A beginner's guide with everything you need to know about vaping medical marijuana products available in VA dispensaries.
With Virginia’s cannabis legislation making progress by leaps and bounds, residents are looking at their options with a fresh perspective. One damper on the excitement of adult-use legalization as of July 1, 2021, is the fact that it still won’t be legal to purchase anywhere until 2024.
However, one solution for getting legal access to marijuana without a 2.5 year wait, is to get a medical recommendation. Qualifying is easy when you schedule a telehealth appointment with Virginia Marijuana Card, and we even offer same-day appointments.
Once you have your marijuana card, you can visit any dispensary in the state or take advantage of their convenient delivery service. That’s right. Having a medical marijuana card in Virginia means you can have your cannabis delivered right to your door.
While there are lots of different products available in Virginia dispensaries right now and more on the way, this blog is going to focus on vaping. Stay tuned for more beginner’s guides from Virginia Marijuana Card’s blog in the future, and don’t forget to check out our beginner’s guide to edibles and getting started growing marijuana plants in Virginia.
What is Vaping, Anyway?
When thinking about vaping, massive sweet-smelling plumes of vapor cloud and fun party tricks (remember parties?) like the ones performed by this guy often come to mind. You can vape all sorts of different products and substances, including just about any dry herb, nicotine, and of course cannabis.
While vaping cannabis is not quite as showy and sweet as vaping Fruity Pebbles-flavored vape juice with a sub ohm, the results are way better than a party trick and some nicotine. Vaping medical marijuana results in vapor that has been produced at the ideal temperature to highlight the flavors and effects of the terpenes in your chosen strain.
Vaping Products at VA Dispensaries: A Tailored Experience
As of May 2021, VA dispensaries do not carry any flower, and there is nothing “combustible'' available. Flower should hit Virginia shelves by the end of summer, but in the meantime you are limited to vape pens, an occasional concentrate (like crumble), edibles, tinctures, and topicals.
The nice thing about the vape pens available in Virginia is that many are formulated to produce a specific effect, and you don’t have to do the mental math to decide if the terpenes are right for your goals. Dharma Pharmaceuticals, which delivers to most of Western Virginia, produces vape oils formulated for increased energy, focus, or calm.
In addition to providing the convenience of a ready-made, tailored cannabis treatment experience, using a vape pen has lots of other benefits.
Vaping Medical Marijuana May be Safer Than Smoking Cannabis
If you are currently purchasing cannabis on the illegal market and you don’t know the grower, you have no idea what went into your plants.
Cannabis is a bioaccumulator, meaning that it absorbs everything in its environment. This can be harmful if your cannabis was grown in polluted soil or irrigated with contaminated water. Additionally, few pesticides or fertilizers are approved for use on cannabis.
One of the biggest reasons to vape instead of smoking, is that may be easier on the lungs than smoking. When you vape, your oil is heated to just below burning. This means that what you inhale from a vape device is not as hot as what you inhale when you set your buds on fire.
Vape Products are Usually Very Potent
Vaping produces strong results because the oils are usually highly concentrated. For example, gLeaf’s Martian Monkey II vape cartridge contains 13.5% THC and 48.4% CBD. Other oils have a much stronger concentration of THC, like gLeaf’s 3 Chems III vape cartridge, at 82.8% THC.
Vaping is Relatively Discreet
The guy with the sub ohm may not be discreet, but medical marijuana vape products are. First of all, everything is self-contained. You don’t need to bring a lighter, and you can usually fit your device into your pocket (even women’s pants pockets). Additionally, even though your vapor still smells like cannabis, it’s generally a much lighter odor that dissipates quickly and doesn’t linger on your clothes.
Vaping Can be Flavorful
Vaping cannabis brings out the terpenes, and that means more flavor. Many products are formulated to have a specific taste and scent. And while they are almost always still strongly cannabis-heavy, you can get definite notes of Thin Mintz and Lemon Haze from oils made with those strains.
Disposable Vape Pens Vs. Concentrate Cartridges
Disposable Vape Pens
Disposable vape pens are not the most eco-friendly option, because the pen is ultimately a battery that heats the oil in your cartridge. Every time you throw one away, you are throwing away another battery, which must be properly disposed of. Some disposable vape batteries are actually rechargeable, and you may want to keep them around if you can find individual cartridges that fit the pen.
Despite the effort it takes to dispose of vape batteries safely, they are the absolute most convenient way to consume medical marijuana. All you have to do is open the package and you are ready to go.
Concentrate Cartridges
Concentrate cartridges are a lot more eco-friendly, and they are still almost as convenient as the disposable pens. They come in varying sizes, there is more variety in what’s currently available, and they are generally less expensive.
Virginia dispensaries sell vape batteries that match the sizes of the cartridges they carry, and you can pick one up for as little as $10.
Once you have the cartridge you want and a fully-charged battery, you are ready to go! Just drop the cartridge into your battery, and you are ready to start enjoying the natural relief you deserve!
Get Started Sampling all the Products at Dispensaries in the Commonwealth
In order to enjoy the variety of medical marijuana products at dispensaries in Virginia, you need a marijuana card. Once you have one, you can visit any dispensary in the state, and you can even take advantage of the delivery services offered by three out of the four that are currently operating.
Book a private telehealth appointment with one of our marijuana doctors today, in order to start getting the natural relief you deserve in the format that works best for you!
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
At Virginia Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to MMJ. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (888) 633-5808, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out Virginia Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in Virginia!