PAX flow vaporizer device on a colorful background

Pax Flow Review: The Best Portable Vape Yet, or Just Full of Hot Air?


Pax Flow Review: The Best Portable Vape Yet, or Just Full of Hot Air?

Pax styles itself as the Apple of vaporizers, and it’s hard to disagree with that assessment. Blending a clean look with precision engineering, user friendliness and an attention to detail that’s impossible to miss, they really do raise the bar.

Most weed vapers will undoubtedly be familiar with the Pax 3 and Pax Plus, and the new Pax Flow aims to take lessons from these while forging a new path for the brand.

You’ll see the most obvious change right away: the oven has been moved to the side of the device for easier access than on earlier models. But the differences go way beyond the surface-level, with a completely redesigned and now hybrid heating system, vastly improved airflow, and more heat modes than ever before.

But is it really worth upgrading, or is it all hype and marketing? We’ve taken an in-depth look to find out. 

Highlights
Pax has raised the bar again when it comes to performance, offering an expertly designed and intuitive vaporizer that builds on what previous devices got right. The hybrid heating and improved airflow are the stars of the show, ensuring an even burn and smooth, satisfying vapor. However, the $350 price point is a sticking point for many, and unless you have an issue with tighter airflow or pure conduction heating, even older Pax options like the Plus are cheaper and still perform excellently.
Vapor Quality
9
Airflow & Heating
9
Battery & Charging
7.5
Design & Usability
8.5
Value for Money
8
Pros
Hybrid conduction and convection heating
Side oven makes loading super simple
Much better airflow than previous models
Great flavor and vapor
Five heat settings, including bong mode
4-year warranty
Cons
Quite expensive
It gets hot in use, especially at higher settings
Battery life is limited
No app support for advanced feature control
8.7
Pax Flow

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PAX Flow Specs

Price: $350
Compatibility: Dry Herb
Battery: 2000 mAh
Oven Size: 0.3g
Run Time: 35 mins
Charge Time: 40 mins
Temperature Range: 356 – 437 °F
Limited Warranty: 4 Years
Similar Products: Pax 3, Pax Plus, TinyMight 2

Getting into the Flow

The biggest change from older Pax models is also the one that has the most impact on your vaping experience.

Moving the oven from the bottom of the device to the side makes it much easier to access for cleaning and general use. If you used an older Pax model, you’ll know the pain of removing the mouthpiece and trying to balance it upside down for filling and cleaning.

With the Flow, you just lay it on its side and it’s all right there. It’s like they finally designed it with real users in mind.

Pax Flow vaporizer kit

But the biggest improvement is to the airflow. With a much bigger air channel, you feel the difference immediately, with a much better flow from the Flow compared to older devices (hence the name). It’s open and smooth, more in line with what you’d expect from a desktop vaporizer.

Hybrid Heating; Even Vaporization

The new hybrid heating system builds on this to push your vaping experience to the next level.

Making use of both conduction and convection-based heating, it still heats quickly and efficiently – something around 35 seconds from cold to ready-to-go – but the flavor and performance is vastly improved.

Convection heating is generally lauded for more even vaporization and improved flavor, but convection devices tend to cost more and are heavier on the battery.

PAX flow heating chamber

Hybrid heating aims to offer the best of both worlds. The simpler, conduction heating kick-starts the process and takes some strain off the battery, but the hot-air convection heating is still there to smooth out the vape and improve flavor.

The problem with older Pax models – your bud ending up half-baked in the middle, but roasted on the outside – has finally been fixed.

But you do feel the impact on battery life. It’s much lower than on older devices – about 35 minutes per charge vs. 150 for the Pax Plus – but it’s kind of expected on smaller convection devices. The only silver lining is the quick charging via USB-C: it’ll be ready to go again in about 40 minutes.

Intuitive Design and Interface

Pax’s reputation as the Apple of vaporizers is best understood through the design. Like on old devices, there’s a single control button on top of the device, with a “X” made of four LEDs to show crucial information like your heat setting and remaining battery life.

Boosting the power with each press, it goes from one purple light (180 °C/356 °F), to two green ones (190 °C/374 °F), three yellow ones (205 °C/401 °F) and finally four red ones (215 °C/419 °F).

Pax flow dry herb vaporizer

The Flow also adds “bong mode” (225 °C / 437 °F) – cycle through the power options twice so the lights turn multi-color – which uses an optional water-pipe adapter to turn the Flow into the centerpiece of your glass rig.

Admittedly, having an electronic downpipe sticking out of your glass looks a little odd – like you’re getting high in some sci-fi universe – but the performance is solid. It’s especially good for people like me who find the “slow sip” vaporizer inhalations a little tiresome: you just wait for the glass to fill and rip away.

Too Hot To Handle?

For all of these great aspects when it comes to the design and capabilities of the Pax Flow, it has made one issue a little worse: excessive heat.

With the Pax 3 and Plus, the oven was on the bottom of the device, and while the outside could get warm with extended use, you could easily hold the upper section to avoid the worst of it.

Holding pax flow vaporizer

Shifting the oven to the side makes it easier to fill and supports the vastly improved airflow, but it also makes the heat harder to avoid. The oven is exactly where your hand would naturally fall, and it can get a little uncomfortable.

Pax has made a grip sleeve for just this reason, but it will run you an extra $15. But at $350 retail, you have to wonder why you’d need to pay more just to be able to operate the device comfortably.

How Does It Compare?

The Pax Flow stacks up well compared to older models of Pax vaporizer, but things get a little shakier when you consider other manufacturers.

Compared to other Pax devices, the improvements in heating method, airflow and general design are hard to miss. While it might have reduced battery life, charging goes much quicker (40 minutes vs. several hours) and the USB-C charger is much more convenient than the older docking systems. The only area the Flow is clearly inferior is for vaping concentrates – older devices have inserts for concentrates, but the Flow doesn’t.

Beyond the Pax line-up, competition gets fiercer. For example, the TinyMight 2 is about the same price, offers full convection heating, a replaceable battery, quicker heating and a glass stem as standard. The Venty is a little more expensive but has about double the battery life, similar hybrid heating, adjustable airflow, app support and precise temperature control down to the degree.

The Pax Flow stacks up well overall, but the high price-point encourages some comparisons it arguably falls short on. The simple addition of precise temperature control via a linked app would have made a huge difference.

Is the Pax Flow Worth It?

If you’re just getting into vaping or you’re already a fan of Pax vaporizers, it’s hard to fault the Flow. You’ll be right at home operating it after just a few minutes of exploring and button-pushing, and you’ll be more than happy with the performance, vapor and flavor.

It’s one of the smoothest vapes I’ve ever had thanks to the improved airflow and even heating, and improves on all previous iterations.

That said, the price is quite high and this makes value for money a sticking point. If you want to use all of the features and not feel like your hand is burning, you’ll need to drop the $350 plus $15 each for the sleeve and water pipe adapter.

Like a new iPhone, there are definite improvements with the new version, but the gains feel like they’re diminishing and the price can make it hard to justify the upgrade.

Pax really is the Apple of vaporizers, and that cuts both ways. It’s awesome – genuinely – but if you’re on a budget there are ultimately better options out there.

The post Pax Flow Review: The Best Portable Vape Yet, or Just Full of Hot Air? appeared first on CBD Oracle.

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Using CBD cream on hand for pain relief

The Best CBD Creams to Give You a Break From Aches

The Best CBD Creams to Give You a Break From Aches

50 million adults in the US struggle with chronic pain each year, and many more suffer occasionally. But widely-used pain medications can be addictive and have serious side effects. That’s why cannabis-based treatments like CBD creams have been gaining popularity as an alternative for day-to-day aches and pains.

The big problem, as a consumer, is finding reliable products. That’s where our expert-backed cannabinoid product evaluation framework comes in, ranking products based on an objective set of criteria for safety, efficacy, trust and reliability. These are the best CBD creams for pain based on these criteria and extensive first-hand testing.

What makes a CBD cream effective for pain?

Full spectrum is best

Thanks to the “entourage effect,” full-spectrum CBD creams (also containing THC and minor cannabinoids) are expected to be the most useful. However, broad spectrum and isolate products may also be helpful, and this list includes all types.

Beneficial terpenes

Beta-caryophyllene, linalool and myrcene are prominent terpenes that can have a pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory effect. These are a big bonus to any full or broad spectrum mix.

Permeation enhancers or special formulations

Permeation enhancers (such as vitamin E or menthol) or higher-tech formulation (e.g. nano-emulsions) are needed if the CBD is going to have effects beyond the surface of the skin. All of the products in this list include something like this.

Other pain relievers are helpful

Many products contain non-cannabinoid pain relievers like camphor. With a limited risk of interactions, these were seen as a bonus.

Out of the 85 CBD creams for pain we considered, these four scored the highest on both our product quality evaluation framework and first-hand testing.

Best Overall

Aspen Green Relief Cooling Cream

4.4 CBD Oracle Rating

CBD Approval Badge

Aspen Green Relief Cooling Cream

  • CBD type: Full-spectrum
  • Potency: 1,000 mg CBD, 33 mg THC
  • CBD:THC ratio: 30:1 CBD:THC ratio
  • Terpenes: Eucalyptol, alpha-terpinene, Alpha-pinene, gamma-terpinene
  • Price: $89.99 for 2 oz jar ($0.09 per mg CBD)

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4.4 CBD Oracle Rating

Aspen Green is one of those brands that get almost everything right. They take high-quality, US-grown and USDA-certified organic hemp, then they use supercritical CO2 extraction on the flowers to maximize potency and purity.

Their products are made in an FDA-registered, cGMP facility and go through full panel lab testing from one of the best labs in the industry.

Their Relief Cooling Cream takes this top-notch hemp and mixes it with purified water, adding menthol and vitamin E to help it absorb as well as possible.

It’s one of the more expensive options out there, but with 1,000 mg of CBD per jar, plenty of THC and minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBC, the cream is well worth the money.

Our expert reviewer commented, “This was the most effective CBD topical I tried. The cooling sensation kicked in within about 30 minutes, and my knee pain dropped to a much more tolerable level. Walking fast or putting pressure still hurt, but it was manageable. The muscle relaxation around the area was noticeable, too.”

He applied it during the day and before bed, noting that relief lasted for around 4 hours before the pain returned. He added:

“The downsides: it made me a little tired after evening use, and the jar only lasted about a week with generous applications 3x/day. That makes it pricey compared to ibuprofen or just icing. Still, if you’re looking at CBD specifically, this was the standout.”

Aspen Green’s COA was a close match to the independent test we commissioned of the Relief Cooling Cream.

  • CBD and THC match closely: Our test showed 21.4 mg of CBD per g, basically identical to their test. THC was 0.54 mg/g on our test vs. 0.61 mg/g on theirs.
  • Minor differences: We found 0.754 mg/g in our CBC test compared to 0.54 mg/g in their COA. Our report also found 0.124 mg/g of CBDV.

Overall, any differences are tiny and their COA is accurate.

  • Top-quality, USDA organic hemp
  • Rich in terpenes, including linalool
  • Flower-only extract
  • True full spectrum: CBD, THC, CBG and CBC
  • Includes permeation enhancers menthol and vitamin E
  • Independent lab test confirms COA accuracy
  • Very effective based on first-hand testing
  • Quite expensive
  • Jar only lasted a week with 3x daily application
  • Includes Arnica Montana, an unregulated supplement
Best Organic Cream

R&R CBD Pain Cream

4.3 CBD Oracle Rating

CBD Approval Badge

R&R CBD Pain Cream

  • CBD type: Full-spectrum
  • Potency: 1,000, 2,500 or 5,000 mg CBD
  • CBD:THC ratio: 145:1 CBD:THC ratio
  • Terpenes: Guaiol
  • Price: $130 for 2.5 oz ($0.02 per mg CBD)

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4.3 CBD Oracle Rating

R&R is another company that goes above and beyond when it comes to quality.

They scored a tiny bit lower than Aspen Green on our evaluation framework, but their hemp quality and manufacturing standards are just as high.

Their USDA certified organic hemp extract is rich in cannabinoids, including THC, CBC, CBN, CBG and CBL, and the cream has added vitamin E to help them absorb through your skin.

The CBD Pain Cream is available in three strengths, but the 5,000 mg CBD option has the most potential for pain relief, and offers fantastic value for money.

The cream does include Arnica Montana, a commonly-used but unregulated supplement, but however it works, it’s a solid option to soothe your aches and pains.

Our expert reviewer commented that the R&R CBD Pain Cream provided real, noticeable relief across different kinds of pain.

He also pointed out that it had a smooth texture, with a fingertip amount being enough to cover an affected area, and that relief lasted for 3 to 4 hours. 

“It wasn’t a total fix, but it took the edge off in a way that let me move around without being as distracted by pain.

The main downside is cost. Using it multiple times a day adds up fast, and I get why some people mention it feels expensive compared to other options. But in terms of pure effectiveness, this is one of the CBD creams that I’d actually keep on hand. It’s not perfect, but something you end up relying on once you find that it works for you.”

  • High-quality, USDA organic hemp
  • 5,000 mg CBD – very potent
  • Full spectrum hemp extract, with 9 cannabinoids total
  • Great price – just under 3 cents per mg of CBD
  • Includes vitamin E as a permeation enhancer
  • Effectively took the edge off the pain in testing, but not perfect.
  • Low in terpenes: only guaiol at detectable levels
  • Includes unregulated supplements
  • Can get expensive with full-time use
Best THC-Free

cbdMD Recover Pain Relieving Cream

3.8 CBD Oracle Rating

CBD Approval Badge

cbdMD Recover Pain Relieving Cream

  • CBD type: Broad-spectrum
  • Potency: 750, 1500 or 3,000 mg CBD
  • Terpenes: Hexahydrothymol, limonene, pinene, linalool
  • Price: $39.99 to $79.99 ($0.02 to $0.05 per mg CBD)

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3.8 CBD Oracle Rating

cbdMD has a long history of putting out high-quality CBD products, and the Recover Airless Pump is a great example of what they get right.

It’s true broad spectrum, with CBD, CBG, CBN and CBDV in addition to a wide range of terpenes, notably including lots of linalool and myrcene, which have anti-inflammatory and pain relieving effects.

It’s also sold in a pump format, which can be a bit finicky to operate, but overall makes it more convenient to apply than most CBD creams.

It works really well to tackle pain, and the three options for strength make it easier to tailor to your needs. The formula is topped off with histamine dihydrochloride, an FDA-approved treatment for topical pain relief.

Our expert reviewer found this cream very effective overall:

“This cream worked quickly to calm down sore muscles and joint pain. I felt relief within about 15 minutes, and it lasted for about 3 hours. I tried it on my knee and shoulders, and both loosened up enough to move without hurting. The pump is convenient, though a bit finicky at times, and you don’t need much to cover an area.

Compared to typical arthritis gels or OTC pain creams, this hit harder and felt cleaner. No strong medicine smell or side effects. It doesn’t last all day, so reapplication is needed, but for short-term relief it’s one of the more reliable CBD creams I’ve tried.”

  • True broad spectrum cream – CBG, CBN, CBD and CBDV
  • Contains pain-relieving terpenes linalool and myrcene
  • Very effective for pain relief
  • Contains histamine dihydrochloride, an approved pain reliever
  • Excellent price for the strongest option
  • Contains peppermint oil to help with absorption
  • Gets a bit expensive with the 750 mg CBD option
  • Some issues with getting the pump to work
  • Need to apply every few hours for continuous relief
Best THC-Free

PlusCBD Pain Relief Penetrating CBD Cream

3.7 CBD Oracle Rating

CBD Approval Badge

PlusCBD Pain Relief Penetrating CBD Cream

  • CBD type: Isolate
  • Potency: 1,000 mg CBD
  • Price: $39.99 for 2 oz ($0.04 per mg CBD)

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3.7 CBD Oracle Rating

PlusCBD is a unique hemp company, because as well as Kentucky-grown US hemp, they also use some crops from the Netherlands in their products.

But the quality is hard to fault, with clean ingredients used throughout and the CO2 extracted oil coming from only the cannabinoid-rich flowers.

Their CBD Pain Relief Penetrating cream takes this base and mixes it with absorption-boosting menthol and pain-relieving camphor to create a powerful solution for aches and pains.

Although it’s one of the least potent options on this list, the combination with the proven pain reliever camphor makes it very effective.

It doesn’t contain other cannabinoids, so it doesn’t benefit from the entourage effect, but it’s a fantastic option if you can’t have THC.

Our expert reviewer commented, “This one gave me short-term relief, enough to make the pain more tolerable but not enough to forget it was there. I’d rate it as “better than nothing,” but it didn’t get me through movement-heavy parts of the day. Felt like something I’d use if the pain was dull or background, but not when it’s sharp.”

CBD Oracle’s independent lab test confirmed the CBD content of the cream matches the manufacturer COA (19.7 vs. 19.2 mg per g).

CBDV was also detected in both tests, with ours putting it at about 0.07 mg per g.

There was a slight disagreement about the presence of CBG, but levels are low regardless. It was detected below the limit of quantification (<0.4 mg/g) in the manufacturer test, but not in Oracle’s.

Overall, the reports agree aside from one low-level minor cannabinoid.

  • Lab-confirmed THC free
  • Good price per mg of CBD
  • Contains proven pain-reliever camphor
  • Uses menthol for permeation enhancement
  • US and European-grown hemp
  • Clean ingredients and no unregulated supplements
  • Good for mild pain
  • No terpene test
  • Isolate, so no entourage effect
  • Not the most potent
  • Only offers short-term pain relief

Other CBD Creams for Pain We Considered

Of course, out of 85 possible CBD creams for pain, there were many products that were good but ultimately could not make this list. While there were many different reasons for this, a few important points stuck out:

  • Old lab reports: Creams and other topicals seem to have outdated lab reports more often. Lab reports over a year old are either for a product that’s now past its prime or are for an old batch that is no longer for sale. 33 products were discounted for this reason.
  • No safety testing: Safety testing still matters for topical products. 29 products skipped this step, and so didn’t make it past our initial checks.
  • No terpene testing: A surprising number of products claim to be full or broad spectrum but don’t show that they contain cannabis terpenes. This makes it impossible to tell if they’re truly full or broad spectrum, and 8 products were discounted for this reason alone.
  • Lab reports not public: We were unable to check several products because there was no lab report available at all. This seemed especially common with smaller brands. Likewise, some reports from bigger brands could not be verified by either the QR code or by inquiring with the lab.

A total of six products made it through this process to final scoring.


Methodology: How We Tested the CBD Creams

Comparison of popular hemp CBD creams products
Our team analyzed 85 popular brands and tested 15 products in order to come up with our 4 favorite picks for targeted pain relief. Photo: Mell Green / CBD Oracle
  • Expert insights: We started out by conducting initial research on topicals and interviewing experts about relevant issues, such as efficacy, formulation and dosage, to help through the rest of the process.  
  • Market search: We identified a total of 85 CBD creams marketed for pain from the first 15 pages of Google searches for “cbd topicals for pain” and just “cbd topicals,” after filtering out results for websites that commonly publish other “best CBD for x” lists.
  • Market analysis: All 85 products were scored for key qualifying factors (e.g. products with a recent full panel lab report and which include permeation enhancers), to produce a shortlist. These were scored on our expert-backed, 55-item product quality evaluation framework.
  • Independent lab testing: Any products scoring over 80% on the framework were sent off for independent lab testing by InfiniteCAL. This is to confirm that the public COA accurately reflects the product on the shelves.
  • First-hand user testing: These same products were also tested for several days by members of the Oracle team. This is an ultimately subjective, but crucial part of the process. First-hand testing gives us the final confirmation on what works and what just sounds good on paper.

Our Testers’ Experience with CBD Creams for Pain

Testing the quality of various CBD topical creams
We carefully tested each product to determine whether it was effective for targeted pain relief and general use. Photo: Mell Green / CBD Oracle

Our tester was suffering from a meniscus tear in the right knee from sports, with a pain level of 8/10. He had difficulty walking, doing chores or sleeping for a month.

However, the pain relief from CBD creams and tinctures was really helpful, with the best performers reducing the pain to a dull, background ache unless he put pressure on the knee. 

Alongside the excellent performance of Aspen Green’s Relief Cooling Cream, he recommended combining topicals with a tincture of above 50 mg CBD and 2.5 mg THC for further help with sleep and mood.


Related Picks

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The ICE Shooter and the Cannabis Scapegoat: Why We Need to Talk About Violence, Not Weed

The ICE Shooter and the Cannabis Scapegoat: Why We Need to Talk About Violence, Not Weed

The ICE Shooter and the Cannabis Scapegoat: Why We Need to Talk About Violence, Not Weed

Here we go again. Another mass shooting, another tragic loss of life, and right on cue, the media starts digging through the shooter’s background looking for easy explanations. In the case of Joshua Jahn, the 29-year-old who opened fire on migrants at a Dallas ICE facility before killing himself, they found their convenient narrative: he was a “lazy stoner” who “was all about the weed.”

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Massive Michigan cannabis tax hike approved

Massive Michigan cannabis tax hike approved

Michigan cannabis will soon become some of the most heavily taxed in the United States after state lawmakers approved a new 24% wholesale tax early Friday.

That’s on top of an existing 10% excise tax and a 6% sales tax in the $3.2 billion market, which operators now fear will shrink as consumers are driven to seek cheaper alternatives, including on the illicit market.

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The tax increase is part of Michigan’s $75 billion budget that the state Legislature approved after midnight Friday morning.

Tax backers, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, say the marijuana tax will raise $420 million that will go toward rebuilding bridges and roads.

Several states have raised cannabis taxes this year amid a slowing economy and federal budget cuts.

However,

The post Massive Michigan cannabis tax hike approved appeared first on GrowCola.com.

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Storz & Bickel Celebrates 25 Years With Launch of New VEAZY Vape

Storz & Bickel Celebrates 25 Years With Launch of New VEAZY Vape

Storz & Bickel Celebrates 25 Years With Launch of New VEAZY Vape

In the world of cannabis technology, few brands carry the legacy and trust of Storz & Bickel. For over two decades, their iconic Volcano vaporizer has set the standard for quality and performance, earning a reputation as the gold standard for both cannabis medical patients and connoisseurs alike. While the brand’s legacy is built on its classic devices, Storz & Bickel continues to innovate. Today, the brand is launching the new VEAZY, a true game-changer for the personal dry herb vape market.

The new Storz & Bickel VEAZY Vaporizer delivers consistent, flavorful vapor in just 40 seconds using the company’s patented hybrid heating technology. It’s also the brand’s smallest and most affordable device, priced at just $249 and weighing 0.3 lbs. Users can fine-tune settings and easily personalize sessions from their phone or laptop via Bluetooth to the S&B web app.  Plus, the quick USB-C charging system means you can easily recharge the device when you’re on the move. The VEAZY is the perfect blend of style and substance: It fits nicely in the palm of your hand but still packs a punch with S&B’s patented mini hybrid heater blending conduction and convection. 

Cannabis Now Founder Eugenio Garcia sat down with Jürgen Bickel, co-founder and managing director of Storz & Bickel, to discuss the brand’s 25-year journey from a small German workshop to a global industry leader. In this conversation, Jürgen shares the company’s foundational principles, his new role as a public-facing advocate for the brand, and an exciting first look at the VEAZY, the company’s latest device set to redefine accessibility in the space.

Veazy orange
The new VEAZY is the latest innovation from S&B and is designed to appeal to a broader audience with its compact design, affordable price point, and range of fun colors.

Eugenio Garcia: Jürgen, welcome. Thank you for being here with me. Storz & Bickel is one of the few brands with a true legacy. In my opinion, cannabis is still a new industry, but we’ve been at it for over a decade now in its modern sense. However, your brand has a rich history, and I’d love to learn a little more about the company’s beginnings and how it got started.

Jürgen Bickel: Of course. This was 25 years ago, or even a little bit before. The starting point was my partner, or ex-partner, Markus Storz. He started to develop the Volcano. I met him from time to time during this process, and I also tested a few things with him. But at that time, I was still living in South America and was not too close to it. In November 2000, he brought out the first series of the Volcano. I was one of his first clients. I bought a Volcano for myself. I quit smoking tobacco at that time, and I brought it with me to Peru.

A year later, I came back to Germany. My time in South America was over, and Markus needed help, so I helped him out because I knew the device. We attended trade shows together, and then we decided to co-found Storz & Bickel. We were just the two of us then, and then the journey started. 25 years later, we have about 150 employees here and have had a great time and a great experience.

EG: Twenty-five years ago, how did you develop the technology for the Volcano? How has it transitioned over 25 years, given that you must have over 20 or 30 products now?

JB: It started with a heat gun. It became clear at the time that you don’t have to burn the flower to consume it. At that time, it wasn’t immediately apparent to everyone that THCA needed to be decarboxylated; all we knew was that it worked. We found out that you need a minimum of 180 degrees Celsius to release the THC, and you need less than 230 degrees Celsius because above that, it also burns. This is your window and to stay in that window, you must have exact temperature control. This is how it started.

EG: The balloon is such a signature part of the Volcano experience. What was the rationale behind that design choice, and what benefits does it offer the user that other methods don’t?

JB: To this day, people still ask, “What is it, a balloon or a bag?” But it’s just a way to hold the vapor you have already produced so you only need to inhale. You can almost not do anything wrong once you have the bag in your hand. It’s very easy, and it’s also a resistance-free inhalation. All this made it very special from the very beginning.

EG: There’s a huge medical benefit to these devices. How do you think about it from a medical point of view, as far as the technology and your presentation of the products?

JB: We’re located in Tuttlingen, Germany, which calls itself the world center of medical devices.. So, from the very beginning, it was clear that we wanted to have a medical device like everybody else in this town. Another point for us from the very beginning was that somebody who is slightly disabled needs to be able to use it. It was also important that a patient could use it and that you could replicate the dosage. One balloon always has the same amount. You have local mobility; you don’t have to touch electricity or heat or glass. You can bring it to a patient in a bed. All of this was thought into the design from the very beginning, and it worked very well.

It’s not only the medical device status we like. We also certify our household devices that are not medical devices. We certify them with a UL norm. The UL 8139 is the vaporizing norm. We send 100 devices to a lab where somebody else tests them, doing drop tests, water tests, electric tests, and venting tests. We do this to get a third-party approval for our device. This is our way to ensure quality and demonstrate the diligence we bring into the development process.

EG: Speaking of the development process, how does the process of creating new devices or enhancing technology work for you?

JB: We get a lot of customer feedback, and we take all feedback seriously to see if there is something that everybody doesn’t like or what everybody wants to have. We review it, but the baseline remains an internal process.

For the Venty, for example, we said, “Okay, the MIGHTY+ is nice, but we would like something a little bit faster with more airflow.” So, this was clearly an internal idea. In the cannabis industry, if something isn’t widely available and a lot of people don’t know about vaporizers, it’s difficult to get good feedback. You have some experts who know a lot of devices, but this is only a few people, and they are already experts. This isn’t somebody on the street you can ask. The feedback you get is always that people want it to be cheap and small, which makes it a little bit difficult.

We develop a lot of these ideas in-house; Markus and I both use cannabis and we’re the first ones who test it. We stand behind it, and if I don’t like it or if I think it doesn’t work, then we don’t do it. This is our internal review process. But of course, the whole community brings in ideas, and all this together brings us to a new device.

EG: You mentioned just now that everyone wants it cheaper and smaller. A company that comes to mind when you say that is Apple. They revolutionized technology across

the world. I don’t know if you’ve heard this before, but a lot of people compare Storz & Bickel to Apple. They say Storz & Bickel is the Apple of the cannabis space.

JB: I’ve heard that. It’s nice to hear.

EG: With Apple for many years, after Steve Jobs passed, there wasn’t a lot of personality behind the brand. For Storz & Bickel, for many years, everyone knew the Volcano and the product, but nobody really knew who was behind it. There was no public face of the brand. Maybe it’s just me, but in the last year or two, we’ve seen you, Jürgen Bickel, really out there as an entrepreneur and a leader in the space, as a spokesperson not only for your brand but for the industry as a whole. You’re very active on social media. I’ve seen you speaking on panels and doing a lot more interviews. Is that a perception, or have you truly taken your message and the brand to the streets in the last few years?

JB: That’s absolutely true. Of course, in the past, the legal situation in the States and in Europe was much more difficult, and you may not have wanted to go out and present yourself as a big cannabis entrepreneur. This has changed in the last few years. I can talk more openly than the company can. I can use the word “cannabis.” I can show the consumption. I also want to show people what it is like. I don’t want to give a wrong image. Everything that is happening on social media is authentic. I’m a user at the end of the day, and I’m testing the device. I’ve tested tons of devices, and I want to transmit this message. I am who I am, and this is the company behind it. This is to build trust with people and say, “You can spend this amount of money. I assure you this is something good. This is not something you will regret at any point.”

EG: The economy around the industry has been challenging. What I’ve seen is that a lot of companies, specifically from Europe, were looking at the US for expansion. Now that Germany has legalized, a good number have reversed their focus back to Germany or Europe. Germany has a population of nine million, so it’s a massive move for the economy and for potential revenue. How has Germany impacted your focus? We know that Mary Jane Berlin had 44,000 to 45,000 attendees.

JB: From the baseline, we understand ourselves as a global brand. Every year, we ship to more than 100 countries. It shows that cannabis is consumed everywhere in the world, whatever the legal situation is. Even where penalties exist, people are still consuming—not in the same way or with the same openness—but worldwide, people have been using cannabis for thousands of years. This is part of our brand’s international approach. I like this about cannabis, seeing that people are using it everywhere in the world.

Of course, then you have your main markets where you have your main sales and main revenue. The US market is the biggest market for us. But Europe also became more important. It was always a good market, but with legalization in Germany, we doubled our revenue in Germany. It’s also personally much nicer to live in a legal environment where you can consume and have three plants at home, which is allowed. So, as a company, Germany is great, and it’s our home market and our home language, so we have a lot of focus here.

We also have a subsidiary in Oakland; an office with 15 people and more than 20 salespeople employed as Storz & Bickel America, Inc. I personally founded that company in 2005 in Oakland. So, on the revenue side, we look for our main markets, but our general approach is to be worldwide, and I’m proud to ship every year to more than 100 countries.

EG: I was very happy to see the Oakland expansion. I lived in Berkeley, California, for 10 years. I have a very fond love for Oaksterdam. It was a cradle of innovation, as they say, so close to Silicon Valley. Speaking of innovation, tell me about the new VEAZY vaporizer.

JB: The Venty was our last innovation, almost two years ago. It was a game-changer because it had high airflow. It’s a very successful device, but it is a little bit pricey and bulky. It has the performance for people who are using cannabis several times a day. We thought, like with the Mighty and Crafty, the Venty needs a little brother or sister. We came up with the “VEAZY.”

The VEAZY has the same feeling chamber inside, so it works with our capsules, but it’s much smaller and handier. It has a slightly higher heat-up time of 40 seconds, and the airflow is a little more restricted, but it’s a nice and small device. Our goal with this device was to bring our experience to a broader audience and make it more affordable. This will retail at $249 USD. It has great performance and is a very nice device.

EG: And it comes in a range of fun colors, right?

JB: Yes! All our devices are normally black, so we thought, “Let’s use a few colors if we’re going in a more lifestyle direction.” In addition to our alluring black, it will come in four colors: rainbow, a dynamic blue, inspiring orange, and a charming pink.

EG:  I love them so much. Being able to personalize a purchase is really important to people. In your home, you can use it as a presentation. It’s not just a device you pull out of a drawer. It’s something you can have on a bar cart or a conversation piece in the home, which is very exciting.

JB: It has the orange button, the different colors, and it works well and goes in your pocket. It’s a very good offer to the market. It’s also easy to use with a one-button design: You press it once, and it turns on. You see the orange light, and it heats up.

EG: It looks beautiful. It gives me an essence of a microphone for a rock star. You are the rock star of your own life with one of these. I can’t wait to try one. Congratulations.

As one of the leading brands and entrepreneurs in the space, what is your hope for the next five to 10 years? Do you think that we are on the cusp of a global or at least US legalization? What do you predict in the near and medium future?

JB: On the legal side, I think that it will go in the right direction. I don’t see things going back, even in the US. But even the current situation is acceptable. You can run a business in this space and do certain things. You see this globally. Australia, for example, is a good market. You also see advancements in South Africa and even in Brazil. The same thing happens: It goes through medical and then recreational. It gets acceptance. Our generation is the first one that is more open to it. The younger generation is more open to it, questions alcohol, and has more openness towards cannabis. So, I see this as a positive, and I think this trend will remain.

EG: Absolutely. In order to have the future that we are hoping for, I believe that the normalization of cannabis and the products and brands behind them is very important. What I’ve also noticed in the last year or two with Storz & Bickel is you have done specific things with your brand, connecting them with mainstream, normalizing opportunities. What is the next event that you guys have on your calendar, either in Europe or in the US, that is a larger opportunity for you?

JB: The next show is the cannabis show in Prague, in the Czech Republic. We will have a launch party in New York the weekend after. We are thinking about something in San Diego as well. Then, of course, MJ BizCon and Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa are coming up. Those are the bigger events. In Europe, Mary Jane was great.

EG: Awesome. JB, it has been a pleasure to connect with you. I’ve been watching your progress over the years. I graduated high school in 2000, and the Volcano quickly came into my world when I was in college. It’s been a true pleasure to see someone like you grow over the years and now to talk to you personally. Thank you so much.

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How to Take a Tolerance Break

When, Why & How to Take a Tolerance Break

When, Why & How to Take a Tolerance Break

It’s no secret that when you smoke weed day after day, for months or years at a time, your habit starts to affect your cannabinoid receptors’ ability to absorb THC. Soon, it takes more and more cannabis to get your body and mind to that sweet spot — and sometimes, it might feel like nothing can get you there anymore.

When that happens, it’s a clear sign that it’s time for a tolerance break.

Okay, So What Is a ‘Tolerance Break’?

A tolerance break is just a term for taking some time away from consuming cannabis so that your body can regulate, readjust and reduce its need for such high amounts of THC.

If you think taking a tolerance break means cutting yourself off cold turkey, it may seem like a drastic turn in the other direction, especially if you are a consistent or heavy smoker. But you can also ease yourself into a tolerance break so that the sudden departure from your beloved pastime doesn’t seem so severe and jarring.

How you guide yourself into a tolerance break is really dependent on your personal smoking habits. For example, if you smoke all day every day — let’s say a blunt in the morning, midday and evening — then you can try eliminating one of your seshes, then two of them and then finally the last one until you aren’t smoking any weed at all.

You also can choose whether you’d like to do this over the course of a few days or a couple weeks. The most important thing is that once you stop smoking, you shouldn’t have any weed at all for a set period of time. Even one puff will disturb the process and you will have to start from scratch.

During your break, you will need to have a plan for how you’re going to allocate your newfound free time. Consider picking up that book you’ve been meaning to check out, reintroducing that old hobby that went by the wayside or trying a new activity that has been on your to-do list. Staying busy during times you would normally be rolling up and chilling will be important in helping you stay committed.

What to Expect When You’re Abstaining

You might also observe some differences in your sleeping and eating habits, particularly if you are a heavy daily smoker. You might have trouble falling or staying asleep or notice that your appetite is not as voracious as it once seemed. Be patient with yourself and your body as they both adjust to the new change you’ve put into place.

It’s up to you how long you would like your tolerance break to last, but in order to notice any real results, it’s probably a good idea to plan for at least a week-long break. Everyone is different, though, so the amount of time you need to abstain will vary.

According to one study, it may only take about two days for the body’s cannabinoid receptors to replenish, but keep in mind that the benefits increase over time. So, essentially, the longer you curb your use, the better the outcome will be.

To be clear, tolerance breaks are designed for heavy smokers who feel like they are not getting the same psychotropic experience as they are used to with their normal amount of weed intake. Tolerance breaks are not for patients who use cannabis to treat chronic symptoms or terminal illnesses.

If you are using cannabis as an alternative treatment and find that you are not experiencing the same relief, consult with a medical marijuana professional to figure out what needs to be done.

TELL US, have you ever taken a tolerance break?

The post When, Why & How to Take a Tolerance Break appeared first on Cannabis Now.

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Trump Sends Cannabis Stocks Surging, Cantourage Brings in Investor Relations Help, & Mamedica Secures £4.5m

Trump Sends Cannabis Stocks Surging, Cantourage Brings in Investor Relations Help, & Mamedica Secures £4.5m

Trump Sends Cannabis Stocks Surging, Cantourage Brings in Investor Relations Help, & Mamedica Secures £4.5m

Cannabis Stocks Surge on Trump Video

rump’s Truth Social post sharing a CBD healthcare video boosts cannabis stocks.

Global cannabis stocks have enjoyed a considerable, but likely temporary, run this week, after US President Donald Trump shared a video apparently endorsing the use of CBD for senior healthcare.

While many have seen this as an endorsement of the cannabis industry at large, which is still awaiting movement from the government on rescheduling, more level heads have questioned the timing, source and Trump’s other posts on Truth Social.

Regardless of the motivations behind the post, the resulting impact on cannabis stocks has been very real. Tilray Brands led the rally, soaring more than 40% on Monday, while Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis rose by around 18–20% and 25% respectively. Cronos Group also added between 12% and 15%, depending on the market.

US multi-state operators like Curaleaf (+22%) saw similar advances, while cannabis ETFs were also caught up in the stock rally.

The AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS) jumped 21.8% and the Roundhill Cannabis ETF gained 21.6%, both on track for record quarterly gains of more than 70%. The Amplify Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ), which tracks Canadian cannabis companies, climbed 16.5%.

Our 10-day stock sparklines also bear this trend out, with the vast majority of MSOs, LPs and ETFs seeing either high single-digit or double-digit growth.

As we’ve stated previously, speculation that the Trump administration, or the President himself, has a particularly favourable view of cannabis reform is often exaggerated and has an outsized impact on stock prices across the globe.

With this in mind, speculation over the influence of Howard Kessler, long time friend of the Trump family, who made his fortune by pioneering the affinity credit card and is now thought to be worth $300m, has been circling.

Kessler has been a long-time cannabis advocate and lobbyist, particularly in senior healthcare, and is the founder of The Commonwealth Project, a pro-cannabis organisation that produced the CBD video Trump shared.

His connections to the Trump family go back at least 20 years, when he attended Donald and Melania Trump’s wedding in 2005. He entered the cannabis industry in 2014, securing one of Massachusetts’ first medical marijuana licences in 2014, and now owns a significant stake in NETA (New England Treatment Access).

While the stock run has been driven by optimism that this points to a more favourable view on cannabis rescheduling from the White House, those hopes are already being scuppered by wider events .

The government shutdown that began on 1 October makes movement even less likely in the near term. With federal agencies shuttered and lawmakers consumed by partisan gridlock, cannabis reform has again slipped down the list of Washington’s priorities.

Cantourage

European medical cannabis operator Cantourage Group has announced the appointment of Manuel Taverne as Head of Investor Relations in a move designed to sharpen its capital markets strategy and strengthen engagement with European investors.

Despite reporting its strongest quarter to date in July, generating €27.9 million in revenue in Q2 and seeing its 2025 HY revenue already surpass FY 2024, the company’s stock price, like many of its peers, has dropped by nearly 50% since June this year.

Taverne’s appointment marks an effort to rectify what CEO Philip Schetter says is a discrepancy between performance and stock value.

“By bringing Manuel Taverne on board, we gain an accomplished capital markets expert with outstanding knowledge and extensive experience,” said Schetter.

“Our innovative business model and platform strategy set us apart – yet the uniqueness of our approach has not been fully recognised by the market to date.”

A veteran of more than two decades in capital markets and financial communications, Taverne will oversee the company’s investor outreach and help communicate what management describes as a still under-recognised equity story.

Its stock performance, analysts suggest, is a reflection of wider market concerns. According to a recent research note by NuWays AG, the company faces intensifying pricing pressure in the low and mid-priced flower segments due to oversupply, while regulatory proposals from the Federal Ministry of Health, including possible restrictions on telemedicine prescribing and mail-order distribution, are weighing on sector sentiment.

Although the direct revenue impact of these measures would be limited, analysts caution that patient access could be constrained, prompting some pharmacies to adopt more cautious order behaviour. In response, Cantourage is pivoting its domestic strategy toward premium product offerings.

Further research from Montega AG mirrors this, highlighting that while draft legislation could tighten rules around telemedicine, mail-order sales, and documentation requirements, demand for medical cannabis in Germany remains structurally strong.

The company has reiterated its “Buy” rating on Cantourage, setting a slightly reduced 12-month price target of €10.00 (down from €13.00) following new regulatory developments in Germany.

Outside of Germany, Cantourage’s UK and Polish operations continue strong and consistent growth.  The UK continues to post triple-digit growth rates under clear regulatory frameworks, while Poland is showing signs of recovery and is expected to make meaningful contributions to revenues from 2026 onwards.

Montega projects robust revenue growth of 66% in 2025, albeit with some near-term margin pressure, and sees Cantourage well positioned to benefit from the long-term growth of Europe’s medical cannabis sector.

Mamedica

Mamedica UK Logo

UK medical cannabis clinic Mamedica last month closed a £4.5 million funding round led by Casa Verde Capital, the cannabis-focused venture capital firm backed by Snoop Dogg.

Casa Verde, which has previously backed US companies including Dutchie, Metrc and Leaflink, and holds European stakes in Cansativa and Sanity Group, said the deal positions Mamedica to scale as patient demand accelerates.

The funding will be used to optimise Mamedica’s in-house supply chain, expand its clinical network, advance its proprietary digital healthcare platform, and support education on integrating cannabis into mainstream care.

Alongside the funding, Mamedica has unveiled ‘Flex’, a new pricing structure aimed at reducing the cost burden for patients. Under the plan, initial consultations start from £49 (down from £150), with all clinic fees scrapped after nine months of treatment.

The post Trump Sends Cannabis Stocks Surging, Cantourage Brings in Investor Relations Help, & Mamedica Secures £4.5m appeared first on Business of Cannabis.

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