Over the past decade, cannabis consumption has undergone a profound transformation. While traditional smoking once dominated, the rise of vaporization—via both dry‑herb vaporizers and THC/CBD oil vapes—now signals a consumer‑driven shift rooted in health awareness, technology, and lifestyle preferences.
Market Momentum
According to Business Research Company, the global cannabis vaporizer market surged from $5.05 billion in 2024 to an estimated $5.81 billion in 2025, a strong 15% year‑over‑year growth, projected to almost double to $10.1 billion by 2029. Health-conscious consumers seeking to avoid the risks of combustion are fueling this boom.
The broader vape‑device category (including nicotine) jumped from $27.8 billion in 2024 to $33.2 billion in 2025, with a 19.5% CAGR through 2029 . A rapidly growing slice of this is cannabis-specific devices.
Why Vaping Outpaces Smoking
1. Perceived Safety & Efficiency
Vaporization heats cannabis below combustion temperature (~230–315 °C), significantly reducing harmful compounds like tar, carbon monoxide, and PAHs. Research shows vaporizers generate only a fraction of the byproducts compared to smoking. This translates to cleaner inhalation—an easy selling point for health-aware users.
2. Discretion & Convenience
Cannabis vapes are compact, smoke-free, and odor-light. For consumers in legal (and gray-market) settings, these devices offer quick, stealthy sessions without lingering smells or ash. That convenience has reshaped expectations: vaping accommodates on-demand yet low-carb habits, unlike the routine involved in rolling joints or prepping bowls.
3. Potency & Precision
Oil and concentrate-based cartridges deliver controlled, potent doses. Johns Hopkins researchers noted that vaping may deliver faster, stronger effects than smoking at equal THC levels—though this can be a double-edged sword for inexperienced users. Still, for seasoned users, it’s a boon for tailored dosing and predictable experiences.
Shifting Demographics
Adults & Dual-Users
Data from a 2022 study found 7.4% of adult electronic vapor product users exclusively vape cannabis, and 23.8% vape both nicotine and cannabis. Dual use suggests that many are integrating vaping into broader substance habits, perhaps shifting entirely from smoking.
Adolescents
Among youths, vaping’s rise is even more dramatic—though also concerning. Lifetime cannabis vaping among teens nearly doubled from 6.1% in 2013 to 13.6% in 2020, and past-12-month use also doubled (from 7.2% to 13.2%). In some U.S. jurisdictions, marijuana vaping climbed from 11% to 44% among 11th-graders between 2017–2019, even as overall youth use stayed flat.
Adolescents with both vaping and smoking behaviors are 40+ times more likely to vape cannabis frequently—suggesting vaping may facilitate repeated consumption due to its discreet nature.
Health & Safety Concerns
Despite perceptions of safety, vaping isn’t risk-free. The 2019–20 EVALI outbreak exposed vitamin E acetate in illicit THC cartridges as a lung‑injury culprit: with over 2,700 hospitalizations and 68 deaths. That crisis prompted health agencies to warn against unregulated products and underscored the need for standardized manufacturing.
Johns Hopkins also cautioned that vaping may amplify anxiety, paranoia, or memory impairment in inexperienced users. And for youth, heavy use ties to cognitive and developmental risks .
The Bigger Picture: Consumption Preferences & Regulation
- Efficiency: Vaporizing delivers cannabinoids more completely—destroying about 30% less THC via pyrolysis than smoking .
- Social Trends: As cannabis becomes mainstream in legal markets, many consumers want stylish, controlled, and discrete formats. Vape cartridges and mod devices meet that demand.
- Regulatory Environment: Tightening laws around combustibles (e.g. public smoking bans) indirectly boost vaping. But the absence of robust regulation for cannabis vapes can expose users to untested chemicals.
Summary
The data paints a clear trend: vaping is supplanting smoking for many cannabis users, driven by perceived safety, convenience, and dosage control. The cannabis vaporizer market continues to grow—yet public health experts warn of hazards tied to potency, contaminants, and youth uptake. As legalization expands, the industry and regulators must work together to ensure product quality, labelling transparency, and consumer education.
For consumers, vaping offers a cleaner, discreet alternative to smoking. But it comes with caveats. Always prioritize regulated products, stay informed about dosing, and—especially for young people—ask questions, read labels, and stay alert to new research.