Last Updated on 14th August 2020

One question that I tend to get a lot in e-mails from readers here on CBD Village is whether or not its possible to over vaporize your cannabis. Fortunately, I’ve owned a lot of herbal vaporizers over the past three years (over fifteen different types!) and I’ve had plenty opportunities to experiment with different vaporization temperatures and styles, and learn what works and what doesn’t. In my experience, there are a few answers to this question, and each one can produce a different effect as well as impact what you can do with your already vaped bud (ABV).

Firstly, it is important to keep in mind that overvaping is a highly relative term, because unlike combustion, cannabis releases specific chemicals from the plant matter in varying amounts depending on temperature (see my post here for more in-depth info on vaporization effects by temp).

With a vaporizer that has an accurate digital temperature gauge set to the lower end of the spectrum (around 180C), euphoria, analgesia, and anti-inflammatory effects become apparent. On the other hand, higher temperatures around 220C produces different effects which include sedation and analgesia (with additional effects in between this range and even beyond). Therefore, it is important to be aware of which effects you want to feel during your vaporization setting, and adjust your definition of overvaped accordingly. For example, if you want to vape while enjoying a day of skiing, a temperature closer to 180C will produce less sedation, whereas higher temperatures may be more beneficial if you like to use cannabis as a natural sleep aid. One thing I like to do is get the best of both worlds by vaping at lower temperatures while I’m on the go (to avoid feeling sedated), and then re-vaping my ABV at much higher temperatures (220-240C) which produces a sensation of relaxation without as much stimulation that I get from THC.

For push to heat vaporizers (such as the Firewood and FlashVape) it is more difficult to achieve a specific temperature, and the darkness of your ABV depends on how hard you are hitting it. Experiment with different lengths of time and inhales to see how you can achieve your desired effects.

Since I’m prone to using different temperatures at any given time, I like to sort my ABV into two separate jars (one for ABV which vaped at a maximum of 200C, and the other for temperatures ranging from 200C – 240C). Separating my ABV allows me to get a more consistent range of effects when I use it in edibles or hash. Depending on the temperature that you choose to vaporize at, your ABV will vary fairly widely in terms of strength and can be used to make a range of products. In my experience with using ABV to make isohash and cannaoil, Using ABV vaped at a temperature of 195-200C (or lower) requires less than at higher temperatures, and the finished product has more of a ‘heady’ high. Products made from dark ABV require a lot more ABV, and even then the end results will produce a stronger body high and weaker cognitive effects (which can be good for pain relief).

In summary, overvaping is a relative term entirely dependent on both what effects you are looking to get as well as what you plan to do with your ABV. I suggest experimenting with different temperatures that I’ve outlined here and see which combinations work best for you!