How long does a disposable weed vape last?

Who wouldn’t love to snatch a great price on Delta-8 carts to stock up on convenient cannabis devices? But even if you’ve already found the most affordable vapes, what you’re probably thinking at that point is: 

How long does a disposable marijuana vape last? 

How many should you get when you chance upon an awesome deal?

Do disposable weed vapes expire?

And if they do, should you vape one in the first place?

Let’s get into the details of how long Delta-8 cartridges will – or should – last by looking at the factors that play into their longevity. Spoiler alert: That’s not a one-size-fits-all formula for all styles and usage levels, so different carts last differently.

How long do disposable weed vapes last on average?

You may come across tips for calculating how long a disposable cannabis vape lasts based on the cartridge size (commonly 500mg or 1,000mg) and an estimated 300 seconds of total inhale time per gram. But the quality and potency of what’s inside matters, including the kind of oil and the type of extraction (butane, CO2, distillates, etc.). 

Then, your vaping style and frequency are the most variable factors that determine how long a disposable marijuana vape lasts for you. That’s what makes the lifespan of a weed cart less of a number and more of an individual value.

How long do disposable marijuana vapes last based on your specific style?

Though the quantity and duration of your puffs greatly affect how long a specific size of cartridge will last, this is harder to estimate if your vaping style is inconsistent. For light use (think once daily at bedtime) and puffs under 3 seconds, the math may be simple:

• A 500mg cart should produce around 100 or up to 150 puffs.
• A 1000mg cartridge is pre-loaded for around 200 or even more puffs.

You’ll get fewer per cart with frequent use or a chronic condition that requires daily soothing sessions. Respectively, if you have a high tolerance to THC or indulge in heavier use and longer draws – 5 or 6 seconds perhaps – you may go through your cart within a week or just days.

How long disposable weed vapes last will vary not just from person to person – this could also differ for the same user. If you are far from casually hitting your vape but rely on it for pain relief or have a health condition to manage, the same-sized cart can last you a few weeks or less. However, based on an average of 3-5mg, 3-second puffs, a 500mg cartridge is expected to yield no less than 50 and no more than 150 puffs.

That said, you may differ from the average consumer and have an individual result – which may also vary from cart to cart if you buy from different manufacturers.

Do disposable cannabis vapes expire?

They do, but D8 vape carts are impressively shelf-stable if stored correctly: 6 months to a year or even 18 months from the date of manufacturing. The best practice is to use your weed vape within a year of that date. That makes most sense if the cartridge does not include an expiration date. 

If you put your D8 cart away so it sits in your drawer for a while, or you forget it there, the THC oil exposed to heat during vaping won’t last as long as an unused vape. It is likely to lose its potency, taste, and overall effect over time. 

D8 and D9 do not expire in the same way, though. When stored in less-than-ideal conditions for an extended period, Delta-8 carts are less prone to cannabinoid degradation and less sensitive to external factors such as temperature variables and sunlight. Delta-9 gradually degrades into CBN – a different cannabinoid – that is not harmful but changes the overall experience. It is more likely to induce sleep than any other effect.

Do disposable weed vapes that expire cause harm if used?

Unless exposed to extreme temperatures or direct sunlight that initiate the fast degradation of cannabinoids and terpenes, a weed cart that is past its ‘best before’ date is unlikely to become toxic. If you bought one a while ago but haven’t used it, it is probably still good enough to give it a try. If you’ve already started using a cannabis vape and feel something icky about it, thrust it somewhere absent-mindedly. Odds are, it has gone bad despite the expiry date.

Storing your weed vapes in a cool, dark, and dry environment is essential as exposure to air, humidity, and UV rays takes away from cannabinoids and causes the oil to oxidize. While that saps potency and flavor from your juice, the biggest safety concern about long-term storage of your cartridges is bacterial and mold contamination. Watch out for that!

To use or not to use?

When you have no clue of the expiration or manufacturing date or assume the product is not significantly past it, taking a look at the contents can be enough. If your cart has a viewing window, a change of color or viscosity can be a red flag associated with oil degradation. The thicker, darker, or more cloudy the oil appears, the greater the extent of oxidation or contamination. 

Besides, crystallization or gunk is a tell-tale sign of the cannabinoid breakdown in your THC cart to the point when you don’t want to use it.

However, you may see no changes over time. That’s when the only way to find out if the oil in your cart is still good is to vape it. The dulling of the flavor is most likely a sign of potency change, so you may find that a disposable cannabis vape’s “expired” experience is simply not worth it. The taste may range from something that seems faded or slightly off to harsh, unpleasant, and rancid.

More importantly, going with an expired cartridge can lead to coughing and airway irritation, even though it does not pose significant health risks. You’d better get a new one instead of experimenting with something that isn’t enjoyable or doesn’t have a desired effect.