Vape Pen Tutorial For Beginners

A vape pen is a small battery-powered vaporizer: charge it, attach the cartridge or herb chamber, and inhale; because it heats rather than burns, it makes vapor instead of smoke. Smoking a joint or pipe, by contrast, leaves a smell that people you live with may not like.

Smoking also brings that smoke directly into your lungs. Smoke from cannabis shares many toxins, irritants and cancer-causing chemicals with tobacco smoke, CDC says, and a 20-year study found occasional use was not tied to lower lung function, while heavier use was less clear.

“There’s always edibles,” you may say. “ I don’t have to smoke marijuana if I can just eat it.”

Many patients use edibles, but NIDA notes they take longer to show effects than inhaled cannabis, and that delay can be frustrating.

Then there’s the issue of edible dosage: Florida treatment center edibles come in labeled servings of no more than 10 mg of THC, which is more precise than cutting up a homemade brownie.

Patients who don’t want to smoke or eat marijuana often ask about vaporizers, specifically the vape pen. A vape pen is a small, battery-powered vaporizer, and our vape pen tutorial for beginners comes down to this: charge the battery, attach the cartridge or herb chamber, then inhale, pressing the button if your pen has one. Vape oil is usually much stronger than flower, and in Florida the dose comes from your certifying physician.

What are Vaporizers?

Marijuana vaporizers do just that: they turn your marijuana into a vapor that you can inhale.

• The vaporizer heats your marijuana enough to release its compounds as vapor without burning it; the exact temperature depends on the device.

• At this temperature, the cannabinoids and terpenes in your marijuana will evaporate, allowing you to inhale them.

• The experience is similar to smoking, but you inhale vapor instead of smoke. Vapor is not harmless: CDC tied THC vaping products, especially those from friends, family or dealers, to most cases in the 2019 outbreak of vaping lung injury, and vitamin E acetate was strongly linked to it.

• Vape pens, in particular, give off a slight, almost unnoticeable odor, so you don’t have to worry about smelling up the whole house.

So What Are Vape Pens?

Vape pens are portable vaporizers that are shaped like pens. Because of their shape and small size, they are easy to carry, but Florida law does not allow medical marijuana use in public places or vehicles, apart from low-THC products.

That is the short version.

Here is the longer one, part by part.

There are four main components to a vape pen: the battery, cartridge/chamber, mouthpiece and the charger.

The Battery

Don’t let the name “battery” fool you. It’s not the kind of battery that you insert into a device.

A vape pen battery is actually the main body of the pen. Once you attach the cartridge/chamber and mouthpiece to the battery, you have a fully formed vape pen.

The Chamber / Cartridge and Mouthpiece

If you have a vape pen that vaporizes dry herb/flower, then it will typically come with:

• A chamber to hold the plant material
• A mouthpiece through which to inhale the vapor.

On the other hand, oil vape pens either have a refillable oil cartridge and mouthpiece, or they use a pre-filled, disposable cartridge with a mouthpiece already attached.

The Charger

Eventually, your vape pen battery will run out of power, and you’ll need to recharge it. Your vape pen should come with a USB charger that you can attach to your battery. Then you just plug it into a wall socket or a computer.

How to Use a Vape Pen

1. Do your research

There’s a lot of different kinds of vape pens out there.

First, decide which type of pen you want (dry herb or oil). Once you’ve narrowed it down a bit, start researching different brands. Compare and contrast their benefits and downsides.

Things to consider include:

• Price
• Whether or not the pen is easy to use
• Oil quality: How was it made? Does it contain any toxic chemicals? In Florida, marijuana vape cartridges come from licensed treatment centers and must pass lab testing.
• Battery quality: How long does it hold a charge? Does it break often? Does it come with a warranty?
• Reviews: What are people saying about the product? Are the reviews mostly positive or negative?

2. Once You Have Your Vape Pen, Figure Out How It Works

You’ll notice we said, “Figure out how it works” and not “Read the instructions.”

That’s because your vape pen might come with instructions, but you shouldn’t take it for granted.

One of our team members once bought a popular brand of vape pen that came without instructions. A dispensary staff member showed him how it worked, and the maker’s website had instructions too.

Instructions may vary when it comes to vape pen, but you’ll definitely need to…

3. Charge the Battery

Attach your USB charger to the battery. Plug it into a wall socket or a computer. A red light will appear, indicating that the battery is charging. The red light should turn green once the battery is fully charged.

How long will it take to fully charge? The exact time varies, so follow the charging time in the maker’s instructions.

4. Attach Your Cartridge / Chamber

Each type of pen attaches a little differently, so follow the instructions from the maker of yours.

5. Inhale

Some vape pens turn on automatically the minute you start inhaling. Others have a button on the battery that needs to be pressed.

When you inhale for the first time, remember that vape oil is usually much stronger than dry flower; dispensary concentrates can exceed 40% THC, according to NIDA.

How many puffs make up a dose is a medical decision: in Florida the certifying physician sets the dose in the state registry, so follow that order rather than a general rule.

About Our Vape Pen Tutorial Videos

NOTE: The demo videos that used to appear here are no longer available from their owners. We never endorsed the products or dispensaries in them; for your own pen, follow the maker’s instructions.

Dry Herb

A dry herb pen heats ground flower in a chamber, and you inhale the vapor through its mouthpiece.

Refillable Oil Cartridge

A refillable oil cartridge is one you fill yourself, unlike a pre-filled disposable cartridge that comes with its mouthpiece attached.

Vape Pen Risks to Know Before You Switch

The steps above cover the battery, the cartridge or chamber, charging and the first inhale; before you switch, weigh the two risks covered earlier: the lung injury linked to THC vaping products and the strength of vape oil.

Vape pens are an easy way to inhale cannabis without smoke, but they carry their own risks, so ask your physician before you switch.

A pen is one of several forms, and which one suits you depends on your condition.

If you have a qualifying condition and want to ask about certification, call our Las Vegas office at (702) 707-2414 or contact one of our Florida offices.