Smoking tobacco with a vaporizer is less intense as the plant matter is not combusted through direct flame contact.
Smoking tobacco through the standard rolled or pipe format can be harsh on the lungs and throat, since the plant matter is being heated by contact with direct flames. Vaporizers are less intense, as the plant matter is not combusted through direct flame contact, but rather through heated air. The Vapor Genie is unique within the vaporizer industry, because it does not utilize an electronic heating element, like the popular Volcano vaporizer, but rather it is a pipe that restricts the flame from coming in direct contact with the tobacco.
Proper Flame Placement
Choose an electronically lit lighter, not a standard flint lighter. According to a study performed by Ronald J. Palmer, John L. Butenoff and Jeffrey B. Stevens of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, flint lighters release rare earth metals when lit. These metals are highly toxic and can cause severe lung irritation if inhaled frequently. Electronically lit lighters only produce CO2 and water, which is not harmful to the lungs when inhaled in small doses.
Adjust the flame output of the lighter so the length of the flame is 1 inch. Bring the lighter toward the top of the filter hole. Only the very tip of the yellow flame should enter the filter hole. Ninety percent of the yellow flame should not come in contact with the inner portion of the filter hole. Do not place the flame all the way into the filter hole, and also never let the flame touch the sides of the filter, because this will create soot and clog the filter.
Tobacco Preparation
Purchase a tobacco grinder from a smoke shop. Tobacco grinders range in price and style. The best grinders are those that feature stainless steel grinding teeth, which ensures a fine grind with minimum wear-and-tear on the grinder. Place a small amount of tobacco into the grinder and rotate the teeth until the tobacco has been ground into fine pieces. Never load the pipe bowl with tobacco that has not been ground, as this will clog the pipe and produce uneven heat distribution.
Inhalation
After the bowl has been packed, properly light the flame and place your mouth on the tip of the pipe (or mouthpiece). Inhale at a medium speed for 6 to 8 seconds. If you feel no vapor filling your lungs, inhale faster. However, if the vapor has a burned flavor or if you see smoke when you exhale, inhale slower. During the exhale it is common to see a blue-hued vapor. As a rule of thumb, inhale slower for a small flame and inhale faster for a larger flame.
Tags: filter hole, contact with, plant matter, been ground, combusted through