Vaporizing cannabis has become a popular method of consumption for medicinal and recreational purposes. Despite the difficult economic landscape, the cannabis market has seen a rise in sales, with electronic cigarette pens contributing significantly to this growth.
Vape pens have shown remarkable resilience in the cannabis market, and this trend is expected 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, overtaking other cannabis products. This increase in demand can be linked to various factors, including convenience and accessibility, making it a preferred choice for cannabis enthusiasts.
Cannabis smoking product
Vaping devices come in a large number of sizes, shapes, and designs. Generally, they are classified into two types:
1. Dab pens
Dub pensBud pens, also known as bud pens, honeycombs, or cracker pens, are specifically designed for use with cannabis concentrates. These pens are usually no larger than a highlighter and are popular with cannabis enthusiasts for their compact size and ease of use.
2. Evaporators
Conversely Vaporizers come in different sizes, from large cabinet design devices to small designs that look like flash drives. They are versatile devices that can be used with cannabis concentrates, dried flowers, and liquid forms of cannabis. Their range of various sizes and capacities makes them a popular choice for cannabis users looking for a customizable vaping experience.
Vapes are the second most preferred category, after 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 from Headset revealed that vape pens are one of the most sought after product categories, with sales increasing steadily over the years.
In 2022, steam pens accounted for 23.6% of all sales, making them the second most popular category after floral, dominating 40.5%. Advance listings followed at 12.3%.
Illinois had the largest market share of e-cigarettes in the United States, with 27.4% of all sales in 2022. California and Florida trailed at 25% and 25.4%, respectively. That’s not all, states with the lowest representation of vapes, such as Michigan, Oregon, and Massachusetts still have a large percentage of overall sales.
Cartridges are the most common type of product, although female consumers are gaining in popularity as entertainment programs open up and ordinary consumers seek convenience. Live rosin vapes are also on the rise as dispensaries tout solvent-free cannabis products that are produced through a process that does not contain solvents.
Although emerging markets in the United States and Canada are growing steadily, some older countries have slowed down due to market saturation and increased competition from other cannabis products such as foods and tinctures. However, pre-rolls continue to rise as consumers prefer the convenience of rolled, ready-to-smoked flowers.
Vape pens are not exempt from price pressure, and consumers typically pay $25 to $50 for half gram or full gram cartridges unless they purchase in a new emerging market with higher prices such as NJ. While this is good news for consumers during an era of inflation, companies may see their profit margins drop.
Increased demand for cannabis concentrate
The increase in the demand for cannabis concentrates is an important factor driving the growth of the electronic cigarette market. These highly potent forms of cannabis can be vaporized with a pen, resulting in a more intense and longer lasting production of cannabis flowers.
Despite the appeal of electronic cigarette pens, concerns about their safety have arisen. In 2019, cases of lung disease related to vapes containing vitamin E acetate caused a temporary drop 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 Pollutants such as heavy metals and pesticides. Some states have even banned some additives in e-cigarette products altogether.
Despite these challenges, Headset expects e-cigarette sales to continue to increase, thanks to increased legalization and new product innovations driving growth in the industry, however, the market is likely to face competition and regulatory changes.
However, steam pens have proven to be a resilient product category, and the report predicts that it will continue to grow as a younger generation of consumers enters the market.
Health implications of vaping cannabis
With regard to the effect of cannabis vaping on public health, the most important consideration is its ability to increase the frequency of cannabis use. This increased use of cannabis can lead to many harmful effects, including road traffic accidents, cannabis addiction, and negative psychosocial outcomes among users.
While medical research indicates that vaporized cannabis produces fewer harmful chemicals than smoking, it still poses a risk to physical and mental health when ingested in concentrated forms with dab or vape pens. These consumption methods can lead to adverse outcomes, including cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) and paranoia.
Furthermore, the effects of cannabis smoking versus cannabis smoking on lung health remain largely unknown. Vaping multitools can only be used with treated and unprocessed flowers, which may contain harmful chemicals. It is important to note that while vaping cannabis is considered a safer alternative to smoking, it is not completely risk-free and can negatively affect one’s health and well-being.
Therefore, it is essential to promote responsible use and education about the potential risks of smoking cannabis. It is also essential to ensure that cannabis products are accurately labeled and regulated to minimize potential harms associated with their use. Only through responsible use and effective regulation can we ensure that the effects of cannabis vaping on public health are minimized.
Conclusion
The cannabis industry is experiencing rapid growth, and the electronic cigarette market contributes greatly to this growth. The convenience, ease of use, and distinction of vape pens make them popular with cannabis consumers, particularly those who prefer concentrates. However, safety concerns have arisen regarding electronic cigarette pens, and many legal markets have implemented stricter regulations to address these concerns.
Despite these challenges, the e-cannabis market is expected to grow with new product innovations and expanded legalization. As the industry develops and matures, it will be interesting to see how regulatory changes and competition will shape the future of the electronic cigarette market and industry.