In the world of cannabis and hemp, vaping is a relatively new way to medicate. Considered to be healthier, more efficient, and more effective by die-hard vapers, a lot of confusion remains when it comes to the right vaping temperatures to choose, especially for CBD.
The answer to the question of vaping temperatures is a complex one and one that depends on several different factors. Factors such as device type, the strain of flower, and desired effects all come into play here, and there are other things to take into consideration too. The long and short of it is that the various cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes inside cannabis and hemp activate when one is vaping at different temperatures – anywhere from 325F to 450F.
This means that people who vape their flowers can preset the temperature they require and control the resulting effects they feel more specifically. Vaping is a great way to take CBD flowers as you can carefully control the effects felt from a session. This includes things like “microdosing” whereby the user can opt to experience only the very lightest effects from their medication to get their day started or before giving a public speech.
At the same time, there are those who want to feel the strongest, most potent effects from their flowers at night, to ensure good quality sleep. With vaping, this can be achieved with relative ease as long as all of the factors are taken into consideration.
As a rough rule of thumb guide, there are three main temperature ranges to opt for depending on the effects you want to feel:
- Light and easy effects – 325F through 355F
- Intermediate effects – 355F through 395F
- Heavier more well-rounded effects – 395F through 450F
Hemp and cannabis contain a variety of different cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. These all give the plant its unique aroma and taste. There are more than 100 known terpenoids and more than 20 flavonoids inside the plant. There are also studies which suggest that there’s also a mechanism at play called the “Entourage Effect.”
Without boring you with chapter and verse about this, it’s all about the unique symbiotic relationship between the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other elements inside the plant and how they interact when taken together. Some of these complex compounds enhance each other, some mitigate each other, but many people consider taking them together instead of using an isolate to be preferable.
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Different Temperatures for Different Effects
The various elements in cannabis and hemp have different boiling points, and that’s why vaping is such a good option for some people. Obviously, one huge factor is the specific strain inside your vaporizer.
If you opt for a Sativa-heavy strain, your experience will most likely be a high, cerebral, and creative one. If the strain inside the bowl is an Indica, you’ll probably feel more a more sedative, body high as well. But the amount you vape and the temperature you vape at will also have a significant effect on the result.
The general principle is: The lower the temp, the tastier, less harsh and less effective the result. At higher temps, the vapor becomes harsher on the throat and lungs, is more abundant, can make you cough and results in stronger, more prolonged effects for most users.
It all comes down to your own personal, specific needs and this principle applies to THC and CBD aficionados alike (although the effects are usually more pronounced and noticeable for THC users).
Choosing the Right Vaporizer
There are a wide array of vaporizers on the market these days, and they fall into two main categories; Desktop vaporizers which need an electricity source, and portable vaporizers which are powered by rechargeable batteries or butane gas lighters.
If you are the type of person who only enjoys their CBD flowers in the comfort of their own home, for whatever reasons, then desktop vaporizers like the Volcano, Milano and Vapir Rise are all reliable options. If you prefer to take your CBD on the go and want maximum convenience and quality, The Mighty, Crafty, Firefly 2 or Pax 3 are all reliable options.
Also, especially in the world of vaporizers, less is not more, meaning you really get what you pay for. If you are deciding between a device that costs 50 bucks and one that costs 150, go for the more expensive one, every time. You won’t regret it, and it will save you cash in the long-run as the extraction is often superior.
Best Temperatures for Vaping CBD
Officially, the boiling point of CBD is 320F. And that’s only if you want the base CBD effects and nothing else. However, according to a study entitled “A protocol for the delivery of cannabidiol (CBD) and combined CBD and (THC) by vaporisation,” headed by Nadia Solowij, to feel the real effects of CBD, it needs to be vaporized at a much higher temperature.
The study found that, despite CBD’s boiling point at 320F, the highest and most potent yield of CBD vapor came when the vaporizer hit the 446F mark; at the very top of the vape scale. This means that the higher the temp, the more compounds like CBD and other elements are released.
We don’t recommend that most CBD users go up to temps that high unless they consider themselves to be advanced. The reason for this is that it’s possible for dry herbs to combust under certain circumstances at 446F. Also, when you vape above the 392F mark, you risk inhaling benzene and other toxins produced at that temperature, even if they are in only trace amounts.
Unless you have an emergency like a panic attack, you can’t control or another reason to vape at such high temps, stay between the 325 and 390F range. Most CBD flower vapers find their sweet spot somewhere in the middle of the two, around the 360-375 mark.
