many health benefits, including:
- Aiding in weight loss by increasing energy expenditure and reducing appetite
- Boosting cognitive function (memory, focus, learning) and mental clarity.
6. Cannabis Oil
Cannabis oil is a thick, sticky substance that comes from the plant. Extracting this oil involves using solvents to separate the cannabinoids in the plant material and then evaporating off most of the solvent. This extraction method can take up to several hours and requires some special equipment, but it produces a high-quality product with little contamination from other chemicals or impurities.
The best way to use cannabis oil in your vape pen is by making sure you have the right device for it. Most vape pens are designed specifically for e-liquids like nicotine or THC oils; however, some models will work with liquids and dry herbs (like marijuana). You’ll also need an attachment that allows you to fill up your vaporizer pen with your favorite liquid products – such as cannabis e-liquids or tinctures – instead of just dry herbs like tobacco leaves or ground coffee beans!
Final Thoughts
If you are purchasing a vape pen, you should know what extracts your vape oil contains and what solvents and additives are inside.
Solvents and additives are the ingredients that help extract oils from cannabis. The most common solvent used to make cannabis extracts is butane, which is highly flammable and can be found in lighter fluids. Other solvents include propane, isobutane, and pentane. Because these chemicals are naturally combustible, they pose a fire risk when used with an electronic device such as a vaporizer or e-cigarette. Certain types of cannabinoids, like THC, may react with these chemicals in ways that create harmful combustion products, including carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrosamines which can cause human cancer if inhaled over time at high levels of exposure (NCBI).
Some additives used in vape pens include polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400), polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG600), and polyethylene glycol 1500 (PEG1500). These compounds may be added because they improve consistency or extend the shelf life of the finished product by preventing spoilage due to oxidation; however, there have been no studies examining whether these additives cause negative health effects when inhaled over time at high levels of exposure (NCBI).