In 2020, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, conducted the 46th annual MTF survey, which surveys more than 118,000 8th, 10th and 12th grade high school students across the US. Between 2017 - 2019 marijuana vaping in youth more than doubled. In 2020 more than 22% of 12th graders surveyed had vaped marijuana in the past 12 months (NIH).
With the popularity of vaping marijuana on the rise, it is more important than every for science to lead the formulation process of cannabis vaping oils. As this market becomes more saturated, it is important for companies to differentiate from, and ideally 'outrank' competitors. As formulation becomes more competitive regulations continue to change to match the evolving products. However, there is still a strong presence of unregulated products on the market. With so many unregulated products, it is important for consumers to know what they are potentially ingesting and the complexities of cannabis formulation.
There are over 565 compounds (and growing) that can be extracted from the cannabis plant. (El Sohly et. al) This wide range of extracts available challenge cannabis vape formulation development. Most cannabis vape products are comprised of isolates, distillates, live resin and live rosin. The diversity of the compounds in cannabis plant effects distinct physical and chemical properties of the oil, such as viscosity, solubility, bioavailability, and stability of cannabis oils. 
Viscosity plays a big part when it comes to making cannabis products and it is important to monitor the viscosity and use quality ingredients that will help the experience without any toxicity/harm to the user. The flow through the vape pen and contact with the heating element is extremely dependent on the viscosity of your cannabis oil
If you do not formulate properly, the effectiveness whether it is for medicinal or recreational purposes can be affected and hence the experience you wish to create for the end user will not be there. The cannabinoid type and ratio will directly impact the viscosity of the formulated cannabis oil. The purity of the oil as well as the terpene concentration and diluent type and concentration also directly impact the viscosity of cannabis oils.
In our 2021 Fall Viscosity Summit, Monica Vialpando, PhD, shared just how greatly the purity of a cannabis oil impacts viscosity.
Understanding the composition, extracts and types, and viscosity of your cannabis oil are all essential when pairing cannabis oils with vaping hardware. Download the presentation recording 'Pairing the right Cannabis Vaping Hardware with the right Concentrate' to learn more about the complexities of cannabis oil formulation and creating effective cannabis vaping hardware.
Written by: Eden Reid, RheoSense Senior Marketing and Sales Operations
COMMENTS