Edibles vs. Vape: Which One Should You Choose?

Cannabis is like a medicine that takes you to a different world. And many are exploring that zone.

A report from WHO says—

“2.5% of the world's population is into consuming cannabis. That’s around close to 147 million“

Such a compound has been prevalent for decades. People previously took such chemicals in different forms. Firstly edibles. Now there’s vaping marijuana.

Edibles mainly give you the effects of cannabis whereas vaping works with Nicotin and cannabis.

This can still shoot a question— what’s the difference?

It lies in 6 key factors–

• The time it takes to work
• Duration of effects that linger
• Dosage adjustment
• Health risks vs. safety
• How easy it is to use
• Matter of Discretion

Check Out: Hidden Hills, an amazing THC vape for a change!

All About Edibles

Generally speaking, edibles are the food that’s safe to eat. But the one we’re talking about is different. These edibles refer to food but there’s a special compound inside to make you feel ‘high’.

The number of people consuming edibles is quite big.

22% of Americans aged 18 to 34 reported having cannabis edibles. (Source: Statista, 2022)

What Are Edibles?

Any items that have cannabis in them are what you call “edibles”. This includes brownies, gummies, hard candies, chews, and chocolates. If we have to define it:

Edibles are cannabis products prepped with cannabinoid-infused oil or capsules. These contain chemical compounds called THCs (or tetrahydrocannabinol) that work to alter your mood, positively or negatively.

The mood may vary from one person to another. Mostly, you feel euphoric or intoxicated.

Cannabis edibles can trigger different emotions like:

Positive Emotions	Negative Emotions
Ecstasy	Anxiety
Euphoria	Paranoia
Relaxation	Fear
Calmness	Confusion
Silly or playful feelings	Panicked
Enhanced creativity	Rapid heartbeat

 

Edibles typically work as an alternative to smoking and vaping marijuana. The difference is you consume them like food but the aftereffects will be quite the same.

The making process of edibles involves—

• Add butter or oil in a saucepan on low heat. Keep it between 160 and 200ºF.
• Then add the ground decarboxylated cannabis.
• Mix all the ingredients.
• Simmer gently on low heat for 2-4 hours.
• Stir every half hour or until it’s ready.
• Strain the cannabis bits and keep the butter or oil.
• Use the butter or oil in any recipe to make edibles.

How Do Edibles Work In The Body?

[Image: how do edibles work in the body?]

As you consume edibles, the THC goes through your throat and travels to the stomach. That’s where you digest the edibles. Then, the compounds move to your bloodstream. The blood carries the cannabis to your liver— which changes THC into a stronger form.

The stronger THC, then, gets into your bloodstream again. Finally, it reaches your brain. There, THC clings to the receptors and nerves. This releases chemicals like dopamine and serotonin; causing a change in your mood. Consequently, you get the effect.

It can take 30 minutes to 2 hours— for the edibles to work in the body or mind. As the cannabis hits your mind and starts its work, the effect can linger from 6 to 12 hours.

Note that– the process and impacts vary across persons based on factors like your metabolism and whether your stomach is full or empty.

Also, beware!

Delayed onset can lead to overconsumption. You may end up consuming more edibles thinking it’s not working.

So, make sure to stay controlled. Keep the dose around–

• 1 to 2.5mg for users with low to zero tolerance.
• 3 to 7mg for new users or ones with low tolerance.
• 7.5 to 24mg for intermediate users.
• Over 25mg for experienced users.

Pros of Edibles

• Longer-lasting effects range from 6 to 8 to 12 hours!
• Stronger effects.
• Discreet consumption. Because there’s no odor or smoke.
• Perfect for the ones who don’t like smoking or inhaling.
• Variety of recipes and options.

Cons of Edibles

• Delayed onset can lead to overconsumption.
• Difficult to dose accurately.
• Effects can be unpredictable.

All About Vaping

Vape acts as a simulation of smoking. The difference is it’s electronic. So, you call it e-cigarette. Such a device hit the market in 2003 and instantly became popular worldwide.

Relatable Read: Vaping Statistics 2024: Surprising Figures & Facts Revealed

Vaping is more prevalent among the new generation.

• 13% of Americans aged 18-34 tend to vape. It’s 7% for the ones aged 35-49, 4% for people over 50. (Source: CDC report)

This indicates that new-gen groups are more into vaping than senior citizens.

[Image: Vape Usage]

What Is Vaping?

This means the process of using a vape to feel like you’re smoking. But what’s a vape then?

Vape is an e-cigarette to put it simply. The device works with the liquid and creates smoke. Its lithium batteries power the heating element (the coil) through a button or direct inhalation. As you take a drag, the coil heats the e-juice in its little chamber.

As heated, the liquid turns into a big aerosol. The vapor gets into your lungs as inhaled— and then comes out as a massive cloud when exhaled.

E-juices carry different ingredients like PG and VG. These make the nicotine, flavorings, and other additives. Some liquids even have cannabis extracts. The THC in them gives you effects similar to edibles.

Relatable Read: Best Nicotine Vape In 2024 [Vapedeal Special]

Then again vaping marijuana strikes certain emotions, positive or negative. These include—

Positive Emotions	Negative Emotions
Ecstasy	Anxiety
Excitement	Depression
Relief	Restlessness
Lightheadedness	Mood swings
Serves as a coping mechanism	Irritability

The formulation and density of smoke can differ depending on the device and settings.

Speaking of which, you’d find different types of vapes. This includes—

• Disposables
• Pods
• Vape Pens
• Mods
• Sub-ohms 
• Mouth-to-lung 
• Cigalikes

Among them, the most common one is disposable. They are easier to use and more budget-friendly. 

How Does Vaping Work In The Body?

Vaping works similar to smoking in the body since you’re inhaling it.

When you puff, the smoke goes inside your mouth and then to the lungs. From there, the nicotine and other substances like cannabis instantly get into your bloodstream. 

These two active components flow to your brain through the blood. There, they bind to different receptors in your brain that release chemicals dopamine and serotonin. Such chemicals are the ones that change your mood and you feel different emotions— mostly happy or relaxed.

As the nicotine and THC are absorbed, the remaining smoke in the lungs goes out. When you exhale, the smoke travels back up to your windpipe— and finally gets out of your mouth or nose. 

The onset effect works more quickly than edibles. You feel the vaporized THC and nicotine within 2 to 10 minutes after inhaling. As the compounds hit your brain, their effect can linger for 2 to 3 hours. 

Pros

• Immediate effects—easy to gauge dosage.
• Portable and convenient.
• Allegedly considered less harmful than smoking.
• Different flavors of juices
• Lower risk of overconsumption 

Cons

• Shorter duration of effects (2-3 hours).
• Potential health risks associated with vaping.
• Requires regular maintenance and care of vape devices.

Key Differences Between Edibles and Vaping

Factors	Edibles	Vaping
Onset time	30 minutes to 2 hours	2 to 10 minutes
Duration of Effects	6 to 12 hours	2 to 3 hours
Control Over Dosage	Tricky	Flexible to adjust
Health Considerations	Affects the stomach and liver	Affects lungs
Convenience	High	High
Discretion	High	Low

Onset Time

The duration it takes for the effects of mood-altering compounds to work– that’s what the onset time is all about.

Vaping and edibles differ in the onset time because the process of taking them varies.

After vaping, you quickly feel the effects within seconds to 10 minutes. This is because a large amount of the active compounds— around 50-80% are absorbed faster into your bloodstream when inhaled than consuming them. Such a direct process lets you feel the effects faster.

But with edibles, things are different. It takes longer up to 2 hours to kick in because you’re consuming the cannabis instead of inhaling it. The delay has something to do with your stomach. When you have them, the compounds flow through your digestive system before absorbing your blood, liver,—-and finally brain. This works to delay the process and effect.

Duration of Effects

The lingering effects vary too. The difference mainly lies in the process again.

The effect of vaping nicotine and cannabis doesn’t last long.

The vape delivers nicotine and cannabis straight into your bloodstream and then to your brain as they reach the lungs. This is what causes immediate effects.

However, because the process works instantly and through inhalation on top, the effect stays for a shorter time than edibles.

Speaking of which, edible effects linger for too long. It’s because of the unique metabolic process.

Cannabis has to be digested first before moving to your bloodstream and your brain. And this takes time. Moreover, as the active compounds are digested, they gradually get into your blood.

Such a slow process within your body helps the effects of cannabis last longer.

Control Over Dosage

Vaping wins this one but both give you a different experience when controlling dosage.

With vaping, you can set the dosage as per your liking. The device lets you adjust how much you can take in nicotine and cannabis. So, you have quick control over dosage.

Edibles work differently in this case.

With each edible, you get a specific dose of cannabis. You get the freedom to adjust the dose if you’re making the edibles from scratch. However, with products, you don’t have that.

Because each product has a fixed amount, there’s no way to adjust that.

In this case, you have to be careful about the intake. Edibles work slowly. This delay may make you think, it’s not working. So, you might end up taking more. 

Don’t do that! Instead, wait for it to work.

Health Considerations

Both work to affect your body differently. One uses the lungs while the other uses the stomach and liver.

Vaping involves inhaling. You drag the smoke into your lungs and this can lead to respiratory issues. Different studies highlighted the changes that vaping causes.

For instance—

• Increased airway resistance
• Breathing difficulty
• Transient lung inflammation

Research also found toxic chemicals in e-liquids like 2-chlorophenol, amino acid, benzaldehyde, formaldehyde, toluene, acetaldehyde, and acrolein.

The chemicals when reach your organs, can lead to several other health hazards like severe inflammations in the lungs, liver, bladder, breast, and stomach, damage to those organs as well as cancer.

Some other issues include shortness of breath, cough, headache, dizziness, vomiting, nausea and fever. (Source: NCBI | A systematic review of the effects of e-cigarette use on lung function)

Relatable Read: How to Stop Dizziness From Vaping?

Contrariwise, edibles involve consuming.

They are gentler on the lungs but can affect your other organs like the stomach and liver. After consumption, the cannabis can put stress on both the organs.

• Cannabis-infused food can make you suffer from Gastrointestinal Disorders. (Source: NCBI | Cannabis Use and Associated Gastrointestinal Disorders)
• Another paper mentions how it can cause liver abnormalities. (Source: NCBI | LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury)

Health experts also say that edibles can lead to different issues like—

• Increased Heart Rate
• Increased Blood Pressure
• Nausea and Vomiting

Convenience and Discretion

Edibles win the battle here.

Despite being very popular, vaping is still illegal. So, you might have to hide or use it discreetly. Then again, the device is extremely convenient to carry. You can keep it in your pocket!

However, because vaping is all about smoking, it produces visible clouds. So, even if you use it secretly, the smoke makes the ‘discreet thing’ invalid. For this, it’s safer to use the vape at home or other havens, especially if it’s illegal in your country or state.

In this case, edibles come in handy. They are much easier to carry. Although marijuana is illegal in some places too, you can consume edibles discreetly as they come in regular food items. There’s no factor of smoke or smell, so it works as a significant advantage for the ones wanting to be discreet.

Choosing the Right Method for You: 4 Solid Ways

1. Consider Your Lifestyle

Take a look at your daily routine. It’ll help you settle on what works best for you.

Let’s say, you have a super-busy work schedule or social commitments—consider a vape device. Why? Because it’s easy to carry.

You can use the vape right away whenever you feel so. Plus, you can take a drag quickly. Not just that. You can also initiate social interaction through vaping since it’s considered a kind of social activity. 

Some juices also have cannabis that makes you vape them. 

Edibles are great for the ones who are less busy. Because they need extra time to buy the stuff or make them. However, apart from that part, edibles are convenient to use. You can have a get-together party and consume edibles altogether. 

2. Health Concerns

Make sure to pick the one depending on your existing health conditions.

If you have respiratory issues or other lung-related, edibles are good options. They’ll be gentler on your lungs.

However, if you have issues with your stomach, you can pick vape since they won’t affect that organ.

Then again, for liver issues, try to avoid both options. There are chances that edibles and vaping can impact your lungs.

Also, don’t take high doses of any chemicals— be it from edibles or vaping. Going overboard can put your health at risk.

If you notice any changes, then consult your doctor.

3. Desired Experience

Edibles and vaping come with different experiences.

So, note down what you want actually.

If you’re into long-lasting effects, then edibles will be great. Just know that the onset time will be longer.

If you want immediate effect, then try vaping. Then again, the lingering effects will be shorter.

It all depends on what you prefer.

4. Trial and Error

Still confused?

Then opt for trial and error.

Try both methods one at a time. Start with small doses or amounts. See how each affects you and which one is impressing you.

This way, you can settle on which aligns better with your preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is safer, edibles or vaping?

The safety depends on health conditions. For instance— edibles are safer for the lungs but not the stomach or liver. Vaping is safer for the digestive system but not the lungs. 

How long do the effects of edibles last compared to vaping?

Edible effects typically last longer, often 4-6 hours. Vaping effects usually last 1-3 hours.

Why do edibles take longer to kick in than vaping?

Edibles need to be digested and metabolized by the liver whereas vaping delivers effects directly into the bloodstream through the lungs.

Can I overdose on edibles or vaping?

Not at all. Any overdose can cause intense, chronic health conditions. So, we don’t suggest overdosing on edibles or vaping.

Which method is more cost-effective?

Edibles are usually more cost-effective than vaping. Because consuming cannabis often gives you longer-lasting effects per serving than inhaling one.

Are edibles or vapes better?

It depends on personal preferences and needs. Edibles offer longer effects, while vaping provides quicker, more controllable results.

Is smoking healthier than edibles?

Edibles are generally healthier than smoking. Smoking can harm the lungs and different parts of your body whereas edibles can be gentler on organs.

Are edibles actually stronger?

Edibles can be stronger in terms of duration and intensity of effects compared to vaping. Then again, strength varies by individual and dosage.

Can you vape with edibles?

Yes, you can use both methods. However, make sure to keep overconsumption in mind. 

Edibles or Vape or Both– Pick One Wisely!

Both edibles and vape come with different traits. Hence you get different experiences with them. With edibles, you get longer effects up to 12 hours but it takes time to work. With vape, you get the effects immediately but they disappear within a few hours. 

So, better jot down your needs and likings, then pick one that matches!

If you want to get both effects, try vaping with marijuana. This means juices that have cannabis. 

Check out our detailed comparison of Dab Pen Vs. Vape Pen here.