Navigating the Market: CBD E Liquid in the UK

Navigating the Market: CBD E Liquid in the UK

When you go into a vape shop - the choice is overwhelming to say the least - what’s the difference between e liquid, vape juice and vape oil? Is there even a difference? What are terpenes? Will Gorilla Glue totally mess me up (sounds like it will!)? All the names sound like cannabis strains - will I get arrested? Well, I’ve decided to put together a little guide to sourcing the best CBD e liquid in the UK - mainly to explain the basics such as what is a CBD e liquid, what’s available and what really are terpenes… hopefully this will help you better navigate the CBD vape market!

So, first things first, what is a CBD E liquid?

CBD e liquids (also referred to as CBD vape juice or weed flavoured e liquid by some retailers) in the UK are usually made from the same liquid base as regular vape e liquids - a mixture of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG), however, unlike regular vape e liquids which tend to contain nicotine (but not always), CBD e liquids are nicotine free and are blended with hemp extract instead. Glycerin (as in the G in VG) is a natural substance that can be processed from most fats. In e liquids, the glycerine most commonly used is vegetable oil hence the V in VG. VG is non-toxic colourless liquid with no smell and tastes sweet. The higher the VG concetratation, the thicker the white plume of vape cloud. PG is also basically odourless like VG, but with a faint sweet taste. PG produces less visible vapour than VG and is included by CBD e liquid manufacturers to allow the e liquid to carry flavours effectively. It gives a bit more of a hit on the back of the throat, so needs to be mixed with VG to soften this. The ratio of PG to VG is what is responsible for the type of smoke you get (more VG = more clouds, more PG = more flavour, but a harsher smoke). What are terpenes?

Most CBD e liquids also contain terpenes so as to give a weed inspired flavour to the e liquid (or in other words to make it taste more like the real thing!) Terpenes are responsible for giving any plant its smell and so are not specific to cannabis - commonly they are used in essential oil blends. Make sure the terpenes used in the CBD e liquid you are buying are natural (as opposed to synthetic) cannabis terpenes so that you get a natural weedy flavour infused into your CBD e liquid. Although being derived from the cannabis plant, natural terpenes are legal and do not make you high. They are believed to enhance the effects of the CBD in what is known as the Entourage Effect, and I believe they form the cornerstone of the best weed flavoured e liquids available in the UK. Will CBD e liquids get me high?

Although many vape blends are named after the traditional cannabis plant strains they are derived from, this does not mean that they contain illegal parts of the cannabis plant. In the UK, the content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the bit that gets you high - mustn’t exceed 1mg per container. Therefore, all CBD e liquid on sale in the UK must have THC content below this amount and given the amounts of THC are negligible you will not get high from vaping CBD. Whilst this is a bit confusing, most brands who sell weed flavoured e liquids in the UK use the conventional cannabis strain names due the flavour profile. Personally, I think some of the best tasting CBD e liquid strains available in the UK are made up from natural terpenes derived from the following strains: Super Lemon Haze, Mango Kush and Sour Diesel. Is there a difference between CBD e liquid and CBD vape oil?

Short answer is, yes. While there are some places that use this term interchangeably this is incorrect. CBD vape oil tends to be purer than CBD e liquid as it is usually made with undiluted oil extract, derived from hemp and so is not made with PG / VG. CBD vape oils are therefore more viscous than e liquids and so will require you to use a specific CBD oil vape pen that is more powerful and can cope with heating up the thicker CBD vape oil. CBD vape oil also tends to be much stronger in terms of potency and therefore effects of the CBD. CBD e liquids are usually no more than 10% strength whereas CBD vape oil cartridges tend to be between 50-70% in strength. I have become a big fan of Paso’s CBD Vape Oil Cartridges which come in at an impressive 65% potency making them one of the highest strength CBD vape products for sale in the UK at the moment! This higher concentration means the effects are much stronger and quicker than other consumption methods, and that less puffs are needed for a greater effect to be experienced. Do you vape e liquid the same way as smoking a joint?

If you are switching from more traditional methods of smoking remember there is a difference to how you should vape to what you would normally do as a regular smoker: for example drawing harder on a cigarette or roll-up gives you more smoke, but taking a bigger inhale on your vape does not achieve much and in fact may pull excess e liquid into the heating coil that it can vaporise causing it to leak. So a little tip: remember to take long, soft drags. Is CBD e liquid safe to vape?

Whilst there has been a lot of bad press recently regarding vaping, the majority of this is coming out of the US and associated with black market, unregulated THC vaping products. It is important and reassuring to know that the legal market is beholden to much higher standards of quality and safety. All CBD e liquids (and vape liquids more generally) must be manufactured in compliance with EU regulation so double check that this is the case when purchasing. It should also be remembered that vaping is much safer than smoking flower. According to Public Health England: “vaping isn’t completely risk free but is far less harmful than smoking ... There is no situation where it would be better for your health to continue smoking rather than switching completely to vaping”.

[https://twitter.com/phe_uk/status/1172166081181605891?lang=en] Let me know if you have found any good CBD vape options below and / or if you have any specific questions. Hope that helped a bit!