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Vaporizing cannabis instead of smoking: how to use a vaporizer for medical flowers
When vaporizing, cannabis flowers are heated so that the active ingredients are released without the plant material burning. This produces fewer combustion products than smoking. How a vaporizer works, what matters when using it and what it cannot do.
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People who inhale medical cannabis flowers vaporize them with a vaporizer. The device heats the flowers enough to release the active ingredients as vapour, but not so much that the plant material burns. According to measurements, this produces less carbon monoxide and fewer combustion products than smoking. Whether this protects the airways in the long term has not yet been well studied.
Important from the outset: vaporizing is gentler on the airways, but it is not healthy. THC acts on the brain just as it does when smoked, and the other side effects remain too.
How does a vaporizer work?
Cannabinoids and terpenes pass into vapour at temperatures well below the combustion temperature. A vaporizer keeps the flowers in this range. Smoking, by contrast, produces temperatures of several hundred degrees, and numerous harmful substances are released as the plant material burns.
In a small study with 18 people and a desktop vaporizer, THC levels in the blood were similar to those after smoking, but the carbon monoxide breathed out was much lower. A pharmaceutical study also showed that the amount of THC released by such a device is well reproducible.
Convection or conduction vaporizer?
Convection: hot air flows through the flowers and heats them evenly. This is considered gentler and more even, and the devices are often more expensive.
Conduction: the flowers sit in a heated chamber and warm up through contact. This is simpler but can heat less evenly.
For medical use, there are devices certified as medical devices. Which type suits you is something you can discuss with your doctor or at the pharmacy (Apotheke).
How to use a vaporizer in practice
Grind the flowers finely, fill the chamber, let the device preheat and inhale slowly and evenly. The effect starts within a few minutes. After the first draw, wait to see how you react before continuing.
Your doctor decides the amount and how often you use it; stick to these instructions. Temperature and handling follow from the device's instructions for use and the advice at the pharmacy. Keep a note of how much you vaporize and how it works. Do not drive if you could be impaired, even if you feel fine. More on this in the guide Driving with a cannabis prescription.
Cleaning and care
Residues in the chamber, screens and mouthpiece change the taste and performance. Clean the device regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually with a brush and isopropyl alcohol for the parts suitable for it. Then let everything dry completely and never inhale with alcohol residues in the device. Do not store flowers loose in the device; store them protected from light, heat and moisture.
Is vaping cannabis with a THC liquid the same?
No. A vaporizer for flowers is not an e-cigarette substitute with THC liquid. Liquids and cartridges from the black market are uncontrolled. In the USA in 2019, severe lung damage was found in people who had used liquids containing THC; the additive vitamin E acetate is considered the likely cause.
Mixing with tobacco also makes no sense medically. For oral use, there are standardised extracts that a doctor can prescribe.
Frequently asked questions
Is vaporizing healthier than smoking?
Fewer combustion products are produced because nothing burns. It is not healthy, though: THC has the same effect.
Is vaporized cannabis weaker?
Not necessarily. In a small study, THC levels were similar to smoking.
Does health insurance pay for the vaporizer?
That is decided case by case. Since 30 July 2026, statutory health insurance (GKV) no longer pays for flowers anyway, see Health insurance and medical cannabis.
May I use a THC liquid or a vape pen?
This is not recommended. Black-market liquids are uncontrolled and can be dangerous.
Sources
- Abrams DI et al. (2007): Vaporization as a smokeless cannabis delivery system: a pilot study. Clin Pharmacol Ther
- Hazekamp A et al. (2006): Evaluation of a vaporizing device (Volcano) for the pulmonary administration of tetrahydrocannabinol. J Pharm Sci
- Blount BC et al. (2020): Vitamin E Acetate in Bronchoalveolar-Lavage Fluid Associated with EVALI. N Engl J Med
420doc editorial team · Published on 26 October 2026 · Updated on 26 October 2026
This article is for general information only and does not replace individual medical advice. How we review our content
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You will find more background in the magazine and the glossary. Whether a treatment suits you can only be clarified in a personal conversation with a doctor.
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