Is Vaping Flowers Healthier Than Smoking?

Vaping cannabis is healthier than smoking cannabis because you inhale fewer toxins and particles into your lungs when you smoke with a vaporizer. 

• Medical research by Dr. Dale Gieringer found that smoking cannabis with a lighter burns the plant over 400°F, releasing harmful compounds like benzene, toluene, and naphthalene into the smoke you inhale.
• Vaping heats cannabis at lower temperatures, between 320°F and 390°F, which completely avoids releasing smoke and the above three toxins.

The bottom line: With vaping, you’re inhaling cannabinoids and terpenes. With smoking, you’re inhaling the cannabinoids and terpenes, but also ash, tar, resin, and toxic gases.

If you prefer smoking over vaping, bongs are the healthier choice because water filtration reduces toxins. To increase filtration when smoking, pair any water bong with a carbon filtration attachment to filter out even more toxins, tar, and ash.

Vaping cuts harmful toxins by 95%

According to research by MAPS/NORML, switching to vaping can reduce your intake of harmful compounds by up to 95%.

Smoking releases not just cannabinoids but also a cocktail of harmful toxins like benzene, toluene, and naphthalene, some of which are known carcinogens.

To avoid these harmful compounds with your vaporizer, follow Dr. Geiringer’s recommendation by setting your vaporizer temperature to 392°F.

Why 392°F?

 

Smoking, unfortunately, burns the plant at high temperatures in the range of 450°F which releases THC and CBD, along with some harmful chemicals like:

• Benzene releases at 400°F
• Toulene releases at 400°F
• Naphthalene releases at 400°F
• Acrolein releases at 450°F
• Carbon monoxide releases at 450°F

According to research by MAPS/NORML, setting a vaporizer at 392°F was enough to release cannabinoids but by remaining under 400°F, the vaporizer was able to completely avoid releasing harmful compounds.

In short: Vaporizers are healthier than smoking cannabis as long as you set your vaporizer temperatures to 392°F or lower. This temperature avoids the release of harmful compounds such as benzene, toluene, naphthalene, acrolein, and carbon monoxide which usually release from the cannabis plant at 400°F - 450°F

Vapor is gentler on your lungs

Your lungs are most comfortable with temperatures below 140°F. 

The National Library of Medicine found that inhaling extremely hot smoke can cause immediate damage to the delicate tissues in your lungs, leading to inflammation and respiratory issues.

Heat difference:

• Smoking: Lighting up burns cannabis at around 450°F. By the time the smoke reaches your lungs, it’s still a scorching 150°F to 170°F – hotter than what your lungs can handle. 
• Vaping: Vaporizers heat cannabis at lower temperatures, producing a vapor that enters your lungs much cooler at around 115°F. This gentler heat reduces irritation, making each inhale smoother and less damaging to the lungs.

Why it matters: inhaling high temperatures isn’t just uncomfortable – it can stress your lungs over time. It’s important to protect your lungs by only inhaling lower temperatures. Vaping allows you to minimize risk by setting temperatures much lower (aim for a max of 392°F) which is recommended by Dr. Dale Gieringer. 

If you do plan on smoking cannabis, you can use an ice bong or a glycerin bong to cool the smoke by up to 300°F, to protect your lungs. Another option is freezing your bong to help absorb more of the smoke’s heat before inhaling. 

Smoking unlocks more therapeutic benefits

Smoking cannabis releases a wider range of cannabinoids that vaporizers do not.

When you vaporize cannabis at lower temperatures, you miss out on the following cannabinoids:

• THCV releases at 428°F
• CBN releases at 365°F
• CBC releases at 428°F

These cannabinoids offer unique therapeutic benefits:

• THCV may help with appetite management and support balanced energy.
• CBN is known for its calming effects, which could promote relaxation and sleep.
• CBC is believed to provide soothing relief and support overall comfort.

Why it matters: Smoking provides a fuller cannabinoid profile, which means you would get certain benefits such as CBC’s soothing effects, that you would not get if you vaped the cannabis. While smoking is unhealthier, the hits are much more potent and cannabinoid-rich.

Pro-tip: If you prefer vaping but want to access these additional cannabinoids, use a vaporizer capable of higher temperature settings (up to 428°F) to release them without reaching the point of combustion.

Vaping minimizes airborne particles

Cannabis smoke releases 3.5 times more airborne particles than tobacco smoke.

These tiny particles, called PM2.5, are a result of exhaling cannabis plant material and are known to linger in the air for days.

These tiny toxic particles in the air can penetrate deep into your lungs and bloodstream.

To avoid PM2.5 particles in your home, always make sure you exhale your cannabis smoke into a carbon + HEPA smoke filter which filters and traps particulate matter from cannabis secondhand smoke.

Vaping flower doesn’t produce PM2.5 because vaporizers heat cannabis below combustion temperatures, so the plant doesn’t turn into ash, but instead only releases the active compounds without having to burn plant material.

TheNational Institute on Drug Abuse reports that secondhand marijuana smoke contains THC and other compounds that can impact non-users, especially in enclosed spaces.

Why it matters: Reducing secondhand smoke is crucial for the health of people nearby, particularly children, pregnant women, and individuals with respiratory issues. 

Vaping unlocks the therapeutic power of terpenes

Vaping cannabis protects delicate terpenes that are often destroyed from heat when smoking.

Terpenes are aromatic compounds in cannabis responsible for its unique scents and tons of amazing health benefits. 

Each terpene has a specific boiling point:

• Pinene releases at 311°F – Known to support clear breathing and mental focus.
• Myrcene releases at 334°F – Improves relaxation and absorption of other cannabinoids
• Limonene releases at 349°F – Linked to uplifting moods and reducing stress.
• Linalool releases at 388°F – Provides calming effects and helps ease tension.

Terpenes are delicate, so when you burn your cannabis with a lighter, you expose the plant to 900°F, which burns the cannabis plant at 450°F, which can instantly destroy many terpenes.

Vaporizers allow you to set temperatures very low, like 320°F to target isolated terpenes like Pinene. By vaping at lower temperatures, you preserve these beneficial compounds which can:

• Enhance mood and reduce stress (Limonene)
• Promote relaxation and better sleep (Myrcene and Linalool)
• Provide anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects (Pinene and Linalool)
• Support the "entourage effect," where terpenes and cannabinoids work together for greater overall benefits.

Pro-tip: Lower your vaporizer's temperature settings to "terp surf"—start at lower temperatures like 320°F - 350°F to enjoy the effects of specific terpenes and gradually increase to release a broader spectrum of cannabinoids. This method is called “stepping up” and is popular when using dry herb vaporizers.

Vaping prevents overwhelming effects

Ever feel overwhelmed or anxious after smoking a bong rip or eating an edible?

If you want the benefits of cannabis without the foggy head or anxiety, vaping offers precise control over your high.

• Lower temperatures: Vaping at lower temperatures (around 320°F - 380°F) releases fewer psychoactive compounds, giving you a mild, clear-headed effect that's perfect for staying productive and relaxed.
• Overwhelming highs: Precise temperature control means you can prevent the release of excessive THC, reducing the chance of an overwhelming high.  380°F is a safe setting for a very calm and relaxing experience.

Smoking Can't Compete: Lighting up a bowl or a joint ignites all compounds (THC, CBD, and terpenes) at once. This instant activation of all cannabinoids in the plant leads to intense highs that can easily bring in unwanted anxiety or racing thoughts, especially for beginners.

Bottom line: Vaping lets you smoke your flower or oils at lower temperatures which prevents too much THC from entering into your system at once. Lower temperatures don’t fully ignite all the THC, only some. This makes vaping weed a much calmer experience compared to smoking.

Smoking cannabis is better for pain

Need immediate relief from acute pain? 

Smoking cannabis delivers faster, more intense effects compared to vaping which might be just what you need.

How Smoking Delivers Quick Pain Relief:

• Instant activation: Smoking ignites cannabis at high temperatures (450°F), releasing a broad range of cannabinoids all at once. This means the therapeutic compounds enter your bloodstream quickly, offering almost immediate relief.
• Full spectrum of cannabinoids: The high heat activates cannabinoids like THCV, CBN, and CBC, which may not be fully released at lower vaping temperatures. These compounds can enhance pain-relieving effects.

Vaping heats cannabis at lower temperatures, leading to a more gradual release of cannabinoids (think of it as layers or waves). This can be less effective for pain relief, which usually needs quick attention.

Bottom line: For those moments when you need fast, powerful pain relief, smoking cannabis might be the better option. It delivers immediate effects that vaping can't match, making it a great choice for physical pain management.

Smoking weakens the lung's immune system

Smoking cannabis can weaken your lungs, making you more prone to respiratory infections. 

Smoking releases not just cannabinoids but also harmful chemicals like tar and toxic gases. 

These substances can suppress the immune cells in your lungs, hindering their ability to fight off pathogens like bacteria and viruses.

Vaping reduces exposure to harmful toxins in the lungs, which naturally preserves your lung’s defense system.

Why it matters:  A compromised pulmonary immune system means you're more likely to experience respiratory issues such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Vaping heats cannabis at lower temperatures (between 320°F and 390°F), avoiding combustion and reducing the inhalation of immune-suppressing toxins.

Pro-tip: To protect your lung health, use a vaporizer with precise temperature control to stay below 392°F. This allows you to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of cannabis while minimizing harm to your lungs' immune defenses.

Beware of heavy metals (vaping)

While vaping is generally considered healthier than smoking, it’s important to be aware of potential heavy metal exposure from cheaper vaping devices.

If your vaporizer features heating coils (usually found in disposable coils), it runs the risk of releasing metals like nickel and lead when the coil becomes degraded.

Vaping devices:

• Risk: Low-quality vaporizers with metal coils can release heavy metals into the vapor when you inhale.
• Health impact: Inhaling heavy metals can lead to neurological problems and other serious health issues over time.

Why it matters: Heavy metal exposure is harmful to your health. Most high-quality vaporizers do not shed heavy metals, so you want to avoid smoking disposable vapes when they are out of juice. Pushing your disposable vapes can cause degradation in the coil which leads to inhaling heavy metals.

Pro-tip: Invest in high-quality vaporizers made with safe materials like medical-grade stainless steel or ceramic heating elements. If you're smoking disposables, make sure you know how to spot the real from the fake carts.

Smoking raises oxidative stress

Smoking cannabis generates free radicals—unstable molecules that can damage your cells through a process called oxidative stress. Vaping reduces this oxidative “burden”, which helps prevent cell damage.

Understanding oxidative stress:

• Free radicals: These are harmful byproducts produced during combustion when smoking, which can lead to cellular damage.
• Health implications: Prolonged oxidative stress is linked to various chronic conditions including accelerated aging and heart disease.

Is vaping healthier?

• Lower temperatures, fewer free radicals: Vaping heats cannabis without burning it, significantly reducing the production of free radicals.
• Protecting your cells: By minimizing oxidative stress, vaping may help preserve your overall health in the long term.

Vaping absorbs more cannabinoids for better relief

Vaping can enhance the absorption of cannabinoids like THC and CBD compared to smoking, providing more effective symptom relief, especially for medical cannabis users.

Why vaping increases bioavailability:

• Efficient extraction: Vaping heats cannabis at optimal temperatures to release cannabinoids without destroying them through combustion.
• Better absorption: The vapor contains a higher concentration of active compounds, which are more readily absorbed by your lungs.

Smoking vs. vaping:

• Smoking: Combustion can destroy up to 50% of cannabinoids, reducing the effectiveness of your dose.
• Vaping: Preserves more cannabinoids, meaning you get more benefits from the same amount of cannabis.

Why it matters: Enhanced bioavailability (absorption) means you can achieve the desired therapeutic effects with less cannabis, making vaping a more efficient and potentially cost-effective option, because you absorb more compounds per cannabis compared to smoking.

Final thoughts

Vaping cannabis is healthier than smoking because there is far less exposure to toxins when vaping. Research by MAPS/NORML and Dr. Gieringer found vaping at 392°F releases cannabinoids without harmful compounds like benzene and toluene. This research concluded that vapor was indeed gentler on the lungs.

Not only is it gentler toxins wise it’s also gentler temperature entering the lungs at 115°F compared to smoke's 150-170°F which can damage cell tissues in the lung.

However, smoking unlocks more therapeutic cannabinoids like THCV and CBN, and smoking is better suited when you need fast and hard-hitting effects, which is needed for patients looking for pain management in medical cannabis.

Smoking weakens lung immunity and increases oxidative stress, and while vaping isn’t necessarily healthier it doesn’t damage the lung's immune system nor create any oxidative stress like combustion does.

We hope this article has helped you weigh in all the factors when it comes to vaping flower vs smoking weed and which one is healthier. Overall, vaping cuts harmful toxins by 95% and minimizes lingering particles. For the healthiest experience, use high-quality vaporizers and set the temperature to 392°F. If you decide to smoke make sure to use a bong with water filtration to minimize toxins.