Vaping 101: Everything You Need to Know About Legal Vaping

Posted in: Cannabasics | Posted on: March 10, 2020

Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash

There’s a lot of buzz around vaping lately and we’re here to breakdown some of the main points about legal vape products.

When it comes to purchasing a vape, it’s always good to have an idea of how these products are made. You want to ensure that you’re getting the safest possible vaping experiences by accessing licensed products that undergo quality control and are produced from carefully controlled and regulated cultivation practices and extraction/formulation process; key elements that may be overlooked when products aren’t purchased from a legal retail cannabis store.

When you take a hit from a vape legally purchased in Canada, you’re inhaling three main elements: (1) the original cannabis plant matter,(2) the extraction, and (3) the formulation processes. The extraction process is how they turn the cannabis plant matter into a distillate or resin; this process can be achieved by a variety of methods including carbon dioxide, ethanol or hydrocarbon (more on this in another blog!). Following this, the extracts will be refined in order to remove unapproved materials. 

There are also two different types of vape pens; one that is a pre-filled cartridge/pod and rechargeable battery, or a disposable all-in-one pen. By choosing a legal vape over an unregulated option, you are choosing safety and enjoyment of healthy cannabis practices as Health Canada’s regulations and licensed producers’ commitment to customers work together to deliver safe vaping experiences.

When it comes to legal vapes, Health Canada has some easy to follow regulations outlined here;

  • The primary rules Health Canada has set around cannabis vapes are: No pesticides, harmful microbes or heavy metals on the source cannabis plants
  • No pesticides, microbial, heavy metals or residues from solvents in extracted oils
  • No harmful additives for thinning or flavouring 
  • Food- or medical-grade materials must be used in mouthpieces, cartridges, and batteries

Not only all of that, but there are also multiple security checks conducted when a legal vape is going through manufacturing. Dry cannabis and extracts are tested by Health Canada to ensure that they’re free from banned pesticides – this is why regulation and quality control are so important. To ensure that all manufacturers are following the rules, third-party testing is required. This is just an extra check to get the final OK before LP’s can get their products to market and into the hands of Canadians.

While talking about rules and regulations definitely isn’t the sexiest, we want to be able to provide you with the best knowledge so our clients know we’ve got their back! If you’re interested in flower vapes or oil-based vapes, we’ve ensured to educate ourselves to give you the best possible recommendation for you! We love talking cannabis, so come on and speak with your friendly RARE Experience Guide about what options could work for you! 

Health Canada reminds consumers that the long-term effects of vaping are not fully known, and if they decide to use vape products, they should work with their doctor to closely monitor their health and always avoid unregulated or illegal vape products.

References

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2019, October 10). Statement from the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health on vaping in Canada. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2019/10/statement-from-the-council-of-chief-medical-officers-of-health-on-vaping-in-canada.html