Points
Health
As you've probably already heard, vaporizing cannabis is much healthier than smoking it. When injesting cannabis, what you are after are the cannabinoids (the bit that gets you high) and the terpenes (the bit that makes it smell and taste good). There are many types of cannabis consumers, and their methods of consumption vary depending on their needs. One thing we know for sure, taking in cannabis via smoking it (especially mixed with tobacco), is the most unhealthy way of doing it. When you smoke cannabis, or anything else for that matter, you don't just take in the bits you want, you also get a lungful of harmful substances, including tar, carbon monoxide and even just the smoke itself.
This all changes when you're using a vaporizer, since you're heating the cannabis (or other herbal material) to the "sweet spot" temperature where all the good stuff, the healthy components like THC, CBD and that lovely flavor are turned into tasty vapor - without the majority of the nasty stuff you get from smoking. Weed vapor is 95% cannabinnoids versus about 12% in smoke. You'll also find your stash will last you longer as nothing is wasted!
Reduced toxins, increased potency
According to a study by California NORML and MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) with support from a grant from the MPP (Marijuana Policy Project), harmful toxins in marijuana smoke can be effectively avoided by a vaporization device.
"The study, conducted by Chemic Labs in Canton, Mass., tested vapors from cannabis heated in an herbal vaporizer known as the Volcano® (manufactured by Storz & Bickel GmbH&Co. KG, Tuttlingen, Germany) and compared them to smoke produced by combusted marijuana. The Volcano® is designed to heat material to temperatures of 130° to 230° C (266° to 446° F) where medically active vapors are produced, but below the threshold of combustion where smoke is formed.
The vapors from the Volcano® were found to consist overwhelmingly of THC, the major active component in marijuana, whereas the combusted smoke contained over 100 other chemicals, including several polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carcinogenic toxins that are common in tobacco smoke. The respiratory hazards of marijuana and tobacco smoke are due to toxic byproducts of combustion, not the active ingredients in the plant.
There you have it. Smoking is bad. Vaporising is better :)
Clean and Better Smelling
Aside from the above benefits of vaporising, it is a cleaner way of consuming cannabis. Not only does it not involve mixing with tobacco (nor do joints, even though many people choose to mix, for various reasons), which is the biggest culprite in creating dirty smoke, but vape from cannabis is pretty pure, and actually smells nice! Instead of a heavy grey cloud, enjoy a light fresh, practically transluscent cloud of vapor. The method of consumption wont leave your hands smelling bad (or getting yellowish), so its also a way more low-key way of taking in your medication. The vapor generally smells less than smoking, so if you have some anti-smoking neighbors, vapor won't bother them as much. In fact, they probably won't mind at all, or even ask what air freshener you are using, since it smells so fresh! :)
Cost effective
According to the same California NORML study cited above, vapor will give you more "bang for your buck" too! "A quantitative analysis found that the Volcano® delivered 46% of the THC into vapor (...) which compares favorably with the typical efficiency of marijuana cigarettes as observed in other studies, which depending on conditions can fall below 25% due to loss of THC in sidestream smoke". In addition to the efficiency in "catching" the majority of THC, you can actually use the material (the marijuana) left over from the vaporizing process. At Smokers Guide, we have been utilizing it for years, and we call is endearingly "load carcass". Its of course way less potent, but great to use for baked goods, pun intended!
