Modern vaping technology has fostered the development of revolutionary cannabis products: long-life batteries, cartridges with specialized heating technologies, and advancements in concentrates. Vaping facilitates cultural mainstreaming and cannabis popularity through ease of use, access, and images in media. It has also helped the cannabis industry pinpoint and deliver the most beneficial chemicals found in the plant, as well as regulate product dosage, and increase consumer access to nuanced flavor profiles.
Cannabis Vaping and Media
While producers and distributors recover from a deluge of negative media surrounding vape-related illness and death reported in the US at the end of 2019, vaping continues to further the industry with the development of technology, smartphone apps, and consumer access to device, concentrate, and cartridge safety and testing information.
Illness and death associated with vape use at the end of 2019 dealt a blow to the cannabis industry in the form of reduction in sales and engendered fear surrounding the concentrates used in pre-filled THC cartridges. But the reality is these fears were largely unsubstantiated, and most of the illnesses and deaths were traced back to blackmarket cannabis vapes.
Marijuana and Research: Future of Vaping Technology
Unfortunately, the CDC has perpetuated this fear through lack of marijuana research, as marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I drug. In response, several major vaporizer, cartridge, and concentrate manufacturers are rolling out new technology to increase consumer transparency, identify counterfeit cartridges, and meet or exceed local and national regulations.
One of the most attractive aspects of cannabis as a medicinal, wellness, and recreational product is that it boasts very few harmful side effects. Contrary to popular belief, vaping is designed as a safer alternative to smoking: while maintaining the absorption speed and mouth-feel traditional smoking offers. Vaping mitigates the inhalation of non-beneficial plant compounds and delivers the consumer a safer vapor, with a higher concentration of active compounds, which is easier and more consistent to dose.
Some companies are focused on safety at the point of consumption, and have developed Android apps (Apple no longer supports vape-related apps) and other innovative technology to provide relevant information to consumers and prevent counterfeiting. Similarly, many companies include scannable QR codes on product packaging to provide safety and testing data for consumers.
Vape hardware companies are also innovating to make safer and more transparent products. Ispire provides all of its testing data, as well as a Certificate of Compliance for each element of every product. It is critical that companies who use their own tested concentrates to fill cartridges have the assurance of knowing that everything from cotton batting and ceramic coils, to the metals used in housing and heating elements, has been rigorously researched, tested, and will not contaminate or leach into their products.
Innovation is the Future of Cannabis Vaping
The health crisis of 2019 does have a silver lining: consumers can now rest easy, knowing they have full and transparent access to information regarding both their hardware and the concentrate product they’re using. Additionally, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers can guarantee the safety of their products for the consumer, and consumer faith in the industry can be restored.
The efficient and genuine response from the cannabis vape industry to supply a safe and quality product to its consumers continues to drive advancements in both industry growth and mainstream cultural acceptance.
For more Cannabis industry news, trends, technology, and research, check out the official Ispire blog.