Kratom Vaping: How It Works and Why You Should Avoid It

Recently, kratom vaping has been getting attention among users, hence the urgent need to investigate this subject matter. To get a clearer picture of what to expect from vaping kratom, let’s begin by understanding what vaping is and how it works.

Vaping and the Mechanism Behind It

In simple terms, vaping means slowly heating a substance such as liquid, oil, or plant matter in a device without leading to combustion. This substance changes into a vapor, and the vapor is inhaled through the mouthpiece of the vape device and puffed out just like normal cigarettes.

A vaping device comprises three key elements: a battery, a heating coil, and a cartridge-containing substance. The battery is used to power the device and get the coil heated to a temperature that converts the substance (liquid, oil, or plant matter) into vapor.

The whole process takes place very quickly, and you can get certain amounts of puffs from a vape, depending on the design and specifications of the product.

What is Kratom?

Kratom is a plant-based product containing two major alkaloids: mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These alkaloids are responsible for the psychoactive properties of the herb. When you take kratom at low doses, it has potential stimulant effects that enhance your mood and energy level. However, at higher doses, it generally produces more relaxed and soothing effects. These effects can depend widely on strain and the color of the leaf as well.

When you visit a smoke shop that carries kratom, you will see it in different forms, such as powders, capsules, or extracts. In vaping devices, e-liquids, and pods, kratom extract is used to deliver a high percentage of kratom alkaloids through the suspension.

Unlike smoking kratom, which is known to destroy the kratom alkaloids from heat, vaping has a lower temperature, which can preserve kratom alkaloids more efficiently.

How Does Kratom Vaping Work?

There are two ways you can use kratom vapes:

1. Liquid Vaporizer

Generally, a liquid vaporizer is the most common way of vaping. Kratom liquid vaporizer involves mixing kratom extracts with carrier oil used for making vape juice. It is this vape juice or e-liquid that is used inside the vape device and heated to form a vapor.

2. Dry Herb Vaporizer

For this method, you don’t need extracts. The process involves converting dry kratom leaves into vapor. The dry herbs are placed in a vaporizer, and the heating mechanism is initiated by pressing a button. The heating mechanism starts to generate vapor a few minutes after heating. For this method, you don’t need to grind the leaves into powder, as this can clog the vaping device and affect the heating process.

The Ups and Downs of Vaping Kratom

There are always two sides in the event of things, and kratom vaping is not left out. Go through the table below to understand the advantages and drawbacks of kratom vaping.

Vaping vs. Tobacco Smoking: Potential Health Risks

We already know that nicotine from tobacco smoking is harmful to the human system. But how about e-cigarettes? Does it cause any damage to humans? Well, research shows that both vaping and tobacco smoking can significantly impair how the blood vessels function, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study involved taking blood samples from regular vapers, regular tobacco smokers, and nonusers of both products. After a series of laboratory tests, it showed that regular vapers and tobacco smokers were at risk of impairment of blood vessel function, increasing health risks. The health risk is even worse for those who are involved in vaping and tobacco smoking. The negative effects of using the two products are higher than using them singly.

Furthermore, just like with Tobacco, vaping has been shown in recent animal studies to increase the accumulation of toxic heavy metals in parts of the brain. This, if true in humans, could lead to the potential of neurodegenerative diseases.

Precautions to Take If You Must Vape Kratom!

The full impact of kratom vaping on the human system is not fully known, which calls for precautions. However, if you must vape kratom, below are some things to keep in mind.

• Use reputable vendors: There are many fake and contaminated kratom in the market, and using these adulterated products can contribute to complications, even more so for vaping. For this reason, try to find a reputable vendor that provides third-party lab testing reports.
• Ensure that no synthetic ingredients are added: Again, this boils down to choosing the right vendor that is transparent with all the ingredients added to the e-juice. Adding synthetic ingredients and adulterants could be harmful to the body.
• Be mindful of dose and frequency of use: It is very easy to use high dosages (whether accidentally or intentionally) with this method of taking kratom. This is because you only need a very small quantity to get the effect you want. Also, because this method is so easy and convenient, you may inadvertently overdo things.

Conclusion: Is Kratom Vaping Safe?

Kratom vaping is not fully understood right now. However, from studies carried out on vaping and tobacco smoking, prolonged and regular vaping could be responsible for cardiovascular disease and other serious negative health effects. No doubt, it is understandable why vaping kratom might look appealing on the surface. However, the lack of study and the high risk of habit formation and overuse are a strong indicator that vaping kratom should be avoided altogether. Using the plain leaf and staying within recommended dosages is the best way to use the product.

CONTENT DISCLAIMER: The content on this page is strictly for entertainment purposes only. The content below has not been medically reviewed and is not intended to offer advice for use or intended use. For more information about kratom and its potential dangers, please visit the fda.gov site.