Vaping vs. Smoking vs. Ingesting Cannabis - what is the difference?

Method	Onset	Duration	Important Notes
Smoking • Smoking the dried flower from the cannabis plant in a pipe, bong, or joint is a common method of ingestion. • The chain reaction that occurs upon inhalation happens very quickly and delivers the cannabinoids to your system with extreme efficiency	Within seconds of inhalation	Effects will generally peak within thirty minutes and diminish anywhere from 1-3 hours after ingestion	The smoke generated from burning papers and lighter fluid chemicals contain carcinogenic compounds
Vaping • A smokeless form of inhalation. Vaporizers heat cannabis plant matter (or its oil) to a temperature that forces trichomes away from the plant into the vapors	Within seconds of inhalation	Effects will generally peak before thirty minutes and diminish in a couple of hours	Using cartridges and oils from reputable companies is incredibly important as there is a risk of chemical solvents and low quality materials during this transitional period as health and safety regulations are implemented
Edibles • The cannabinoids reach the cells by the way of the liver, which converts THC into another, more potent chemical, 11-hydroxy-THC. Edibles can come in many forms, including gummies, jerky, chocolate, ice cream, pizza, and mints	Fifteen minutes to two hours depending on metabolism and whether or not the user ingests them on an empty stomach (which accelerates absorption)	Roughly 4-6 hours, though unusually high doses can result in effects lasting over 24 hours	Because of the delayed onset of edibles, some users ingest additional portions in order to achieve their desired effects. This leads to overconsumption and doses that can be overwhelming to users for substantially long periods of time

Method

Onset

Duration

Important Notes

Smoking

• Smoking the dried flower from the cannabis plant in a pipe, bong, or joint is a common method of ingestion.
• The chain reaction that occurs upon inhalation happens very quickly and delivers the cannabinoids to your system with extreme efficiency

Within seconds of inhalation

Effects will generally peak within thirty minutes and diminish anywhere from 1-3 hours after ingestion

The smoke generated from burning papers and lighter fluid chemicals contain carcinogenic compounds

Vaping

• A smokeless form of inhalation. Vaporizers heat cannabis plant matter (or its oil) to a temperature that forces trichomes away from the plant into the vapors

Within seconds of inhalation

Effects will generally peak before thirty minutes and diminish in a couple of hours

Using cartridges and oils from reputable companies is incredibly important as there is a risk of chemical solvents and low quality materials during this transitional period as health and safety regulations are implemented

Edibles

• The cannabinoids reach the cells by the way of the liver, which converts THC into another, more potent chemical, 11-hydroxy-THC. Edibles can come in many forms, including gummies, jerky, chocolate, ice cream, pizza, and mints

Fifteen minutes to two hours depending on metabolism and whether or not the user ingests them on an empty stomach (which accelerates absorption)

Roughly 4-6 hours, though unusually high doses can result in effects lasting over 24 hours

Because of the delayed onset of edibles, some users ingest additional portions in order to achieve their desired effects. This leads to overconsumption and doses that can be overwhelming to users for substantially long periods of time

Topics

Smoke Free Campus