How is Cannabis Vape Made

You enjoy cannabis vapes, but the process behind them is a mystery. This lack of clarity can make you question the quality and safety of what you're inhaling.

A cannabis vape is made by extracting cannabis oil¹ (like THC or CBD), purifying it, and then filling it into a specialized vape device with a battery and a ceramic heating element² that vaporizes the oil for inhalation.

I've seen the cannabis vape market evolve dramatically. It has gone from a niche product to a mainstream category. The manufacturing process is where quality is born. It's a precise blend of agricultural science³, chemical engineering⁴, and hardware design. For my clients, understanding this process is the first step to building a brand that customers trust. It's not just about filling a generic cartridge with oil. At BAE Vapor⁵, we partner with brands to create specific hardware solutions that protect the integrity of their unique cannabis extracts, ensuring the best possible experience for the end-user.

How Is a THC Vape Made?

You want a potent and flavorful THC vape. But not all vapes deliver, and a bad product can be harsh, ineffective, or taste burnt, ruining the experience.

A THC vape is made by extracting cannabinoids from cannabis flower, refining the extract into a highly potent THC oil (distillate)⁶, and then reintroducing terpenes⁷ before filling it into a vaporization device.

The goal of a THC vape is usually potency and consistency. The process starts with dried and cured cannabis flower. This flower undergoes an extraction process, most commonly using CO2⁸ or ethanol, to pull out all the cannabinoids and terpenes. This crude oil is then put through a process called distillation. This step purifies the oil, stripping away everything but the THC, resulting in a thick, clear, and very potent oil called distillate. Because distillation also removes the natural terpenes (which provide flavor and scent), we then add specific terpene blends back into the pure THC oil. This allows us to craft specific flavors and effects. Finally, this formulated oil is carefully injected into cartridges or disposable pens designed to handle its thick consistency.

Common THC Oil Extraction Methods

How Are CBD Vapes Made?

You're looking for the benefits of CBD without the high. But the CBD market is confusing, filled with products that make it hard to know what you're actually getting.

CBD vapes are made by extracting cannabinoids from hemp. The oil is then processed into CBD isolate¹¹, broad-spectrum, or full-spectrum extract and filled into a vape device.

The creation of a CBD vape starts with a different plant: hemp. Hemp is legally defined as cannabis containing less than 0.3% THC. Once harvested, the hemp goes through an extraction process, similar to THC extraction, to create a CBD-rich crude oil. The key step is what happens next. The oil is refined into one of three types. This choice dictates the final experience for the user. Full-spectrum contains all the plant's natural cannabinoids, including trace amounts of THC. Broad-spectrum has all cannabinoids except for the THC, which is specifically removed. CBD isolate¹¹ is the purest form, where the CBD molecule is completely isolated from everything else. This finished oil is then ready to be filled into cartridges or disposable pens.

Types of CBD Extract

How Is a Live Resin Vape Made?

You hear "live resin" promises the best authentic flavor. But what is it really, and how does it differ from a standard vape cart?

Live resin vapes are made by extracting oil from cannabis plants that were flash-frozen¹⁴ immediately at harvest. This process preserves the full spectrum of delicate terpenes, resulting in a more flavorful and aromatic oil.

Live resin is all about preserving the living plant's profile. Instead of drying and curing the cannabis flower first, which causes many delicate terpenes to evaporate, the plant is frozen solid right after it's cut down. This "fresh frozen" material is then put through a solvent-based extraction¹⁵, typically using hydrocarbons like butane or propane. These solvents are excellent at pulling out the full range of cannabinoids and, most importantly, the fragile terpenes that define the plant's unique aroma and flavor. The resulting oil is a sticky, aromatic, and incredibly flavorful extract that isn't distilled or heavily refined. It requires special hardware, like a high-quality ceramic coil vape, that can gently heat the oil without scorching the precious terpenes.

How Are Live Rosin Vapes Made?

You're seeking the purest, most natural cannabis experience. You hear about live rosin, but the process seems complex, and you wonder if it's truly solvent-free.

Live rosin vapes are made using only ice water, heat, and pressure. Fresh-frozen cannabis is washed in ice water to create bubble hash, which is then pressed with heat to squeeze out a pure, solventless oil.

Live rosin is the peak of solventless extraction. Just like live resin, it starts with fresh-frozen cannabis to preserve the full terpene profile. But here, no chemical solvents are used. Instead, the frozen plant material is agitated in freezing ice water. This mechanical process knocks the cannabinoid-rich trichome heads off the plant. The water is then filtered through a series of mesh bags to collect these trichomes, creating a pure substance called ice water hash¹⁶ or bubble hash. This hash is then placed into a special bag and into a rosin press¹⁷. The press applies a specific amount of heat and immense pressure, squeezing the pure cannabis oil directly out of the hash. This oil, called live rosin, is completely pure, potent, and packed with natural terpenes.

Conclusion

Manufacturing a cannabis vape is a precise science. It involves careful extraction, expert formulation, and quality hardware to deliver a safe, effective product that truly represents the plant's potential.