If you’re involved in any way with the vaping industry, the trailing month couldn’t have been any worse. What apparently started out as an isolated case of a possibly vaping-related illness exploded into a pandemic. According to the latest report from The New York Times, the vaping crisis has killed 29 people. Additionally, 49 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands have collectively reported nearly 1,300 illnesses.
However, the epidemic hasn’t just impacted the vaporizer and e-cigarette industry. Instead, as The Wall Street Journal reported, the pessimism has also clouded the legal cannabis sector. In particular, many weed players have invested deeply into cannabis-centric vaping products well before the crisis sparked. With no way to turn back the clock, these unlucky organizations are potentially saddled with “toxic” cannabis products.
Naturally, this is a big concern for anybody who is vested in these “botanical” organizations. At the same time, a breather may be warranted. While the vaping crisis represents an immediate sentiment threat, it only impacts one revenue source. As I’ve mentioned before, cannabis products represent a large variety of product categories.
For instance, cannabidiol (CBD) vape oils represent only one-sixth of leading botanical retailer, Nug Republic’s revenue sources. The others are: tinctures, capsules, topicals, concentrate (wax and dabs), and edibles. Thus, you don’t need to be a vape enthusiast to enjoy the myriad benefits of legally and organically sourced cannabis products.
Rising Popularity of Cannabis Products
Now, to be fair, vaping cannabis products is likely the best way to absorb the full benefits of the cannabis sativa plant. Unlike consumables, the vaping process facilitates direct absorption of botanical materials into the bloodstream.
If one consumes cannabis – let’s say via CBD gummies – the benefits still exist. However, the liver processes anything that enters into the stomach. Thus, this organ could end up mitigating the total effect of the cannabis material.
However, vaping does have one drawback: everybody knows that you’re doing it. For discretion, no better alternative exists in my opinion than edibles or tinctures. Further, if you’re taking cannabis products for topical pain, then ointments or other direct-application solutions are more appropriate.
And that’s one of the reasons why the green industry isn’t just popular here, but globally as well. Currently, the biggest push is into Europe due to cultural and demographic similarities. However, the ultimate goal is Asia, which represents the largest region in terms of population size.
Therefore, I view the cannabis industry as a near term versus long term battle. While the pain is severe, this could be a once-in-a-blue-moon discount.