# vapourizing vs bong for cannibas smoking **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890 "2010-08-20T17:53:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jakesteele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jakesteele](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakesteele)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/1 "2010-08-20T17:53:25Z")
I haven’t smoked pot for years and the last big innovation in smoking back in my day was the bong. Now I see ads for “vapourizers” as the best way to smoke. Is this true? And if so, why? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/2 "2010-08-20T19:28:58Z")
The medical marijuana facility in our town advocates tinctures as an alternative for people who don’t want to inhale burning plant matter into their lungs. I just interviewed them for a newspaper article and I was blown away at the options they offer: oils, tinctures, brownies, cookies, pasta sauces… NOTE: I am assuming you’re speaking of legal use of medical marijuana and not advocating breaking the law or asking for advice on how to do so. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/3 "2010-08-20T20:05:29Z")
From [here](http://thegreencross.org/v4/the-benefits-of-medical-cannabis/): > [@The Green Cross](#): > > Vaporization is a technique for avoiding respiratory toxins in marijuana smoke by heating cannabis to a temperature where the psychoactive ingredients evaporate without causing combustion. Cannabis vaporizers are designed to let users inhale active Cannabinoid while avoiding harmful smoke toxins. They do so by heating cannabis to a temperature of 180 – 200° C (356° – 392° F), just below the point of combustion where smoke is produced. At this point, THC and other medically active Cannabinoid are emitted with little or none of the carcinogenic tars and noxious gases found in smoke. Many medical marijuana patients who find smoked marijuana highly irritating report effective relief inhaling through vaporizers. Users who are concerned about the respiratory hazards of smoking are strongly advised to use vaporizers. Alternative devices, such as water pipes, have been shown to be ineffective at reducing the tars in marijuana smoke. Also, In June 2009 CA EPA ruled marijuana smoke is a carcinogen and has chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. And yes, Gary, they have [quite a menu](http://www.thegreencross.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5)! (THC infused peanut butter, anyone?) ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/4 "2010-08-20T22:19:48Z")
I also found this in postcards link… Do you test your products? We personally test each strain to gauge taste, effect, and medication quality… Now there is a job for a pothead, lol ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/5 "2010-08-20T22:41:42Z")
I have a friend who was a recreational pot smoker in college (when you’re supposed to be). He is now in his mid 50s and is prescribed medical mj which he does vaporize. He has remarked to me a number of times that it’s much easier on his throat and lungs. He also vaporizes other herbs for specific ailments. (colds) He lives 3000 miles away so I’ve never observed the vaporizing. When he described it I couldn’t help thinking that it would get everywhere and on everything the way tar does from cigarette smoke anyway. Wouldn’t it? I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/6 "2010-08-20T23:26:40Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > He lives 3000 miles away so I’ve never observed the vaporizing. When he described it I couldn’t help thinking that it would get everywhere and on everything the way tar does from cigarette smoke anyway. Wouldn’t it? I dunno. The vapor actually goes into a plastic-like bag with a little nozzle on it and you suck in the vapor from that. (Or so I’ve been told, ahem.) ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/7 "2010-08-20T23:29:33Z")
I’ve been told you can suck it right out of the tube of the contraption and that it leaves almost no smell. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/8 "2010-08-21T03:33:36Z")
I have a vaporizer. It’s a hot box with a little heat bulb peeking out the side. You put the bud in a glass two-chambered bulb, then insert it on the heat light. You then steam the THC content out of the bud into the glass bulb. You then breathe it in though a plastic tube attached to the glass, and it’s a clean vapor with no smoke and no other residual crap. It’s a very pure high. But, the vaporizer isn’t that solidly built. Sometimes the wires come loose and it stops working. Plus, the glass bulb jerks out and shatters easily. It costs $40 to replace (at least from [gotvape.com](http://gotvape.com)), so IMO the vaporizer not really a good investment. I eventually went back to my Tiki pipe. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/9 "2010-08-21T04:10:48Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I have a vaporizer. It’s a hot box with a little heat bulb peeking out the side. You put the bud in a glass two-chambered bulb, then insert it on the heat light. You then steam the THC content out of the bud into the glass bulb. You then breathe it in though a plastic tube attached to the glass, and it’s a clean vapor with no smoke and no other residual crap. It’s a very pure high. > > But, the vaporizer isn’t that solidly built. Sometimes the wires come loose and it stops working. Plus, the glass bulb jerks out and shatters easily. It costs $40 to replace (at least from [gotvape.com](http://gotvape.com)), so IMO the vaporizer not really a good investment. I eventually went back to my Tiki pipe. Is there any reason you couldn’t just build a better one with a handful of parts? Sounds simple enough. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/10 "2010-08-21T04:18:24Z")
My freind has a home-made one. It was made for the cost of a soldering iron plus spare parts that I had…I mean my friend had lying around. Funny, but the smoke tastes like[pickles](http://www.build-your-own-vaporizer.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/11 "2010-08-21T10:56:31Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > From [here](http://thegreencross.org/v4/the-benefits-of-medical-cannabis/): > > > [@The Green Cross](#): > > > > Vaporization is a technique for avoiding respiratory toxins in marijuana smoke by heating cannabis to a temperature where the psychoactive ingredients evaporate without causing combustion. Cannabis vaporizers are designed to let users inhale active Cannabinoid while avoiding harmful smoke toxins. They do so by heating cannabis to a temperature of 180 – 200° C (356° – 392° F), just below the point of combustion where smoke is produced. At this point, THC and other medically active Cannabinoid are emitted with little or none of the carcinogenic tars and noxious gases found in smoke. Many medical marijuana patients who find smoked marijuana highly irritating report effective relief inhaling through vaporizers. Users who are concerned about the respiratory hazards of smoking are strongly advised to use vaporizers. Alternative devices, such as water pipes, have been shown to be ineffective at reducing the tars in marijuana smoke. Also, In June 2009 CA EPA ruled marijuana smoke is a carcinogen and has chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. > > And yes, Gary, they have [quite a menu](http://www.thegreencross.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5)! (THC infused peanut butter, anyone?) You know, hearing of medical marijuana in the US, I kinda imagined some nondescript pills, sold by an ancient pharmacist eyeing you sternly over the rims of his glasses… Not something that comes with its own fashion line. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/12 "2010-08-21T12:44:11Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I have a vaporizer. It’s a hot box with a little heat bulb peeking out the side. You put the bud in a glass two-chambered bulb, then insert it on the heat light. You then steam the THC content out of the bud into the glass bulb. You then breathe it in though a plastic tube attached to the glass, and it’s a clean vapor with no smoke and no other residual crap. It’s a very pure high. > > But, the vaporizer isn’t that solidly built. Sometimes the wires come loose and it stops working. Plus, the glass bulb jerks out and shatters easily. It costs $40 to replace (at least from [gotvape.com](http://gotvape.com)), so IMO the vaporizer not really a good investment. I eventually went back to my Tiki pipe. I’ve read some reviews and they almost uniformly state that the high-end vaporizers are pretty close to being a gift from the gods, but that one should steadfastly avoid the cheaper ones. The vaporizer with the best recommendations costs around $500, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/13 "2010-08-21T15:18:24Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Is there any reason you couldn’t just build a better one with a handful of parts? Sounds simple enough. If I knew anything about electronics and glass blowing, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/14 "2010-08-21T15:24:12Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > I’ve read some reviews and they almost uniformly state that the high-end vaporizers are pretty close to being a gift from the gods, but that one should steadfastly avoid the cheaper ones. The vaporizer with the best recommendations costs around $500, IIRC. I spent $200 for mine. It has a marble finish, hee hee. A friend found a sturdier one with temperature gauges, control knobs, all the bells and whistles off Ebay for $160, but I think it eventually quit working. He went back to his el cheapo bong. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vapourizing-vs-bong-for-cannibas-smoking/550890/15 "2010-08-22T05:51:50Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > You know, hearing of medical marijuana in the US, I kinda imagined some nondescript pills, sold by an ancient pharmacist eyeing you sternly over the rims of his glasses… Not something that comes with its own fashion line. I was quite taken by surprise when I did the interview. They had rows of jars with different varieties, plus pills, tinctures, food items, and all kind of other things.