What's Really Inside of THC Vapes?

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Dear Stoner: I've been seeing a lot of cheap rosin cartridges from cheap brands, and I think I even saw a vape advertised as having both rosin and distillate. What's really in these vape carts?
Shadow

Dear Shadow: When I first started writing about cannabis in 2014, I called pre-rolled joints the hot dogs of the cannabis industry because you don't want to know what's inside them. Well, it might be time to give vape cartridges that title, and not because pre-rolls are trustworthy now (though they have improved a lot since 2014).

We never thought they were made with primo starting material, but I've been reading about sketchy additives in THC vape carts for nearly a decade. Unapproved flavor and viscosity ingredients have always been around, and now falsely labeled rosin is something to watch out for.

Most recently, the sourcing of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids in vape cartridges has come under question. One of Colorado's largest growing operations filed a lawsuit earlier this year alleging a partnering extraction company was adding hemp-derived cannabinoids — which are cheaper, often modified and banned in Colorado — to its vape cartridges. The vape company denied the allegations and the lawsuit is still ongoing, but it speaks to the climate we're in.

click to enlarge

Vape cartridges are convenient and often sold at a discount, but should we blindly trust what's inside all of them?

Flickr/Vaping360

State regulators do test for certain banned ingredients and contaminants, which is good for safety, but many companies are steps ahead in advertising vernacular. Some "rosin" vapes simply contain distillate with terpenes added, and I've seen cartridges claiming to have both rosin and distillate, too. Stick to vape products made by reputable extractors that also sell grams of dabbable rosin, and you should be good to go.

Send questions to [email protected].