Best Temperature To Vape Weed

Best Temperature to Vape Weed

Choosing the best temperature to vape weed is one of the most unclear and controversial topics in dry herb vaping but according to the Herbonaut article, you can see exactly what temperature is best for achieving your desired effects. It turns out, there is no single best temperature to vape weed. The best temperature to vape your herb is fully dependent on what effects you’re looking for, but it oscillates between 320°F(160°C) and 446°F(230°C).

You will learn that changes in your vaporizer temperature have the potential to change the chemical structure and therefore the medical effects and taste of your marijuana vapor.

Get started below with our simple quick-guide:

320°F(160°C) – 356°F(180°C): Very light mostly mental medication and best for flavour (great if you still have a lot to do that day);
356°F(180°C) – 392°F(200°C): Great flavour with good medication level, bodily effects will be more apparent;
392°F(200°C) – 446°F(230°C): Best if you don’t have anything else to do that day, very strong level of medication, heavy bodily effects.

How Do Temperatures Impact Your Vaping Experience?

All of these cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids found in the Cannabis plant have different boiling points. At certain temperatures, certain compounds will be boiling primarily and the chemical structure of your vapor will differ according to the compounds that are boiling primarily at that particular temperature.

This leads us to the next point:

Aside from the strain, you’re vaping (which honestly has the biggest impact), the chemical structure of your vapor, which is (in part) formed by your temperature, will decide the pharmacological effects, potency and taste of your vapor.

So once you’ve found your perfect strain, when determining the best temperature to vape your perfect strain at, you first have to ask yourself what your goal is: What do you want to achieve while vaping your herb?

To give some examples:

You could be a medical user who’s mainly looking for the physical and painkilling (analgesic) effects of cannabis;
You could be a recreational user whose goal is to go for mainly the euphoriant effects.

Depending on the effects you’re looking for, you will benefit most from the presence and/or absence of certain cannabis compounds. And you can control the presence and/or absence of these compounds with specific temperatures and temperature ranges.

Generally speaking:

Higher temperatures (above 200°C) provide a higher ratio of the type of cannabinoids that have an effect on your body (CBD, CBN, CBC);
While lower temperatures provide a higher ratio of the type of cannabinoids that have an effect on your mind and consciousness (THC).

Here’s a simple guideline:

320°F(160°C) – 356°F(180°C): Very light mostly mental medication and best for flavour (great if you still have a lot to do that day);
356°F(180°C) – 392°F(200°C): Great flavour with good medication level, bodily effects will be more apparent;
392°F(200°C) and up: Best if you don’t have anything else to do that day, very strong level of medication, heavy bodily effects.

320°F(160°C) – 356°F(180°C)

In this temperature range, you will have a higher ratio of the type of cannabinoids that have an effect on your mind and consciousness (THC mostly). This doesn’t mean that the ‘physical’ cannabinoids and terpenoids like CBD, CBN, Linalool, and α-terpineol aren’t present at all, but it does mean that THC will be the dominant cannabinoid in your vapor. THC is the psychoactive cannabinoids in marijuana and primarily responsible for the ‘high’.

Also, the speed of extraction within this temperature range, won’t be as high as in the higher temperature ranges, meaning your vapor will pack less punch. You will get a light mostly mental medication, which is great if you still have a lot to do that day. It’s also the best temperature-range for flavour preservation and the best temperature-range to really taste your herb without any harshness.

356°F(180°C) – 392°F(200°C)

In this temperature range, you will have a balanced ratio of the type of cannabinoids that have an effect on your mind and body. The ‘physical’ cannabinoids and terpenoids like CBD, CBN, Linalool, and α-terpineol will start to be more present in your vapor. But remember that to get high amounts of CBD, it’s important you vape a high-CBD strain. If you vape a regular high-THC strain, chances are you won’t be getting very significant amounts of CBD no matter what temperature you vape at.

In general, you will get a stronger mental medication because the speed of THC-extraction will be higher than in the lower temperatures, which can be too much if you still have a lot to do that day. The bodily effects will also be more apparent: you might get a bit of a lethargic feeling (depending on your strain and how well your marijuana is cured). The flavor stays well in this temperature range.

392°F(200°C) – 446°F(230°C)

In this temperature range, you will have a higher ratio of the type of cannabinoids and terpenoids that have an effect on your body (CBD, CBN, CBC, Linalool, and α-terpineol). Your medication will have a strong physical aspect to it, which is great if you don’t have anything to do that day. But your mental medication can also be more intense here because the speed of THC-extraction will be very high in this temperature range. Your vapor will pack a real punch. Depending on your vaporizer and vaping-setup, the flavor might deteriorate in this temp-range: it can get harsh.

Important note: Please do realize that when you vape above 392°F(200°C) you risk inhaling benzene and other toxic by-products. Less than with smoking, but still something to consider.

Five Stereotypical Cannabis Users & Their Best Temp to Vape Weed

1. The Medical User

The medical user vapes cannabis mostly or purely for its medicinal properties. Maybe you’re someone with one of the following diseases/medical issues (this list is not exhaustive mind you):

Nausea and vomiting;
Appetite loss;
Spasticity;
Pain;
Movement disorders;
Headache/migraine;
Epilepsy
Asthma;
Autoimmune diseases and inflammation
Psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, sleep disorders, bipolar disorders, etc.);

And vaping cannabis helps you with your medical issue. The consciousness- and mind-altering effects of cannabis mostly attributed to the most well-known cannabinoid THC are simply a welcome or unwelcome by-product for you. Definitely not the main reason why you’re vaping medical marijuana.

What temperature should you set your vaporizer as a medical user?

As a medical user, the optimal vaping temperature should be at around 392°F(200°C).

The boiling point of CBD is 320°F( 160°C) – 356°F(180°C). The boiling point of THC is 315°F(157°C). So you would think just go for a minimum temperature of 356°F(180°C) but according to a study which found that the highest yield of CBD in Cannabis vapor was found at 446°F(230°C). This, however, is a very risky temperature because of two reasons:

The risk of accidentally combusting your herb will be high at this temperature (combustion can start after 446°F / 230°C)
When you vape above 392°F(200°C) you risk inhaling benzene and other toxic by-products. Less than with smoking, but still something to consider.

Herbonaut advise against vaping at 446°F(230°C). Instead, don’t go above 392°F(200°C), unless you really have to (for example if the only way to feel effects is when going higher than this, but for most people there really is no reason to go above 392°F / 200°C)

2. The Healthy Super-Stoner

You’re a stoner, but a health-conscious one, that’s why you vaporize instead of smoke. You like to get baked and get baked WELL. The euphoriant effects of the herb combined with that sedative tingling feeling all over your body are what characterizes your average vaping session.

What temperature should you set your vaporizer as a healthy super-stoner?

As a healthy super-stoner, the optimal vaping temperature should be at around 392°F(200°C).

This definitely is high enough to vaporize all of the THC, but also high enough to get a decent amount of CBD, CBN, linalool, and α-terpineol. If you go higher, first of all, you risk exposing yourself to benzene and other toxic by-products (plus you’re not looking for any medical benefits associated with the higher temperatures). But you also risk dampening the euphoric effects of THC with the release of THCV. On top of this, the THC to CBN / CBD ratio will be skewed towards CBN / CBD and you will experience the sedative and physical effects stronger compared to the euphoriant effects.

3. The High-Class Cannabis Connoisseur

As a high-class connoisseur, you prioritize the flavour of marijuana. Flavour above all else is your mantra. Any psychoactive, physical, or medical effects are secondary to flavour.

What temperature should you set your vaporizer as a high-class connoisseur?

As a cannabis connoisseur, the optimal vaping temperature should be at around 356°F(180°C).

So why go higher than 315°F(157°C)? Because to get to the most well-researched terpenoids, you will have to go as far as 356°F(180°C). You will actually start to notice that if you go higher than this, the flavour of your vapor can deteriorate, with the general rule:

The higher you go with the temperature, the more the flavour will deteriorate.

With 356°F(180°C), you will get most of the terpenoids for a full and intense blast of flavours, but without any harshness that comes from vaping at high temperatures. Important to understand is that there’s no one single terpenoid that contributes most to the taste of marijuana so don’t go searching for ‘the one’. On a side-note, the temperature is just one of the many variables that have a decisive impact on the taste of your vapor.

4. The Explorer of Consciousness

The explorer of consciousness is someone who uses Cannabis for artistic or spiritual adventures. Its consciousness- and mind-altering properties are what draws you to cannabis. When vaping you’re either looking for a jolt of creativity, expanding the boundaries of your imagination. Or you use it to achieve states of non-ordinary consciousness to get into a really deep meditation session.

What temperature should you set your vaporizer as an explorer of consciousness?

As an explorer of consciousness, the optimal vaping temperature should be at around 365°F(185°C).

The explorer of consciousness should go high enough to vaporize most of the THC (according to a study this point is at 365°F(185°C)). But also high enough to get a decent amount of CBD (boiling point: 320°F( 160°C) – 356°F(180°C)) and the terpenoids with anti-anxiety effects. But low enough to keep the compounds that dampen the consciousness- and mind-altering effects of THC, like THCV (boiling point: 428°F(220°C)) in your vapor to a minimum. Also, you don’t want to get into a couch-lock or experience feelings of lethargy and laziness in general.

How you avoid this is by keeping the temperature below 365°F(185°C): the boiling point of CBN. This is the cannabinoid that is responsible for the sedative effects of cannabis. You will also avoid the vaporization of the sedative terpenoids: linalool and α-terpineol, this way.

The social party animal is someone who likes to vape cannabis on social occasions, at parties, while going out or just general social gatherings.

What temperature should you set your vaporizer as a social party animal?

As a social party-animal, the optimal vaping temperature should be at around 356°F(180°C).

The social party animal should go high enough to vaporize all THC. And high enough to get a decent amount of CBD and the terpenoids with anti-anxiety effects.

But low enough to keep the compounds that reduce the euphoriant effects of THC to a minimum. Compounds like THCV.

Also, you want to avoid couch-lock or experience feelings of lethargy.

Reference: Herbonaut