You work hard for your money, right? And nowadays there are approximately seven million ways for you to spend that money. So, why spend it on a disposable vape pen?
Well, honestly – because there’s a tonne of evidence that points towards vaping being the best and most effective way to consume CBD, and disposable vape pens are the easiest way to put this theory to the test without investing big bucks before you’re ready to commit.
The reason why CBD connoisseurs say that vaping is the way forward is based on a phenomenon called bioavailability. This essentially describes the amount of a given compound that can be absorbed by the human body when it is consumed. For example, intravenous injection has a very high bioavailability because it is directly absorbed into the blood system (please do not intravenously inject anything without medical supervision – don’t do that). A topical cream, on the other hand, would have a lower bioavailability due to human skin’s less absorbent nature. Makes sense, right?
When you vape CBD, the blood vessels in your airways and lungs easily absorb it, allowing it to interact with endocannabinoid receptors around your body. As a result, lower concentrations of CBD can go further if you vape them. But of course, it goes without saying that the kind of vape you’re using can have a massive impact on the results, too.
Vapes 101
If you’ve ever had the misfortune of being cornered by a vape bro, then you know all too well that the vape market is complicated. It’s not a case of just rolling up to your local store and picking up whatever they’ve got – or at least, it shouldn’t be if you want a vape experience that really works.
Vapes can range from small vape pens all the way up to multi-tank edifices with custom batteries and hand-wound atomizers. For some people, this is great; it essentially becomes a new hobby they can dig deep into and a topic that they can use to impress people at happy hour (although this rarely works – don’t be that guy).
For the rest of us, it’s an intimidating, confusing mess. Thankfully, there’s an option for the lay people of the vape world: disposable CBD vape pens.
What Even Are Disposable Vape Pens?
They’re kinda self-explanatory. Disposable CBD vape pens allow you to enjoy all the advantages of a vape but they spare you all of the added (and often unnecessary) complications. They’re the epitome of grab and go, they allow you to easily consume dry herb without having to worry about capacitor resistance, hand-wound wicks, custom batteries, or even something as simple as a messy refill. Because life’s just too short.
Disposable CBD pens come pre-filled, they’re a totally closed system that’s designed to work straight out of the box with zero fuss. They come in a range of flavours including everything from menthol to tutti fruitti. You don’t have to stress about charging it, and if you’re worried about the sustainability impact of using a disposable device, many brands are making theirs easily recyclable too.
When it comes to their construction there isn’t too much to a disposable CBD vape pen. They’re essentially a battery, a chamber, a heating element, and a mouthpiece. None of these components is overly complicated and they’re designed to have a short but fruitful life. Generally, they’re graded on how many ‘doses’ they contain. And, depending on the pen, you can expect anywhere from 50 to 200 doses.
But How Do They Stack Up Against Other CBD Vapes?
CBD pens are a straightforward and easy way to consume CBD, however, you might be worried by the disposable nature of them. Is this just another vector for cheap, single-use plastics to saturate our market? Or are they no worse than any of the alternatives? Is the added simplicity worth the waste?
We can divide the ways you can vape CBD into three broad categories: Disposable vape pens, cartridge vapes, and traditional tank vapes. Here’s our no-bs review of the non-disposable options.
Cartridge Vapes
Cartridge vapes are generally compact, simple, and feature a clear-snap on e-liquid tank. Generally, the only permanent part of these vapes is the main body, which houses the battery and maybe the heating element, depending on the specific design of the vape.
They allow users to refill their e-liquid by physically snapping on a new pod that comes pre-filled. These pods are typically made of rigid plastic and are sold in a vast variety of flavours and strengths. When it comes to CBD, the quality of the e-liquid found inside the pods can vary massively. But generally speaking – these pods are built to be cheap and convenient rather than high-quality.
Of course, if you’re hoping to cut down on your plastic waste, then cartridge vapes aren’t the way to go. Their cartridges frequently use mixed plastics that are hard, if not impossible, to recycle.
Tank Vapes
Let’s be real – lumping all traditional vaporizers in under this heading is a little reductive and maybe even lazy. These devices come in a staggering array of shapes and sizes, with a baffling amount of different features. However, for the most part, they function in the same way when it comes to refilling their e-liquid reserves.
Tank vapes tend to have a small glass or plastic tank, situated on or around the heating element, that needs to be physically opened and refilled when it runs dry. The e-liquid is drawn out of the tank and towards the heating element by a cotton wick that uses capillary action to suck the liquid up.
While out of the three, this may sound like the one that produces the least plastic waste, it’s not that simple. Remember that all that e-liquid generally comes in plastic bottles. And in terms of sustainability, these can range from easy to recycle, to fully un-recyclable, depending on the brand.
Dry Herb Vapes
These vaporizers are radically different from the others found on this list, but they produce vapour and they can be used to consume CBD, so we gotta include them. Rather than using specially formulated e-liquids, dry herb vapes instead extract CBD from dried hemp. It does this by using heating systems to take advantage of the boiling points of the various cannabinoids to evaporate them away into a vapour that can be inhaled.
This can yield fantastic results. However, they generally aren’t as convenient as e-liquid vapes. They require the herb to be finely ground and it takes time for the device to reach a decent vaping temperature.
When it comes to waste, dry herb vapes produce very little. After it is used, the dried hemp is little more than ash. This can be safely disposed of practically anywhere.
Is A Disposable CBD Vape Pen Right For You?
With these comparisons in mind, there are a lot of mitigating factors for a CBD pen, and honestly – we can’t tell you what’s right for you. For older users, or those with mobility issues, a vaporizer with few fiddly moving parts, and no need to deal with decanting sticky, sugary e-liquids has a lot of appeal. If saving the planet is your jam, many retailers and manufacturers offer robust recycling programmes. It’s really a question of figuring out what your personal preferences are, and finding the vape that best suits them.
We only review the best products here and carefully choose each and every one with you in mind – but be warned – we might earn a lil something something on the side through affiliate commission.
