As the cannabis market expands, it’s reaching people who are turned off by the idea of smoking. Smoking is associated with all kinds of negative stigmas—from second-hand smoke to cancer. More and more people are thinking of cannabis as a medicinal plant, and it just doesn’t seem “healthy” to smoke your medicine.
So cannabis entrepreneurs have turned to the pharmaceutical industry to find healthier delivery methods—one of which is the cannabis inhaler.Need to Breathe Easy?Currently, two brands of inhalers are available in Colorado dispensaries. The devices are very similar; the major difference is in the active ingredients.
AeroInhaler by Revered Inc.
(Courtesy of AeroInhaler)
Check these menus for it:
- Prohibition Herb in Durango
- Northern Lights Cannabis Co in Edgewater
- Silverpeak Apothecary in Aspen
Each AeroInhaler contains 1000mg of liquid, dispensed in 100 regulated puffs. It comes in several strain options, although the dispensaries I’ve been to generally carry just one strain at a time. Around 650mg of this is THC, depending on the strain and batch. The rest of the volume is made up of terpenes and additives that help get the THC and terpenes out of the container and into your lungs. Each 10mg puff contains around 6.5-7mg THC and 1-2mg of terpenes.
AeroInhaler is also licensing their technology to concentrate manufacturers in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Puerto Rico, Canada, Massachusetts, and Michigan. Also, keep your eyes out for CBD versions, powered by CBDeluxe.
The AeroInhaler retails between $60 to $100.
Santana Smooth by Carlos Santana and Marisol Therapeutics
(Courtesy of Carlos Santana and Marisol Therapeutics)
Check these menus for it:
- Marisol Therapeutics Wellness Center in Pueblo
- Frosted Leaf – Colfax in Denver
Carlos Santana and Marisol Therapeutics joined forces to launch the Santana Smooth inhaler in November 2016. Santana got the idea for the inhaler from watching his mother use alcohol to extract the medicinal components from cannabis to use on her aching joints.
Realizing that cannabis is often used medicinally, Santana decided to create a better inhalable product. “We want to affect consciousness with healing and giving people a better quality of life physically and hopefully psychologically,” the musician said.
Each Santana Smooth Inhaler contains 1000mg of liquid, dispensed in 100 regulated puffs. Around 650mg of this is a combination THC and CBD distillates. The rest is made from terpenes and additives. Each 10mg puff contains around 6.5-7mg of cannabinoids and 1-2mg of terpenes.
Marisol makes their own THC distillate for the inhaler, derived from a butane-extracted concentrate of house-grown flowers and trim.
The Santana Smooth inhaler retails between $80 to $100.
Find Inhalers and Other Goodies at a Dispensary Near You
How to Use and Care for Your New Inhaler
One of the biggest problems with cannabis inhalers is the lack of information about how to use them. When I purchase my inhalers, I didn’t receive any instructions, neither in the box nor from the budtender. The AeroInhaler website had some instructions, but they weren’t comprehensive.
To get definitive advice, I turned to websites that provided information on how to use asthma inhalers. Since the exact same technology is used, the instructions are virtually the same.
The proper way to use an inhaler is to follow this procedure:
- Take off the cap.
- Hold the inhaler upright and shake it vigorously for 5 seconds. You need to shake it so all the liquids in the container mix up before you deliver a dose.
- Take a deep breath in and out, away from the inhaler.
- Hold the inhaler upright and bring it to your mouth.
- Place the inhaler between your teeth and above your tongue. Seal your lips around it without biting.
- Start to breathe in slowly.
- Press down on the inhaler canister one time while continuing to breathe in until you’ve had a full breath.
- Take the inhaler out of your mouth. Hold your breath for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Slowly start to breathe out. If your prescription calls for another dose, wait 1 minute.
- Put the cap back on the inhaler.
AeroInhaler suggests that you start with two puffs, then wait 5 minutes to see how it makes you feel. If needed, you can then add another puff to achieve the desired effect.
It’s also important to clean your inhaler properly. Otherwise, it can get stopped up, keeping you from getting to your medicine. After using your inhaler, wipe the area where the product is dispensed with a Q-tip or cotton ball soaked in isopropyl alcohol or Everclear. Clean the mouthpiece after each use.
