These days there are countless ways to consume cannabis. Whether you’re eating gummies, dabbing concentrates, ingesting Rick Simpson oil (RSO), or going with a good old-fashioned joint, there’s a method for everyone.
However, while all of the above options for ingesting THC cannabis have upsides, none combine the convenience, potency, and ease of THC cartridges.
We can hear you asking, “What is a weed cartridge?” This quick guide to THC cartridges will tell you everything you need to know, including what they are, how vapes work, what kind of THC oil they use, and where to buy the best THC carts today.
THC vape cartridges explained
By now, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about vaporizers. A vaporizer is a battery-operated device that uses a heated coil to release the psychoactive THC vapors from cannabis without combusting it and creating smoke.
The primary advantage of vaporizing cannabis instead of smoking (and combusting) is lung safety. Vaping is considered safer for your lungs since cancer-causing carcinogens are kept from being released by not heating cannabis material at high temperatures.
So, what is a THC cartridge? In a nutshell, a weed cart (as they’re also called) is a sealed glass tube containing THC concentrate. The contrate usually weighs between a half and full gram and is prefilled by the cart manufacturer.
THC cartridges contain a heating element known as a coil, typically made from metal or ceramic. Batteries that attach to the cartridge under the heating element are what warm them up. You’ll find the vape pen mouthpiece opposite the cartridge from where the battery connects.
When you’re ready to vaporize using a THC cart, all you need to do is press the button on the battery — keep holding it while you take a draw from the mouthpiece. Alternatively, some THC vape pens automatically heat the coil when they sense you taking a hit.
When the battery heats the coil, it reaches a minimum temperature that atomizes the oil inside the cartridge and creates a vapor you inhale. When you see people exhaling huge milky vapor clouds after hitting a weed cart, you see strictly vapor, not smoke.
What’s so great about THC oil in weed carts?
One of the things people get super excited about with weed carts is the THC oil — but what’s the big deal? Like other types of cannabis concentrate, the THC oil found in weed carts is a highly concentrated form of cannabis that packs a great deal of potency into a small package.
That’s why indica carts, sativa carts, and hybrid carts have exploded onto the marketplace and can be found on the shelves of the best dispensaries. Simply put, cannabis enthusiasts feel like they’re an incredible value with tons of bang for your buck.
It’s not uncommon for a THC cartridge, such as one by premium cannabis manufacturer Stiiizy carts, to feature lab-tested THC concentration north of 70% — and even as high as 95%. In comparison, the most potent cannabis flowers usually contain around 30% THC concentration.
As you can easily see, one hit from a THC cartridge is enough to blow your hair back, even if you already have a high tolerance. When combined with the extra gentle touch on your lungs, it’s pretty clear why THC cartridges are winning people over. Read what Healthline says on Vaping Vs Smoking Weed.
Types of THC cartridges
Something to keep in mind is not all THC cartridges are made equal. There are several different types of cartridges out there, such as live resin cartridges, wax carts, and oil concentrate carts. The differences between them are subtle and worth paying attention to.
Live resin cartridges
This particular type of THC cartridge focuses on flavor and aroma instead of potency. Live resin concentrate is made by taking fresh cannabis flowers, freezing them immediately after harvest to preserve their properties, then extracting those properties to maintain the strain’s flavor profile.
Wax cartridges
Around the same time vaporizing caught on, another method called dabbing was getting popular too. Dabbing involves taking a thick cannabis wax concentrate that resembles oozing honey and placing it on a special dabbing tool, then heating it with a torch for a potent high. Wax carts take that same substance, seal it in a cartridge, and use atomizers to heat them at lower temperatures.
THC oil carts
Unlike live resin and wax cartridges, THC oil carts are premium on potency. They often use unique extraction methods like Supercritical CO2 Extraction to retain as much of the plant material’s THC concentration as possible. That’s why you’ll often find these cartridges containing the highest percentages of THC.
THC cartridge effects
When inhaling from a THC cartridge, you’re generally taking a minor hit than smoking a joint, dabbing, or ingesting cannabis edibles. That means the effects, though very potent, might not keep you high for as long as other options.
So, to keep the effects going, you’ll find yourself drawing from your THC vape pen somewhat regularly — that’s not a bad thing in our book. Why? Because it allows you to fine-tune your dose and the effects more precisely than other methods.
The best place to buy weed cartridges
As great as THC cartridges are, you must be sure you’re buying top-quality carts. If you don’t, you might end up buying cartridges filled with additive-infused oil. Your lungs won’t enjoy that and are less potent to boot.
Grassp Health is a cannabis delivery and concierge specializing in delivering the highest quality cannabis cartridges to your front door. At Grassp Health, you can find the best names in THC vaporizer products, including Timeless carts, Cake carts, Select Elite carts, and much more.
They’ve done the legwork behind the scenes to bring you pure THC carts without the filler so you can vape in peace no matter where you are.