CBD Vaporizer: 3 Ingredients in Your Vape Cartridge (+Which Ones to Avoid)
Introduction
If you are reading this, then we assume that you have a bit of experience in vaping and know your way around a vape oil and vape pen. Vape pens have recently become very popular, and the fact that they are discreet and highly portable made them so. But in the market today, there are different types of vape pens, be it a rechargeable vape pen, dab/wax pens, 510 thread battery cartridge pens, oil pens, etc.
Each brand uses its unique strain, solvent, additives, and others. So how do you know which solvent, additive, or others are good for you or which one is harmful? Read below to find out more information about this.
Sometimes you might notice a different taste when combining two or more CBD oils. This is because when you do so, the chemical compositions in CBD oils come together and start reacting. The result of this chemical reaction is what causes the slightly different taste.
Below are some vaping ingredients which you should avoid.
Thinning Agents
Manufacturers mix their CBD oil with other thinning agents so that your vaping pen remains smoothly functioning. Hence this is a crucial ingredient in vaping oil so that the pen remains smooth in operation.
But some particular types of thinning agents react differently when heated at a certain temperature. These certain CBD oils produce chemical carbonyl compounds when heated.
Carbonyl chemical compounds are part of the formaldehyde chemical group, which is known to cause cancer in humans. Propylene glycol is broken down thermally, and then formaldehyde is produced.
Although more research is pending in this regard, you should not panic as only a small percentage of CBD oils are susceptible to forming formaldehyde. Hence there is a good chance that the CBD oil you are consuming does not do this. Nonetheless, it does not hurt to take additional safety precautions. Therefore you should not mix CBD oils and consume only the manufactured recommended CBD oil.
Vegetable Glycerin
In a research report by the National Library of Medicine, it was found that vape CBD oils, specifically those with propylene glycol, can break down with sufficient heat into microscopic size polymers.
These polymers can cause damage to lung tissue. It was also found that apart from polymers, vegetable glycerin is combined with other CBD oils and then heated up to a specific temperature can produce other byproducts. The other by-products include PPG, PEG 400 (Polyethylene glycol), triglycerides, acetaldehyde, acrolein and others. The temperature required for making these byproducts is 230 degrees Celsius or 450 Fahrenheit.
Pre-packaged CBD Oils
According to a research report published by the National Library of Medicine and written by the Medical Marijuana Research Institute, it was found that specifically, certain pre-packaged CBD oils which used polyethylene glycol 400 was responsible for producing a higher count of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde by-products than other similar thinning agents. Researchers also noted that polyethylene glycol 400 reacted highly with other CBD oils and produced far greater formaldehyde byproducts than any other agents.
Hence they alerted people to check the ingredients of pre-packaged CBD oils for this ingredient and also check for the chemical composition of the thinning agents as that too was responsible for higher acetaldehyde and formaldehyde byproducts.
The researchers also alerted people that since vape pens have different temperature settings, the researchers also advised people that they should avoid heating PEG 400-based CBD oils beyond a specific temperature limit.
But the PEG 400 has not been banned because there is not enough evidence to justify the researcher’s fear. The researchers are conducting further studies and trying to find out the long-term and short-term consequences of PEG 400-based CBD oils.
What Is The Current Alternative?
Usually, thinning agents are given so that the CBD oil can be effectively heated and people can safely consume them. But one of the bad side effects of this is the bad aftertaste and the various health risks certain types of thinning agents pose.
Solution: Terpenes is a viable alternative solution to thin out the CBD oil, and many companies, after using it, are saying that it improves the taste of the vape aroma too.
Another alternative solution is the CO2 extraction method. Although this method is a bit costly, if the process is done right, then a relatively thinner CBD oil can be extracted, and that too without adding any thinners.
Conclusion
These days most companies are very conscious about their client’s safety and long-term health. So people are consuming CBD to help with their conditions and not add up to their list of health conditions. Hence try to avoid polyethylene glycol 400-based CBD oils and use relatively newer CO2 extracted CBD oil or at least terpenes using CBD oils. Since CBD oils are thinned or extracted using these methods, they do not create any sort of harmful by-products like formaldehyde, others.