Cannabis vapes are one of the most popular methods of enjoying the benefits of medical and recreational cannabis. It may provide users with a safer alternative to smoking. With vaping, the temperature doesn’t get high enough to combust the flower or cannabis oil. Therefore, significantly fewer harmful chemicals are entering your lungs. Terpenes are preserved, which often results in a better flavor. Additionally, vaping allows more THC to enter your body and is much more convenient than smoking.

Even with all of these benefits, cannabis vapes took a serious hit in 2019. Sales plummeted after serious injuries were linked to their use. Recently, however, sales are beginning to rebound and. In some places, they’ve returned to pre-outbreak levels.

What Caused Sales to Decrease?

In 2019, the sale of e-cigarettes and vape products fell due to serious lung injuries and even deaths linked to their use. As of February 2020, the CDC has reported 2,807 hospitalizations and 68 deaths since the outbreak began in May. In the state of California, sales slipped from 32% in the middle of August to 24.3% just about a month later. Declines in sales were seen in many other states as well.

While causes are still being investigated, many of the hospitalizations have been attributed to vitamin E acetate. It’s sometimes used to dilute vaping oils to stretch them further. While the additive isn’t illegal in the US, many states selling medical and recreational cannabis have banned its use. It’s not illegal in California and manufacturers stated that vitamin E acetate isn’t widely used in the legal cannabis market.

Cannabis Vapes Are on the Rebound

In September of 2019, the CDC found that a majority of those hospitalized due to the vaping epidemic were using vaporizers purchased on the illegal cannabis market. Many licensed dispensaries were very quick to point out that hospitalizations were never directly linked to the vape products that they sell.

The rebound of cannabis vapes has been small, but significant. It’s believed that the news coverage of vaping-related hospitalizations and deaths may have played a role. Those who may have previously purchased on the illegal market are shifting to purchasing from licensed dispensaries.

The Importance of Purchasing from a Licensed Dispensary

Black market cannabis vape products are unregulated, untested, and are often made with contaminated cannabis that’s mixed with low-quality (and potentially dangerous) ingredients. The thing is that many counterfeiters are good at disguising their products and making them appear legitimate. Some of the biggest red flags, however, include steep discounts and open-box deals.

When it comes to purchasing cannabis vapes, you need to purchase from a licensed dispensary. At dispensaries, products are required to meet strict regulations. They use only high-quality ingredients and go through stringent testing. This helps to ensure that you are getting only the best products, from cannabis flowers and oils to the products you need to enjoy the benefits that cannabis has to offer.

Regardless of whether you use cannabis for medical or recreational purposes, vaping is a highly effective way to reap its many benefits. Where you purchase your supplies from, however, matters. Buying from trusted, licensed dispensaries will help to ensure that your cannabis and your vaping supplies are all of the highest quality.