Vaping: from its origins to modern CBD use

The origins of vaporisation: heating plants without burning them

Long before CBD became popular, vaping was already based on a simple principle: heating plants at a controlled temperature to release their volatile compounds and prevent them from burning.

From the first spray bottles to modern electric appliances

The first devices marketed using this principle appeared as early as the early 1980s with the Tilt in the United States, before the BC Vaporizer was launched in Canada in 1994. During the 1990s, temperature control evolved with the development of electric heating elements and hot-air systems. In 1996, the German engineer Markus Storz began work on a hot-air generator designed for plants, for which he filed a patent two years later.

How does vapourisation actually work?

In a dry herb vaporiser, the plant material is placed in a chamber and then heated to just below its combustion point, releasing its volatile compounds as an aerosol without producing any smoke. Depending on the device, conduction heats the plant directly through contact with a hot surface, whilst convection circulates heated air around the plant material. It should be noted that some hybrid systems combine these two methods to achieve a more even distribution of heat.

Milestones in modern atomisation

• 1996–1998: Markus Storz developed and subsequently patented his hot-air system.
• 1980–1990: the first commercial healthcare devices and improvements in thermal control.
• 2000: the rise of electronic and portable vapourisers for the general public.

Vaping rather than smoking or ingesting? Another method of consumption

Compared with smoke produced by combustion and absorption via the digestive system, vapourisation offers a distinct method of consumption, based on the controlled heating of plants.

Vaporisation and combustion: a fundamental difference

Smoking involves burning plant material and inhaling the smoke produced by this combustion, whereas a vapouriser keeps the temperature below the ignition point, so that it releases the volatile compounds whilst avoiding burning the plant. This difference explains why vaping is regularly presented as an alternative to smoking, although it should not, for that reason, be regarded as risk-free.

Inhalation and ingestion: two very different routes

Inhalation and ingestion differ primarily in terms of the rate of absorption: compounds inhaled reach the body more quickly than those absorbed through the digestive system. Vaporisation also retains an aromatic quality directly linked to the heated plant, a sensation that is absent when the substance is ingested.

Not to be confused with

• Combustion: the flower is burnt, producing smoke containing CBD and other by-products such as tobacco, paper, pipe residue and the chemical changes inherent in combustion.
• Vaporisation: the flower is heated without being burnt, allowing its volatile compounds to be inhaled with less exposure to the toxins in smoke, making it ideal for non-smokers.
• Vaping: a CBD liquid or preparation is heated in an e-cigarette, producing an aerosol that is inhaled without the flower being burnt, along with the associated solvents and additives.

STORZ & BICKEL and VAPORMED: when vapourisation enters the medical world

The recent history of vapourisation is closely linked to STORZ & BICKEL, a German company that has become a leading name in the sector, with a division dedicated to medical devices under the VAPORMED brand.

From Markus Storz’s prototype to the success of the VOLCANO

In 1996, Markus Storz began developing a hot-air inhaler for aromatic plants, for which he filed a patent in 1998. Its operation is based, in particular, on a system that collects the vapour in a removable flask before it is inhaled.

The first VOLCANO models went on sale in 2000 and quickly made a name for themselves thanks to their precise temperature control and distinctive balloon system. In 2002, Jürgen Bickel joined forces with Markus Storz to found the company STORZ & BICKEL GmbH.

From STORZ & BICKEL to VAPORMED: medical certification

Although it has been used by the scientific community for clinical studies on cannabinoids since its inception, STORZ & BICKEL is gradually obtaining its certifications in the medical sector:

• 2009: ISO 13485 certification.
• 2010: The Volcano Medic was approved for the medical inhalation of cannabinoids.
• DIN EN 60601 standard for the safety of electro-medical equipment.
• 2023: MDR certification, compliance with the European Medical Devices Regulation (MDR).

The VOLCANO MEDIC was then launched under the VAPORMED brand the following year, followed by the MIGHTY MEDIC in 2015, before a factory dedicated to the production of medical vaporisers was built in Tuttlingen in 2016.

The company now has over 25 years’ experience in the field of vaporisation, with a consumer range marketed under the STORZ & BICKEL brand and a certified medical range available under the VAPORMED brand.

STORZ & BICKEL: A History in 3 Periods

• 1996–2002: development of the VOLCANO, followed by the founding of STORZ & BICKEL.
• 2009–2010: certification, approval and launch of the VOLCANO MEDIC.
• 2015–2016: MIGHTY MEDIC and a manufacturing plant entirely dedicated to medical devices.

From technology to CBD: vaping hemp flowers today

The rise in popularity of CBD-rich hemp flowers has broadened the range of uses for dry herb vaporisers, whilst increasing the focus on the origin, quality and traceability of the products.

Vaping CBD? First, choose the right product

Not all CBD-containing products can be used indiscriminately in a dry herb vaporiser. This is because this type of device is designed for plant material that is compatible with its heating system, which specifically excludes oils and macerates. For hemp flowers, origin, growing conditions, drying and traceability are therefore important selection criteria, in accordance with the French regulatory framework, which requires compliance with the maximum THC limit of 0.3 per cent for the products in question. Please note that, under current legislation, no therapeutic claims may legitimately be associated with these flowers.

Valvi Chanvre: an example of CBD grown in France and intended for vaping

Valvi Chanvre is a producer of CBD and CBG hemp based in southern Ardèche, where the flowers are grown in open fields in accordance with the principles of organic farming. Some of the CBD flowers available on the website can be used in a vapouriser, with a vapourisation temperature generally ranging from 180 to 210 °C, to be adjusted according to the variety chosen and the manufacturer’s recommendations for the device.

A flower intended for distillation? Key points to bear in mind

• Origin, cultivation methods and traceability.
• Drying and storage conditions.
• Compliance with the regulatory THC limit and compatibility with the device.