Cannabis vaping has become a popular method of consumption for both medicinal and recreational purposes. Despite the challenging economic landscape, the cannabis market has seen a surge in sales, with vape pens significantly contributing to this growth.
Vape pens have demonstrated remarkable resilience in the cannabis market, and this trend is predicted to continue as a new generation of buyers enters the market. Thanks to their ease of use, vape pens have become dominant on dispensary shelves, outpacing other cannabis products. This increase in demand can be linked to various factors, including convenience and accessibility, making it a go-to choice for cannabis enthusiasts.
Cannabis Vaping Product
Vaping devices come in a plethora of sizes, shapes, and designs. Generally, they are classified into two types:
- Dab pens
Dab pens, also known as budder, honeycomb, or shatter pens, are specifically designed for use with dab cannabis concentrates. These pens are typically no larger than a highlighter and are popular among cannabis enthusiasts for their compact size and ease of use.
- Vaporizers
Conversely, vaporizers come in various sizes, from large tank-design devices to small, flash drive-like designs. They are versatile devices that can be used with cannabis concentrates, dried flowers, and liquid forms of cannabis. Their diverse range of sizes and capabilities make them a popular choice for cannabis users seeking a customizable vaping experience.
Vapes Ranked as The Second Most Favored Category, Just Behind Cannabis Flowers.
Vaporizing cannabis with vape pens is gaining popularity in the industry due to its convenience, ease of use, and discretion. In fact, a report by Headset revealed that vape pens are one of the most sought-after product categories, with sales steadily increasing over the years.
In 2022, vapor pens accounted for 23.6% of the total sales, making it the second most popular category next to flower, which dominated at 40.5%. Pre-rolls followed at 12.3%.
Illinois had the biggest market share of vapes in the U.S., with 27.4% of total sales in 2022. California and Florida came in closely behind with 25% and 25.4%, respectively. Thats not all, states with the lowest representation of vapes, such as Michigan, Oregon, and Massachusetts still had a significant portion of overall sales.
Cartridges are the most popular product type, although disposables are gaining popularity as recreational programs open and casual consumers seek convenience. Live rosin vapes are also on the rise as dispensaries promote solventless cannabis products produced through a solventless process.
Although emerging markets in the U.S. and Canada are growing steadily, some legacy states have slowed down due to market saturation and increased competition from other cannabis products like edibles and tinctures. Nevertheless, pre-rolls are still rising as consumers prefer the convenience of flower-rolled and ready-to-smoke.
Vape pens are not exempted from price compression, and consumers typically pay $25-$50 for half-gram or full-gram cartridges unless they purchase in a new emerging rec market with higher pricing like New Jersey. While this is good news for consumers during an inflationary era, businesses may experience a decline in their margins.
Increase in Demand of Cannabis Concentrate
The surge in demand for cannabis concentrates is a significant factor pushing the growth of the cannabis vape market. These highly potent forms of cannabis can be vaporized using a pen, delivering a more intense and longer-lasting high than traditional cannabis flowers.
Despite the appeal of vape pens, concerns have arisen regarding their safety. In 2019, cases of lung illness associated with vapes containing vitamin E acetate, caused a temporary decline in sales as consumers became more cautious.
To address these issues, many legal cannabis markets have implemented stricter regulations on vapor pen products, such as California’s rigorous testing for contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides. Some states have even banned certain additives in vape products altogether.
Despite these challenges, Headset predicts that sales of vapes will continue to increase, thanks to increased legalization and new product innovations driving growth in the industry, however, the market will likely face competition and regulatory changes.
Nonetheless, vapor pens have proven to be a resilient product category, and the report predicts that they will continue to grow as a younger generation of consumers enters the market.
Health Implication of Cannabis Vaping
Regarding the impact of adult cannabis vaping on public health, the most crucial consideration is its potential to increase the frequency of cannabis use. This heightened use of cannabis can lead to various harmful effects, including road traffic accidents, cannabis addiction, and adverse psychosocial outcomes among users.
While medical research suggests that vaporized cannabis produces fewer harmful chemicals than smoking, it still risks physical and mental wellness when consumed in concentrated forms using dab or vape pens. Such consumption methods can lead to adverse outcomes, including cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) and paranoia.
Furthermore, the effects of smoking versus vaping cannabis on lung health remain largely unknown. Multiple vaping instruments can be used with processed and unprocessed flowers, which may contain harmful chemicals. It’s important to note that even though vaporizing cannabis is considered a safer alternative to smoking, it’s not entirely risk-free and can still adversely affect an individual’s health and well-being.
Therefore, it’s crucial to promote responsible use and educate about the potential risks of cannabis vaping. It’s also essential to ensure that cannabis products are accurately labeled and regulated to minimize the potential harms related to their use. Only through responsible use and effective regulation can we ensure that the public health impacts of adult cannabis vaping are minimized.
Conclusion
The cannabis industry is rapidly growing, with the vape market significantly contributing to this growth. The convenience, ease of use, and discreteness of vape pens make them popular among cannabis consumers, particularly those who prefer concentrates. However, safety concerns have arisen regarding vape pens, and many legal markets have implemented stricter regulations to address these concerns.
Despite these challenges, the cannabis vape market is expected to grow with new product innovations and expanding legalization. As the industry evolves and matures, it will be interesting to see how regulatory changes and competition will shape the future of the cannabis vape market and the industry. (Full Story)