About 14 million Americans are frequent cannabis users. Vape cartridges are becoming popular because they're potent and discrete to use.
You deserve a cartridge that suits your needs. There are way more low-quality cartridges out there than people realize, but good cartridges are worth the effort.
Here are some things you should consider when buying weed carts:
Where You Buy a Weed Cartridge From Matters
Where does your cartridge come from? The place where you buy vape carts from plays a big role in determining their quality.
Legitimate dispensaries are the best places to get vape cartridges. That way, you know that the products you're getting are safe and pure.
If you're buying from the black market, you never truly know what you're getting in a cartridge. Black market cartridges are often "cut" with filler substances like propylene glycol. These fillers could be dangerous to your health, so as a rule, don't buy cartridges from the black market.
Strain and Effects
Vaping cartridges contain different strains of marijuana. Make sure you know the strain in a vape cartridge before buying it.
Ask your budtender whether the cartridge contains a single strain or a hybrid strain. Hybrid strains contain the effects of two plants combined. The most common hybrid strains combine an Indica strain with a Sativa strain.
Different strains of cannabis have different effects. Your budtender should be able to tell you what kind of effects you can expect from a cartridge.
It's especially important to be mindful of strains and effects when you're using cannabis to help with a health condition. For example, a Sativa strain isn't helpful if you're vaping to fall asleep.
THC vs. CBD
It's important to know the ratios of THC and CBD in a cartridge. It will tell you a lot about a cartridge's intended use.
Most cartridges contain both THC and CBD. There are pure THC carts, but there are also carts that only contain CBD.
Ask your budtender about a cartridge's potency before you buy it. Buying a cartridge that's high in THC could save you money in the long-run. However, that's not going to help you if you want the relaxing and anxiety-relieving components of CBD.
Full-Spectrum Cartridges
The best weed cartridges contain full-spectrum cannabis oil. Full-spectrum cannabis products contain cannabinoids from the whole plant, not just the THC, CBD, or another single cannabinoid.
The extraction process for full-spectrum cannabis oil doesn't isolate THC or any other cannabinoids. Instead, it extracts all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other feel-good compounds available in cannabis.
If a cartridge isn't full-spectrum, you're missing out on experiencing a strain's benefits in full.
Hardware
Good cartridges have acrylic or glass tanks. Don't use plastic cartridges because sooner or later, cannabis degrades plastic. High-quality cartridges usually have metal housing.
Ask what the cartridge's coil is made of. Cheap coils contain exposed heavy metals that can burn into your vapor.
Don't buy cartridges with fiberglass wicks. Fiberglass wicks are prone to gunking up and burning. When fiberglass burns, it releases carcinogens that you'll wind up inhaling.
The best kind of cartridge doesn't require a wick. CCell cartridges have wickless coils and they're the best on the market.
CCell atomizers are better because they have bigger holes. This allows thicker and purer oil to move through them which results in a stronger vape dose. Speaking of oil...
Oil Quality
The quality of the oil ultimately determines how "good" you'll feel after vaping it. Pure cannabis oil is flavorful, aromatic, and pleasant. You can smell its earthy, sweet, pine-like, or citrus-like notes through the tank.
If the oil smells synthetic, watch out: The cartridge probably contains synthetic flavors and additives. Also, never buy a cartridge with oil that tastes or smells bitter, burnt, or sour.
(Note: I'm talking about the bad kind of sour—not the good kind of "sour" like you'll find in the strain Sour Diesel.)
Color
Much like different types of concentrates, you should inspect an oil's color before making a purchasing decision. Good oil tends to be a light shade of amber, golden yellow, or gold.
If the oil is darker than light amber, it's not high-quality.
Thickness
Another way you can determine a cartridge's quality is by turning the cartridge upside down. If an air bubble moves to the other side of the cartridge, it's a low-quality cart with thin oil that's probably cut with something. Pure cannabis oil is thick and slow to move from one position to the next.
If your cannabis barely moves when turned upside down, it's probably high-quality oil.
Name Brand
The best cannabis brands are proud of their products. When a reputable company makes a vape cartridge, you'll find that company's name somewhere on cartridge's box or the cartridge itself.
Shady cartridges often don't have names attached to them. For example, if a cartridge just says "exotic cart" on it, don't buy it.
Low-quality cartridges might sport the name of a company without a professional online presence. Sure, a brand might have a few social media accounts, but that doesn't mean it's legitimate.
When researching a brand, look for names. The best cannabis brands are associated with real professionals in the cannabis world.
Warning: websites like Cute.com and DHGate.com sell empty brand name cartridges with matching boxes. That means anyone with a computer and some money can fill up branded cartridges and claim they're legitimate.
Buy The Cartridge Of Your Dreams
Around the world, about 238 million people enjoy cannabis. As cannabis grows in popularity, it's important to know how to choose a good weed cartridge.
There are 40 million cannabis users in North America alone. Vape cartridges are becoming more common as the marijuana vaping trend takes off.
Use your newfound cartridge knowledge wisely—check out our oil cartridges for yourself. Our selection will blow your mind.