Table of Contents
Introduction
When it comes to vaping the current hot topic is CBD vaporizers. CBD is an abbreviation for cannabidiol, one of the active ingredients found in the cannabis plant, isolated and prepared for vaping. There are no psychoactive effects from CBD – the ‘stoned’ feel cannabis smokers feel comes from THC, which is not present in these CBD products. CBD has different effects on the body, with many people claiming numerous health benefits such as pain relief and stress reduction. While THC is illegal in many countries, CBD is not usually subject to such stringent restrictions. In this review we’ll look at one of the most popular CBD vape-pens on the market, the Kanavape CBD vape pen. The team behind Kanavape also produce Satijah, a hemp-based e-juice containing CBD, and a series of edible hemp-based products, which we’ll examine too.
Legal?
Firstly, it’s important to note that CBD-based products might not be legal in your state or country. For instance, CBD is currently listed as a Schedule II drug in Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act meaning possession, distribution, import, export and production of CBD in Canada is prohibited. I’m based in the UK, where CBD is legal so my review will reflect this, but we strongly recommend you find out the status of CBD in your location before ordering. Although most CBD vape pens have a very low amount of THC, usually just 0.2%, if your line of work means you are tested for drugs, such as schoolteacher or police officer, you may give a positive reading for cannabis on the tests. Be careful.
Kanavape are a French-Czech company who produce CBD products from hemp plants grown legally in France, the Czech Republic and Spain. This hemp has 5% CBD and after harvesting goes through several stages to extract these CBD molecules. This includes cold extraction and involves a natural solvent which doesn’t contain any heavy metals.
While medical cannabis is illegal in France, in June 2013, an amendment to the Public Health Code authorized CBD-based medicine to help ease the pain of patients suffering from cancer and multiple sclerosis. This prompted the company’s co-founder Antonin Cohen, along with his associates Sébastien Béguerie and Valentin Squirelo, to launch France’s first CBD pen in December 2014, and subsequently branch out to other countries that have similarly relaxed laws.
Kanavape sent over a comprehensive selection of their products, including the CBD vaporizer pen starter kit, a selection of hemp-based e-juice, and a box of hemp-based edibles.
Starter Kit:
- Kanavape battery
- Kanavape USB charger
- Two Kanavape Natural Hemp Cartridges (1ml cartridge, 50mg CBD)
Satijah hemp-based e-liquids (10ml bottles, 50mg CBD):
- Strawberry
- Original
- Tropical
- Mint
- Lemon
Edibles:
- Jar of Hemp Salt
- Pouch of Organic Hemp Tea
- Tablets of Hemp Chocolate (dark and milk)
Looks
First impressions count and the Kanavape gift box is certainly impressive. It comes packed with straw, and each item arrives in individual protective boxes to ensure nothing is damaged in the post. Rubber ended plastic tubes protect delicate components like the cartomizers and the 510 connector comes with a rubber seal to keep it safe and clean. Everything is well-designed and simple. There’s no fumbling about trying to work out what item does what as each section is clearly described and easy to understand.
The main product, the Kanavape vaporizer, is a lightweight vaporizer pen, about the same length and width as a touchscreen stylus, mostly black and smooth to the touch. It’s a sleek well-designed item with a subtle but classic look. You certainly won’t be embarrassed vaping it in public, it’s about as far from a large flashing mod as it gets.
No expense has been spared when it comes to the other items. The bottles of Satijah e-liquid have a well designed label and come in child-safe bottles for added safety. The packing for the edibles is also excellent, with classy artwork and professional packing. It’s clear that the aim is to treat hemp with respect and maturity, and play down the ‘stoner’ element. If you have a friend with a fondness for cannabis, these would make an unique and sophisticated gift.
First, let’s look at the Kanavape vaporizer pen. The battery is similar to typical disposable vape pens so don’t expect to be producing huge clouds of vapour. Compared to other CBD vape pens, the vape is smooth and cool. While rival brands take on a harsh burnt taste at times the Kanavape give a reliably silky hit no matter how hard I drag on it. The taste is subtle. It’s a gentle hemp-style aroma that won’t draw unwanted attention and while not being delicious, it isn’t unpleasant.
The Satijah juice is similar, but has the added bonus of being usable in a standard vape set-up. It has zero nicotine so it’s smoother and doesn’t have an unpleasant throat hit. This e-liquid has a mixture of PG and VG, and while the ratio isn’t given it works well in my Nautilus X tank at 12 w so it’s likely a 50:50 PG/VG blend. The flavours are pleasant if nothing earth-shaking. My personal favourite is the mint, which has a light clean taste with a hint of hemp. The lemon flavoured juice is slightly on the soapy side, but still very vapeable and clean-tasting. The flavouring used in the Satijah juice is gentle and suits CBD, providing a natural, mellow feel.
As for the edibles, obviously these aren’t to be vaped, but they’re a good counterpart. The chocolate has a woody, almost-plantlike taste, while having a high quality smooth mouthfeel. The hemp salt is an interesting addition. It looks similar to actual cannabis bush, but has no psychoactive effects. Personally I wouldn’t use it for cooking but if you’re a big fan of that herbal hemp taste, it could come in useful as a garnish for certain meals. The tea was slightly bitter for my tastes, but tastes excellent after adding a spoonful of honey.
Experience
Now, this is the most important factor. While ordinary vaping is relaxing in itself, with or without nicotine, we expect something more substantial from CBD oil. Particularly given the higher cost. As stated above, it’s important to note that this product doesn’t contain THC and isn’t designed to have the same slowed-down, doped-up effects of consuming cannabis. It’s more of a medical device than recreational, and should be treated it on those terms.
I spent a few days using the Kanavape vaporizer, using it alongside my normal vape equipment, averaging approximately 100 tokes per day. Did I notice anything? In a word, yes. While subtle at first, over the course of the first day I sensed a notable lift in my mood, providing more energy and making it easier to start and finish complex tasks. CBD has been described as a good tool for alleviating pain, and while I don’t have any long-standing medical problems, the overall sense of well-being I noticed from the CBD could certainly help when it comes to managing constant low-level pain.
As well as a lift in mood, there was a marked increase in sociability. While not generally an anxious person, after an hour or so of using the Kanavape I felt relaxed enough to tackle anything. It also had the interesting effect of suppressing my appetite. Not to an extreme degree, but rather than snacking I felt more inclined to eat something healthy, such as an apple, or a bowl of homemade soup. It seems the elevated mood it creates works on various parts of the brain, leading to a decrease in the need for comfort eating. While vaping normal e-juice with nicotine also suppresses appetite, the sensation was much more notable with this CBD e-pen.
Then I spent a couple of days using the Satijah hemp juice in a standard vaping set-up. The juice was thin so I decided to vape it in a plus-ohm tank as the PG would make it too harsh to sub-ohm vape. With this in mind I used the Nautilus X tank on an iStick 30w mod at 12w. This time the effects weren’t as strong. This is to be expected as each 10ml bottle of hemp juice contains the same total amount of CBD (50mg) as just 1ml of the Kanavape cartridges. However, positive results were still noticeable. While mathematics suggests each hit should only give 10% of the effects of a hit from the Kanavape pen, it was notably more than this as I was vaping it at a higher wattage. This meant I inhaled more CBD with each drag. Of course, this also meant I was consuming the juice quicker than when using the Kanavape pen.
The bonus of using the Satijah juice is that I could add my own level of nicotine if I desired, meaning I’d be getting both the health benefits of CBD and the instant boost from nicotine. While this isn’t advised by Kanavape, it means the juice is more versatile and could be especially useful for vapers who prefer e-juice to contain nicotine.
It should be noted that this is a subjective experience, so different people may experience different results. This can come from individuals vaping at different rates or a simple matter of body chemistry. It would be a major bonus to have CBD e-liquid undergo some detailed clinical testing, to show the specific pain-relieving qualities and mood-elevating performance on a person’s body chemistry. As CBD vaping becomes more popular it seems this will be top of the agenda for many companies, but at the moment concrete scientific information is fairly hard to find.
Value
CBD vaping isn’t cheap but after a few days trying out the Kanavape products I’d say it’s well worth trying. It won’t completely cure your body’s ailments but it has a substantial impact on mood, and other useful benefits such as suppressing food cravings. The Kanavape vaporizer pen is by far the most effective way of sampling CBD, but a more cost effective way would be to buy one of the 10ml bottles of Satijah hemp juice. While they contain less CBD than the pen, ml for ml, you can use them in your normal vaping kit and test out the effects that way. If you enjoy the results, it’s worth spending the extra money for the dedicated Kanavape CBD vaporizer.
The edibles are an attractive lifestyle bonus but don’t contain CBD, so for the purposes of this review we’d only recommend them as part of a gift set for a hemp-loving friend.
Pros
- Notable impact on mood and appetite
- Smooth vape
- Non toxic, natural flavours
- Good range of extra products, perfect for gift sets
Cons
- Initially subtle. Takes an hour or so to notice any effects
- Expensive for the full kit
Conclusion
If the demand is out there we’ll look at CBD vaping in more detail in a future article. It’s certainly becoming more popular and there’s a lot of misinformation out there about this, and other cannabis-related vaping products. And it’s sure to continue as both vaping becomes more popular and advances in technology means vaping becomes a viable option when it comes to medicinal use.
The Kanavape vaporizer pen is an effective introduction to CBD vaping, with distinct effects. The initial effects on mood and brain chemistry are subtle, but the longer it’s vaped, the more notable they become. It isn’t a lazy ‘stoned’ sensation, quite the opposite in that it gives a slight energy boost, while also relaxing the mind. The pen is a well-designed attractive piece of kit, that gives reliably smooth hits and tastes fairly pleasant. For the vaper completely new to CBD, we’d recommend starting with the Satijah juice range. This is a more affordable option for those curious about CBD vaping and should demonstrate the effects, although in a slightly weaker way. Obviously, for the complete experience the pen is the more effective choice.
The chocolate, salt and tea are attractive lifestyle products, but not a source of CBD. However, they each taste pleasant, especially if you’re a fan of hemp and enjoy cooking.
Overall, would I recommend the Kanavape vaporizer pen? Yes, if your budget allows. The subtle effects on mood and appetite were useful and show the potential of using vaping as a form of consuming health-boosting products. While I wouldn’t go as far to say CBD vaping is life-changing, it’s certainly life-enhancing.
Ian Jones
