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Alec Chenkus

What is the Bubble Test for Cannabis Concentrated Vape Cartridges?

Updated: Oct 6, 2021


Bubble Test for Cannabis Concentrated Vape Cartridge
Flipping your pen upside down can help identify if it has been cut with a dangerous additive.

Qualified Ohio marijuana patients have access to a wide variety of cannabis products that have been lab tested for safety, purity and potency. You can find vape pens and vape cartridges in a number of different strains, as well as cannabis edibles, topicals, dabs, tinctures, and even botanical flower.


You'll need a medical marijuana card that is valid in Ohio in order to take advantage of the legal cannabis products available only at Ohio licensed dispensaries. Qualifying for medical marijuana is simple, and we are here to walk you through the process from start to finish. Book online to get your Ohio Marijuana Card today!


Cannabis Distillate
High-quality distillate color and consistency

Have you ever heard of the bubble test? This is one of the simplest ways to know if your cannabis concentrate vape cartridge has been cut with harmful ingredients or dangerous additives. While not an entirely foolproof method, the bubble test is a common technique for people wondering how to know if their vape cartridge is pure.


Why Should You Perform the Bubble Test for Cannabis Vape Cartridges?

There are plenty of products available on the black market in Ohio, but you can never be sure of their purity. Some of these products have been cut with harmful agents to make them more appealing, and anyone using them is at risk of injury to their lungs.


We highly advise purchasing cannabis on the legal market to ensure that you are getting a product that is safe and effective. However, some people prefer to have a little peace of mind even after leaving legal dispensaries.

The bubble test can help you see the quality of your product firsthand, and it may help ease your mind that your medical marijuana vape cartridge was made with high-quality cannabis and minimal additives.


How to Perform the Bubble Test for Vape Cartridges

The bubble test simply requires you to flip your pen upside down and note if the air bubble in the cartridge moves to the top of the cart too quickly. And that's how to know if your medical marijuana vape cartridge has been cut with harmful ingredients. It's that simple.


Why Does the Bubble Test Help You Know if Your Vape Pen Has Been Cut With Dangerous Additives?

High-quality distillate is a rather thick consistency, meaning if there is no cut present in a pen it will barely move, if at all. This can make the pen clog quite easily and not draw very well, so most, if not all, cartridges will be cut slightly to make the consistency more accessible to be vaporized by the ceramic coil.

Honey oil in cannabis cartridges
Honey cut has become a common cutting agent used to thicken the consistency of cannabis distillate after it has been diluted with other cuts.

However, in quality cartridges, the cuts used will often either be cannabis-derived terpenes or cannabinoids (such as CBD). This will give quality cannabis cartridges a recognizable taste of terpenes.


Cartridges cut with an additive such as vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol (used in e-cig juice) will give more of a sweet taste than any type of distinctive terpene taste. While neither of these ingredients is dangerous to ingest, inhaling them may be a different story.




Why the Bubble Test May Be Less Accurate Than it Used to Be

The bubble test was more accurate early in the development of the cannabis industry. However, companies that are looking to cut costs (and therefore corners) have found other ways to make cannabis concentrates that were cut with less desirable agents appear thicker, therefore fooling consumers into thinking they are higher quality.

CCELL Cannabis Cartridge
CCELL brand cartridges are some of the highest-quality cartridges available on the market.


Sadly, many counterfeit cartridge producers have moved to using new additives that now thicken marijuana vape pens, as knowledgeable cannabis users have become more knowledgeable about testing consistency with the bubble test.



For this reason, additives - such as honey cut, vitamin E acetate, and other thickeners - are now being used to thicken the consistency of the oil, and many believe this is what has led to the outbreak of adverse health effects.



Why is the Quality of the Vape Cartridge Itself Important?

It is important to also consider the brand of the cartridge itself. There are many cheap pen options out there that have been found to have lead or heavy metals. One of the most trusted cartridge producers in the country is Jupiter Labs (distributor of CCELL cartridges), the leader in cartridge manufacturing.


Lower-quality cartridges may also vaporize at too high of a temperature, meaning you may be burning many of those terpenes that are so important for medical relief.


Ohio Medical Marijuana Products are Required to Undergo Third-Party Lab Testing and Share the Test Results with Regulatory Authorities

Medical marijuana programs across the United States require licensed processors to submit their product for testing, so you can feel confident that your cannabis cart will not be a detriment to your health. Testing in certified labs can also help you avoid cannabis distillate that has been extracted from contaminated or bad-quality cannabis.


You don't have to gamble with your health, when you can access outstanding medical marijuana products at Ohio dispensaries with an Ohio marijuana card!


 

Get an Ohio Marijuana Card to Get Certified Safe Cannabis Products Today!


If you are an Ohioan suffering from one of these 25 medical conditions, you may be eligible to treat your symptoms with medical marijuana, which includes both THC and CBD products.

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