THC Vape Pens and Legalization of Marijuana |
Posted: July 27, 2017 |
Vape Pens and Legalization of Marijuana
Vape pens are making marijuana smoking options increasingly accessible, even in public spaces like bars. Because the vapor produced by these pens is nearly odorless and very discreet, you could take a hit from a vape pen when it's least expected, even while out with co-workers, friends or other situations where people might traditionally steer clear of pot.
THC Vape pens are like e-cigarettes for pot, allowing you to partake in intense marijuana concentrates while leaving behind only a cloud of nearly undetectable water vapor. However, the high and the intensity of your hit doesn't suffer. Instead, the concentrates designed for vape pens are highly potent, allowing people to use pot in places where they've traditionally refrained in the past. All over the Internet, you'll find stories about people vaping marijuana at local parks, government business meetings, college classes and even in close proximity to local police. Now that recreational marijuana is legal in states like Colorado or Washington, vape pens are putting a new take on marijuana consumption. Marijuana concentrates used in vape pens are manufactured by extracting THC, the active ingredient in pot, with water, often called "bubble hash." It can then be blended into a butter-like consistency or refined into BHO, or butane hash oil. It can be further enhanced into a wax-like or crystalline solid called "shatter," featuring a power and intensity that is up to three times as strong as traditionally grown buds. Vape pens and marijuana concentrates are growing more popular among THC aficionados as more specialized equipment is being designed to get the most out of these intensified products. Special bongs are available, for instance, to make the most of butane hash oil and allow the user to experience its particularly intense highs. Some worry that the new concentrates could become a problem for the growing marijuana legalization movement. While many marijuana users enjoy the effects and unique options presented by concentrates and vape pens, some worry that the processes used to make some concentrates could be dangerous or that the discretion provided by vape pens may allow minors to partake more easily. The process of creating butane hash oil could be hazardous if handled unsafely or done in-home with lighter fluid, leading to fires or explosions. Poorly made BHO could also carry toxins from the manufacturing process. On the other hand, vape pens can help many people to bring marijuana into more public places and away from darkened corners. Some people worry that it could be easier for teens to use these options, given that candy-flavored vape liquids without THC or other psychoactive substances are also available on the market. Some teens have used similar devices, like e-cigarettes, to try nicotine without the harmful effects of burning tobacco and without the telltale smell. However, much anecdotal evidence indicates that pot use has been popular among teens for some time, and vape pens are merely a new way to experience the existing high, often with the same appeal they hold for older users, including intensity and discretion. Some cities and states that allow medical and recreational marijuana look at concentrates differently than traditional weed and hash. Others simply enforce age regulations on the use and purchase of vape pens similar to the regulations that already exist for the use of pot and other smoking products. A Michigan court, on the other hand, ruled that concentrates aren't permitted under the state's medical marijuana law. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the concentrates are not decriminalized in Michigan cities that have taken this approach to pot. In San Francisco, on the other hand, the Department of Public Health originally asked dispensaries to end their sales of concentrated products, but later pulled back on the request upon user protest. Instead, many are pushing for increased regulation, especially of production facilities for the concentrates. Many marijuana users are big fans of the products and their very discretion means that they don't impact others in the area with odors or secondary smoke. In states like Colorado and Washington, concentrates are legal and regulated. Production facilities must be certified in Colorado, and similar limits on amounts sold apply in Washington as they do for traditional bud and hash. Many fans of the concentrates point out that vape pens are an enjoyable, safe alternative to drinking, an activity frequently carried out in public with much more serious health concerns. The face of marijuana is changing, and it is increasingly represented by vape pens and other advanced concentrate products.
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