What is Vaping? Redecan 510 Thread Vape Kit Overview
What is Vaping?
Cannabis vaping ( and “Vape” products) is the inhalation of vapours from pre-filled cannabis extract cartridges. These vape cartridges can come in various formats (some proprietary, ew) with the 510 thread being the most common.
A vape device is a battery-powered accessory that heats the extract until it produces a vapour, which is then inhaled. The vapour, or aerosol, is a suspension of fine particles in air. When smoking, the cannabis plant is combusted and burned to release its cannabinoids, THC and CBD. With vaping, the battery warms a coil and heats the vape juice to release its cannabinoids via vapours.
Source - Leafly (2019)
Dried Flower Vaping
Vaping is not to be confused with dried flower vaping. Working based on similar principles to above, dried flower vaping only warms and heats the dried cannabis at lower temperatures without combusting the plant matter. This results in a cleaner smoke compared to traditional combustion methods, and is what physicians often advise as the preferred consumption method for medical cannabis patients. As an aside, the Volcano is always a great smoke. Please note, dried flower vaping utilizes totally different equipment than Vaping.
Vapings Niche
Vaping has totally cornered the market of the discrete smoke. Since it is vapour, it does not create that potent smell that combusting dried cannabis does. Whether you are in a movie theatre, a kids soccer game, or at an all you can eat buffet(AYCE), you can now get your fix under the radar while still being respectful to your surroundings. DISCLAIMER, you should read your provincial guidelines and rules for where you can consume :) Regardless, Canadian medical cannabis patients are able to consume their medicine freely as required.
The Purists Critique on Vaping Distillate
THC distillate is extracted from cannabis using chemical solvents, often ethanol or carbon dioxide(CO2), and then purified through a process known as winterization. Through that process, the distillate is stripped of impurities, including the terpenes that give cannabis its distinct flavour and smells. Terpenes are also an active compound in the high, so purists note the corresponding impact on the entourage effect.
In order to commercialize these distillates, external flavouring agents and terpenes are added back to mimic the flavour of cannabis or flavour profiles (fruity, gassy etc). These botanical terpenes are often extracted from other plants and reintroduced as ingredients.
The Live Resin Vape Cart
The live in Live Resin refers to the fresh and live nature of the plant going into the extraction process. Live resin is normally made using the whole plant, as live (not dried or cured) or fresh frozen material. Since the material has not oxidized and dried, the plant maintains its terpenes and is a more accurate reflection of the fresh plant.
Extracted using hydrocarbon extraction, butane is the most common solvent used for producing live resin. A live resin vape cart is not as potent as a distillate vape cart in THC content, with live resin hovering closer to 60-70% THC. But since purchasing weed based on THC content alone doesn’t make sense or correlate with the high, the taste, flavour and effects, a live resin cart won’t leave you disappointed.
Redecan Vape Starter Kit Review
This vape kit provides a pre-filled cannabis extract vape cartridge (0.45g), a 510 thread rechargeable battery base and a usb battery charger. There are quite a few starter kits like this available, or you can purchase a 510 thread battery and your vape cartridges seperately. The battery life on these 510 threads normally last me about 2 days between charges and I will hit my vape fairly consistently throughout the day. There are some batteries that are designed to be more robust and last longer.
Tale of the Tape:
Redecan 0.45g 510 Vape Cart - Trainwreck Blend
CO2 Derived THC Distillate, Sativa Dominant Profile
THC - 838 mg/g or 83.8%
CBD - 2.56 mg/g or 0.256%
Terpenes: Humulene, Pinene (pines, conifers), beta-caryophyllene (black pepper, cloves), Myrcene
Net Weight: 0.45g
Packaged On: October 7, 2020 by Redecan Pharm.
Ingredients: Cannabis extract, Terpenes.
Thoughts and Musings
This isn’t a full fledged review, but as outlined above, you know what you are getting with a distillate vape cart and it does have its place where it fits into the cannabis puzzle. I personally enjoy vape carts of all types (solventless, distillate, live resin) and I think they all have their own unique value propositions.
Vaping is living that #sipsip life. #hootsallday
Criteria:
Price
Expectations
Flavour and Effect - does it tickle your nose and give you a sneeze attack?
The Case Against Distillate and the Dark Side of Extraction
In the USA, the vaping crisis hit its apex in 2019. Unregulated cannabis vapes were poisoning and making many Americans sick. It was later determined to be contributed by the use of Vitamin E added to the vape juices, the vape crisis was a huge black eye to the global canabis industry. While Canada’s regulated system is safe and regulated with stringent testing by LPs, distillate can still be made with subpar raw materials, including low quality trim and cannabis that is high in microbial content. Since distillate uses solvents for the extraction process, cannabis that is high in microbial contamination can be used as an input because it is purified via the extraction. This is why distillate is often referred to as hot dog water among cannabis enthusiasts. From a business perspective, this allows cannabis that could not have otherwise been sold(due to the microbial counts) to be commercialized and input into a product for consumption.
Conclusion
It is important to always be an informed consumer. Educate, read, and learn more about the different products on the market. Remember, there is a cannabis product for every mood or vibe. Learn from the community and learn from experimentation………
Keep learning, keep smoking and keep it Highbrow!
