Heat-Not-Burn Devices: The Future of Inhalable Cannabinoids?

Smoking is the most common way of consuming cannabis, but smoke exposes you to hundreds of carcinogenic chemicals produced in the combustion process. Heat-not-burn devices offer a novel way to inhale the full spectrum of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids present in whole flower cannabis or hemp, without the unpleasant smell, smoke, or mess caused by combustion.

Why Heat-Not-Burn Is Better

Despite the health risks associated with smoking, inhaling cannabinoids is the fastest way to experience relief. When cannabinoids are inhaled, they are absorbed through the lungs, rapidly taken up into the bloodstream, and delivered to the central nervous system. This route of administration bypasses first pass metabolism in the liver and thus has better bioavailability than orally ingesting cannabis or CBD. In comparison to sublingual ingestion, inhalation is much faster and produces slightly higher peak plasma drug concentrations. If you aren’t familiar with all of the ways that cannabis can be consumed, head over to What is the Best Ingestion Method for Your Wellness Goals? Due to the high bioavailability and nearly instantaneous effects, inhalation may be the best ingestion method for situations that need immediate relief. Heat-not-burn devices allow consumers to experience the benefits of inhaled cannabinoids without the same health risks associated with smoking. E1011 Labs is a technology company that created the Elon, a heat-not-burn device designed to deliver the full spectrum of cannabinoids without even a press of a button.

The Difference Between Heat-Not-Burn and Smoking

When you smoke cannabis, you heat the plant matter to the point of combustion. This process produces hundreds of carcinogenic compounds that can irritate the lungs and increase your risk of smoking related health issues. Research comparing byproducts between smoking and vaporizing cannabis found that “vaporization can deliver therapeutic doses of cannabinoids with a drastic reduction in pyrolytic smoke compounds.” Heat-not-burn devices like the Elon heat CBD flower to a point below combustion, releasing all of the active compounds without producing smoke. So, are heat-not-burn devices safer than smoking? There is not enough research to conclusively state the long-term health effects of heat-not-burn devices. However, in July of 2020, the FDA granted Philip Morris approval to state that Marlboro Heat Sticks, a heat-not-burn product, “reduces exposure to harmful chemicals.” Not only do heat-not-burn devices reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals, but they also allow you to ingest a higher percentage of THC in the plant matter than you can through smoking. When marijuana burns, between 20-30% of the THC in the plant matter is destroyed by heat (pyrolyzed). As a result, when you smoke a cannabis joint, you only ingest 20-37% of the total THC in the plant matter.  The rest is pyrolyzed or lost to side stream smoke. Research conducted in 2007 revealed that a vaporizer captured 54% of the THC, which is a significant improvement over smoking.

Heat-Not-Burn Devices Versus Oil Pens

Both oil pens and heat-not-burn devices like the Elon vaporize the active ingredients instead of burning them. However, there are some important differences that may make heat-not-burn devices better suited to helping you achieve your wellness goals. Vape pens are filled with cannabis oil, typically extracted using solvents like butane or hexane. While many cannabis brands add terpenes back into their concentrates to enhance flavor, oil extractions lose the natural balance of terpenes, cannabinoids and other compounds found in cannabis that gives rise to the “entourage effect.” Premium heat-not-burn devices like the Elon use pre-filled sticks (called Stems) packed with CBD flower to give you the full “entourage effect.” E1011 Labs chooses specific CBD-rich hemp strains with carefully selected terpene profiles to create their two CBD Wellness Blends: Uplift and Relax. The hardware, strains and temperature are all carefully curated to give you the optimal experience. The device is easy to use: there are no buttons, it cleans itself as it charges, and it can be paused mid-session. With heat-not-burn technology, you can benefit from the full spectrum of chemical compounds found in whole plant cannabis, but in the healthiest, most convenient and most bioavailable way possible.

Want to Try Heat-Not-Burn Products?

Jointly has expanded our product database to include heat-not-burn products like E1011 Labs’ Elon device and flower-filled Stems. If you experiment with this new product type, we encourage you to record your experiences on Jointly. When Jointly users view a product, they see how other users rated the product based on how well it helped them achieve their wellness goals. By recording your experiences on Jointly, not only will you gain insights that will help you improve how you consume cannabis and CBD, but you will also contribute important information to the wider Jointly community. Download the Jointly app on the App Store or the Google Play Store to get started on your cannabis wellness journey.