It can be daunting and downright intimidating sifting through the sea of information available for cannabis vaporizers. Safety is our number one priority and we want to hook you up with the facts, need-to-know’s, and tips on how to safely enjoy your TOQi 510 vaporizer battery.
Your health and safety is important to us here at TOQi, the easiest way to stay safe while vaping with your TOQi 510 is to only purchase 510 compatible cartridges from legally authorized dealers. Cannabis and cannabis-related products purchased from legal dispensaries will be safer due to increased accountability and the rigorous testing requirements in each province and state.
We do not sell cartridges but there are a lot of really great authorized dealers that do, we’ve included a few links to them below.
Is Vaping Safe?
So, what is vaping? In a nutshell, vaping is the process of heating cannabis, extracts or oil without setting fire to the plant. Instead of burning the cannabis as you would in say a joint, vaping gently heats it, limiting the release of chemicals and maximizing the effects. Instead of breathing out smoke, when you vape you’re actually breathing out a cloud of steam.
But is it safe? Studies are beginning to show that consuming cannabis via vape is largely considered to be a safer and less harmful alternative to smoking. This is largely due to the fact that vaping avoids the combustion-related toxins created when cannabis is set on fire.
Despite being a safer alternative, there are still things to avoid when choosing your next vape or cartridge. We’ve highlighted a few things below.
Things To Look Out for When Choosing Your Next Vape and Cartridge
- Cheap vape batteries that do not report their operating voltage/temperature.
- Avoid using modified or reusable cartridges
- Too much too soon, start slow on the lowest heat setting and build up!
- Vitamin E Acetate
What is Vitamin E Acetate?
Vitamin E Acetate is a synthetic form of vitamin E and is safely used in many nutritional supplements and skin creams, think sunscreen. It does not cause harm when it’s swallowed as a supplement or applied to the skin.
However, research from the CDC has discovered that when Vitamin E Acetate is inhaled it may interfere with normal lung function and cause serious damage to the lungs and surrounding tissue. It’s an extremely viscous substance, think honey, and when it’s inhaled tends to stick around in the lungs and can potentially cause dangerous problems.
The spike in vaping related illnesses this past summer has been linked back to Vitamin E acetate and its presence in black-market vape cartridges.
Debunking the Vitamin E Acetate Rumours
So, we’ve identified the culprit – Vitamin E Acetate – but how did it find its way into vape cartridges? The answer, the illegal black-market. In addition to all the good things vitamin E acetate is used for, it’s also often used in the extraction process for THC in black market products basically as a cheap cutting agent.
Now this is important, studies show that vape cartridges containing vitamin E acetate were not purchased from authorized retailers, but rather illegal stores, from friends and even on the street – the illegal black market.
How to Avoid Black Market Cartridges
Take a look at the packaging. All legal vape cartridges will generally have:
- A manufacturing date
- A packaging date
- A lot number
- Have a security feature
- A standardized Cannabis symbol warning customers that the product contains THC
- Health warning messages
- THC and CBD contents
- A brand name
- Recommended storage
- And a list of all ingredients
Packaging and labeling guidelines vary on government requirements. The above list pertains to cannabis products in Canada as per the Government of Canada’s guidelines.
We recommend always purchasing your vape cartridges from legal sources. Use Leafy’s store finder to locate licensed dispensaries near you or visit the Ontario Cannabis Store website for their selection of 510 thread compatible cartridges.
Team TOQi
We’re on a mission to elevate the consciousness of the cannabis community with innovative solutions and the knowledge to help them make informed decisions regarding their cannabis consumption. No TOQi products have been involved in any recent lung illnesses. We’re committed to creating premium cannabis vaping products with integrity and select our partners with the same diligence.