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Making your very own vape juice from cannabis flower or concentrate allows you to save money and take complete control of what goes inside your vape pen. If you want to learn how to make CBD or THC vape juice at home, we have the perfect recipe for you.

What Is Weed Vape Juice?

Weed vape juice is a concentrated cannabis extract featuring thinning agents like propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and terpenes used to create a runnier e-juice consistency, which is easier to vaporize by your vape pen’s heating unit.

While e-liquids from sites like Vapekit are an excellent choice for beginners, more experienced vapers might want to get more out of their vape juices by making them at home.

Weed vape juices can contain THC, CBD, or a blend of both primary cannabinoids. Users can add their favorite food-grade terpenes to create a flavorful, aromatic, potent, and pure CBD or THC vape juice.

Ingredients and Equipment For Cannabis Vape Juice

lady smoking a vape with weed vape juice recipe

Ready to make THC vape juice to puff away on your vape pen? Here is exactly what you will need, from start to finish.

  • Marijuana flower (7 grams)
  • Food-grade vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol mix (about 80 ml)
  • Baking sheet
  • Thermometer
  • Cheesecloth
  • Syringe
  • Dropper bottle
  • Heat-proof glass jars
  • Aluminum foil
  • 2 cooking pots or double boiler
  • Water
  • Mesh strainer
  • Vape cartridge or vape pen

How to Make Weed Vape Juice

If you follow these steps, you should have your very own vape juice in no time.

Decarboxylate the Cannabis Flower

Decarboxylating your cannabis flower, whether it’s CBD or THC-rich, ensures its acidic compounds (THCA and CBDA) convert into its parent compounds (THC, CBD). For example, THCA is non-intoxicating, but when activated (heated), the THCA converts into THC, responsible for the intoxicating effects.

Here is how to decarboxylate cannabis flower:

  1. Preheat the oven to 250º F.
  2. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  3. Use your hands or a knife, scissors, or grinder to break the cannabis flower buds into small, pea-sized pieces.
  4. Spread the flower buds across the baking sheet to create an even layer.
  5. Allow the flower buds to decarboxylate in the oven for about 30 minutes.
  6. When finished, let the buds cool.

Create a VG/PG Mix

When your buds have cooled, you can saturate them in a vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol mix to extract its active ingredients. While your flower buds are decarboxylating in the oven, you can create the propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin mix if you purchased them separately.

The ratios of vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol (VG/PG) vary by user preference. Propylene glycol is intended to improve the flavor of vape juice. Experts recommend at least 50% vegetable glycerin, but you can experiment with slightly higher levels, around 60%. Forty percent propylene glycol is recommended since any more can create a harsher hit.

When your buds have cooled down, you can put them in your glass container and then pour the pre-mixed vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol to saturate the buds just enough to avoid diluting the vape juice. Stir the mixture to distribute the ingredients evenly.

Double Boil the Cannabis Mix

A double boiler will allow you to provide gentle but consistent heat to your cannabis mix. Here is what you will need to do:

  1. Pour about ½ inch of water into the bottom pot.
  2. Add water into the second cooking pot and put it inside the larger pot.
  3. Put your double boiler on the stovetop and heat the water to 220º F. Use a thermometer to get a precise temperature reading.
  4. Put the heat-proof glass container of cannabis and thinning agents into the top cooking pot and let it heat up to about 180º F.
  5. When the temperature reaches 180º F, allow the mixture to heat for at least one hour, although some users have let their mixture sit for up to four hours for stronger potency. In the meantime, mix the cannabis and PG/VG mixture frequently. Add more of the PG/VG mix if the cannabis begins to dry out but not too much to dilute it.
  6. When you think you extracted the desired amount of cannabis ingredients, you can remove the cannabis from the heat and allow it to cool.

Strain the Cannabis Mix

Now it is time to strain the plant matter from the concentrated CBD or THC vape juice. The cannabis mixture should still be slightly warm to allow for a better flow of the liquid.

Here is how you will strain your CBD or THC e-juice solution:

  1. Line a mesh strainer with 2-4 layers of cheesecloth.
  2. Position the strainer over a glass container.
  3. Pour the cannabis mixture onto the layers of cheesecloth and allow the liquid to drip into the container.
  4. When most of the liquid has drained by itself, use a silicone spatula to gently fold the cannabis to drain even more liquid.
  5. Gently squeeze the leftover liquid by hand into the glass container.
  6. Load the CBD or THC liquid in the container into a syringe or dropper bottle for easy application.

Load Your Vape Cartridge or Vape Pen

After you complete the extraction process, all you need to do is load your vape juice into a dropper bottle for storage or right into your vape cartridge or vape pen using a syringe. Store your vape juice in a cool, dry, and dark place to improve its shelf life.

Weed Vape Juice FAQ's

Is there such thing as a weed flavored vape?

Yes. These flavors will make you feel as though you're smoking the real thing, as they are modeled after the aromas and tastes of vintage cannabis strains.

Does Delta-9 vape juice get you high?

It is true that delta-9 THC has psychoactive properties, and consuming sufficient amounts of this molecule would undoubtedly make you feel high. However, delta-9 THC also has a number of positive effects on wellness, such as improving mood, promoting stress reduction, and supporting sleep.

Does weed vape juice go bad?

Even while it's a good idea to always check the expiration date on your vape juice bottle, e-liquid often has a lengthy shelf life. Once opened, vape juice can last for one to two years. Before vaping, though, always make sure to look for indicators of deterioration, such as color and consistency changes.

How long are cannabis vape cartridges good for?

The majority of 0.5-gram carts have a puff duration of 80 to 160 if you keep to puffs lasting less than three seconds. A standard 1-gram oil cart ought to last for 160–320 puffs, or twice as long. These figures suggest that a weed cart used frequently can last as little as a week or two.

How much THC is in vape juice?

Low-level THC concentrates are ideal for people who are just starting to vape or who don't want an overly intense experience. They usually contain 80–100 mg/g. However, high-THC concentrates can contain up to 1000 mg/g or more, offering a very strong impact that some vapers may find more appealing.

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Can you add cannabis oil to vape juice?

It is never a good idea to use CBD sublingual drops in an e-cigarette or vape pen because this could be harmful. It is never recommended to vape the carrier oil used to make CBD oil drops. Popular carrier oil MCT oil has the potential to be extremely harmful if heated and inhaled.

Learn the Art of Cannabis Infusions at CTU

Go beyond vape juice recipes and expand your infusion skills by enrolling in Cannabis Training University’s online industry training and receive a cannabis cooking certification. Whether you want to improve your hobby or get hired in the industry, CTU can empower you with an in-depth cannabis education. Enroll today!

Karen Getchell, expert cannabis writer
Karen Getchell

Karen gained expertise in developing training programs and technical documentation as a Senior Editor at Cisco Systems. She began her journey in cannabis as a patient, searching for a way to heal herself. When she perfected a method for making cannabis oil, other patients began to seek her out. An early adopter of CBD medicine, she started her CBD-infused-products business in 2014. Over the last two decades, Karen has taught hundreds of patients and caregivers how to select strains, infuse oils, and extract cannabinoids.

When she isn’t teaching cannabis cooking classes, Karen works as a cannabis business consultant, writes for online cannabis publications like Cannabis Training University, Leafly, and Weedmaps, and runs a CBD-infused-product business.

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