Are Dab Pens Safety？

The legalization of marijuana will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of people who smoke marijuana, and even in the nation’s capital, dispensaries are sprouting up across the country. These establishments offer not only traditional cannabis products like bud and edibles but also cater to the rising popularity of a new trend in the cannabis world: dabbing.

However, as various forms of marijuana consumption gain traction, concerns about the safety of dab pens have emerged, prompting many to ask, “Are dab pens safety?”

For any emerging trend, questions arise about safety. In this blog, we’ll delve into the safety aspects of dab pens, examining their benefits and important considerations to ensure a responsible and enjoyable dabbing experience.

What Are Dab Pens?

Dab pens are portable vaporizers designed specifically for consuming cannabis concentrates, such as wax, shatter, or oil. They consist of a battery, a heating element (usually a ceramic or quartz coil), and a chamber to hold the concentrate. When activated, the heating element vaporizes the concentrate, which the user can then inhale through the mouthpiece.

Why use a dab pen to vaporize marijuana？

The decision to use a dab pen for vaporizing marijuana stems from its unique method of extracting the compounds.

Unlike traditional burnt flower products, dab pens utilize extracts heated below the burning temperature, ensuring that the compounds are not burned or degraded. This vaporization process allows more of the healing compounds to be preserved in the vapor, making it a preferred option for medical users seeking quick relief. By using a dab pen, individuals can maximize the therapeutic benefits and enjoy a more potent and effective experience.

Are dabs and dab pens safe?

Dab pens offer a convenient and potentially safer way to consume cannabis concentrates compared to traditional smoking methods.

Vaporization below combustion temperature is one of the best-recommended alternatives to smoking marijuana. The dab pen heats the cannabis concentrate at moderate temperatures, evaporating the active cannabinoids into an aerosol with less harmful ingredients. Therefore, dabs are considered a safer alternative to smoking marijuana.

Some dab pens on the market do have potential safety hazards. Especially low-priced disposable dabs need to pay attention to the explosion problem.  What’s more, many disposable vape pens still use plastic close to the heating element.

While most vaping pen plastics used in vaporizer pens are considered “thermally safe,” plastics are known to release chemical compounds of unknown risk when heated. The harm that these compounds bring to the body is continual.

High-quality products reduce risk, while low-quality hardware and unregulated styluses increase the danger.

The Benefits of Dab Pens

• Convenience: Dab pens offer unparalleled convenience, especially for those who prefer a more discreet and odorless method of consuming cannabis concentrates. They are small and easy to carry, making them ideal for on-the-go use.
• Precise Dosage: Unlike traditional smoking methods, dab pens allow users to control the dosage more accurately. This precise dosing can be especially beneficial for medical cannabis users who need specific amounts for symptom relief.
• Enhanced Flavor: Dab pens can provide a cleaner taste compared to traditional smoking methods, as they vaporize the concentrate at lower temperatures, preserving the terpenes and flavors of the cannabis.
• Reduced Health Risks: Vaporizing cannabis concentrates produces fewer harmful by-products compared to combustion, which can be beneficial for individuals concerned about potential respiratory issues.

Are dabs addictive?

Because the THC content of the concentrate is significantly higher than that of flowers, dabs are more addictive. Like any other drug, marijuana carries a risk of dependence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 10 percent of marijuana users become addicted. If you start using the drug before age 18, you have a 1 in 6 chance of becoming addicted. If you’re addicted to getting and smoking, you might be addicted to dabbing.

Precautions during use

1. Dab pen hardware

The first thing to consider when using a dab pen is the quality of the dab pen hardware itself.

As we mentioned before, many disposable vape pens still use plastic close to the heating element.

Low-quality plastic and metal particles degrade under high temperatures and enter into your lungs with dabbing. In particular, dab pens that are not licensed for production are not only a safety risk, but they are also more likely to use low-quality plastics that may contain BPA or similar molecules that affect the endocrine hormone system. If you want to avoid the risk of inhaling these potentially harmful chemicals, stick to cartridges and dab pens available from licensed retailers.

Here is a guide on how to select dab pens.

2. Use temperature

Temperature is one of the most important safety factors that need to be considered when using a dab pen. In addition to creating a larger cloud of vapor, heating the polymer at a relatively high temperature may produce a stronger and faster effect than a low-temperature dab. However, heating at too high a temperature may unintentionally release carcinogens. Low temperatures don’t provide as much cloud but generally provide a smoother, milder flavor and a safer feel.

For beginners, the ideal way to find the optimum temperature for a dab pen during use is through trial and error with different temperature settings for the dab pen. However, if your dab pen has limited temperature settings (or no temperature settings at all), you may be disappointed with the experience your dab pen provides. Therefore, you need to understand the dab pen’s functional characteristics before purchasing.

3. Dosage

Concentrates of THC are much higher than directly smoking marijuana flower, and marijuana concentrates—such as rosin, dabs, chips, and waxes—have the strongest THC concentrations, ranging from 54% to 80%. So be sure to pay attention to the dosage when dabbing with polymers.

Improper doses can produce a range of side effects, such as headaches, increased heart rate, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, high blood pressure, anxiety, and more. Food dosages are usually standardized by law, 5 mg per serving. Some states offer low-dose foods as little as 1 mg per serving.

For beginners, be sure to pay attention to the dose of the concentrate when trying it for the first time, within the acceptable range, and establish tolerance.

Conclusion

Dap pen offers a convenient, portable, and discreet way to consume and experience cannabis. Dap pens from licensed retailers are unlikely to cause major health problems in the long run. But there are still no scientific studies on the effects of long-term and overuse of the stylus. All in all, avoiding the use of illegally traded dab oil or ink cartridges and paying attention to the above three factors is an important parts of using dab pens safely.