What is a Marijuana Vape Pen & How Does It Work?

September 19, 2023

Ready to try vaping? You’re not alone. Marijuana vaping is a billion-dollar industry, and it is only growing. If you’re ready to shop for your marijuana vape pen and cannabis cartridges, this is the perfect guide for you. We’ve got the answers you need to make an informed purchase at your next dispensary stop.


What is a Marijuana Vape Pen?

A marijuana vape pen is a portable, pen-shaped vaporizer that is most commonly used with cartridges containing cannabis oil. Their small size, coupled with the fact that vapor has a significantly more subtle aroma than marijuana smoke, make them a great choice for cannabis enthusiasts who want to respectfully enjoy their product without bothering anyone else.


How Does a Cannabis Vape Pen Work?

A cannabis vape pen works by heating the marijuana product to the point that it turns into a vapor that can be inhaled. But how does that actually happen? Well, there are two ways that a vape pen heats its contents:

Conduction: With a conduction vape pen, the cannabis oil is heated because it’s in direct contact with a heating element. This contact creates the vapor we know and love. There are a couple of downsides to the conduction marijuana pen, however. First, it doesn’t evenly heat the product. This means that some product could be wasted because, and this is the second downside, it gets burned by the heating element. Too much heat isn’t a good thing with vape pens, and so if your pen is too hot or your coil isn’t doing its job right, it can burn your cannabis oil and turn a great session into a real bummer.


Convection: A convection vape pen swaps a hot surface and direct contact with hot air and zero contact between the heating element and the cannabis product. Similar to many ovens found in kitchens across the country, a convection vape heats the air within the atomizer. That air comes in contact with the cannabis oil and turns it into a vapor. While this process can take longer than a conduction vape, it’s much less likely to ruin your product. 


What Are the Different Types of Marijuana Vape Pens?

Not all marijuana vape pens are created equal. In fact, you can find three different types of vape pens in most dispensaries. They are:


  • Vape Pen: A classic vape pen is a disposable or rechargeable handheld vaporizer that heats cannabis oil into a vapor that you consume. Vape pens are easy to use, portable, and discreet. 

  • Dab Pen: A dab pen is designed to vaporize concentrates, otherwise known as dabbing. The dab pen heats the nail inside, and you carefully scoop your concentrate onto that nail. Once it contacts the hot surface, it will start to vaporize, and all you have to do is inhale and enjoy. 

  • Flower Vape Pen: You don’t have to have an oil or a concentrate in order to vape; you can also use a flower vape pen or dry herb vaporizer. With a flower vape pen, you would place a small amount of marijuana bud inside and let the device do the work for you. Instead of burning the flower, it will heat it to the point that it turns all the things we love about cannabis, including the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds, into a vapor you can inhale. 


What Are the Different Parts of a Cannabis Vape Pen?

Knowing the parts of your vape pen can help you customize your experience to your preferences. Here are three of the most common parts of a cannabis vape pen:

  • Cartridge: The cartridge of a vape pen can be built into the pen, in the case of a disposable vape, or it can be attached to a battery separately. The cartridge contains the cannabis oil that is ready to be vaporized. 

  • Atomizer: The atomizer is a little compartment within the vape pen that contains the heating device. This coil can heat up almost instantly once it’s activated, and it turns the cannabis oil into a vapor you can inhale.


  • Battery: The battery is the reason your vape pen works—it’s the power source you need. The battery, once charged, is attached to the vape cartridge. Then, you either need to press a button to turn it on and activate it, or, in the case of an auto-draw pen, just simply inhale.


Answering FAQs About Vapes

If you’ve got questions, you’re not alone. Here are just a few of the most frequently asked questions we get about vapes every week:


What’s the difference between dabbing and vaping?
While dabbing and vaping both create vapor that you inhale, there is one big difference between them—the product you use. When vaping, you’re typically consuming vaporized cannabis oil from a cartridge. When dabbing, you’re consuming vaporized concentrates. Technically, dabbing is a type of vaping. 


Do marijuana vapes smell?
While some marijuana vapes may have a stronger odor than others, compared to smoking cannabis, vaping is a lot less smelly. This is especially true if you’re consuming THC distillate which doesn’t have any terpenes in it to give it a scent. 


How much does a vape pen cost?
The cost of a vape pen can vary depending on its quality. A disposable vape pen is likely going to cost less than a rechargeable vape pen and cartridge. That said, you can find vape pens at just about any budget limit. 


Find the Right Marijuana Vape for You

As with many things in the cannabis industry, with vaping, sometimes you just have to try it to know if it’s for you. Your experience can depend on a variety of factors, including the pen, the cartridge, the product, etc. The good news is that we have all the vape cartridges, vape pens, and vape batteries you need to choose from, so you’ll never run out of options. 





Use of Marijuana Concentrate may lead to: Psychotic symptoms and/or Psychotic disorder (delusions, hallucinations, or difficulty distinguishing reality); Mental Health Symptoms/Problems; Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) (uncontrolled and repetitive vomiting); Cannabis use disorder/dependence, including physical and psychological dependence.   Please consume responsibly. This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.  State laws impact what dispensaries can and can’t sell to recreational customers and medical marijuana patients. Not every type of product, consumption method, dosage form, or potency mentioned on this blog will be permitted in all locations. 

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