Vape Cartridge
Definition: A vape cartridge, or “cart,” is a small, pre-filled tank of cannabis oil that attaches to a battery to make a vape pen. Inside is a heating element, called an atomizer, that vaporizes the oil when you inhale or press a button. Most carts use a standard 510 thread, so they fit most batteries.
How Does a Vape Cartridge Work?
A cart has three main parts: a mouthpiece, a glass or plastic tank holding the oil, and an atomizer at the base. When the battery powers the atomizer, usually a porous ceramic element, it heats the oil into vapor that travels up through the mouthpiece. Most use the 510 thread standard to connect to a vape pen battery.
What Is Inside a THC Cartridge?
Common fillings include distillate (highly refined THC, often with added terpenes), live resin, rosin, or full-spectrum oil. Hemp-derived CBD cartridges work the same way. Licensed products list their cannabinoid content and come with lab test results.
Are Vape Cartridges Safe?
Licensed, lab-tested carts are much safer than street carts. In 2019, an outbreak of lung injury called EVALI hospitalized 2,807 people and caused 68 deaths in the US, according to the CDC. Investigators strongly linked it to vitamin E acetate, a thickener added to illicit THC carts. Among patients who used THC products and reported a source, 78% got them only from informal sources like friends, dealers, or online sellers. Buy only from licensed retailers and avoid carts with no lab results or suspiciously low prices.
How Long Does a Vape Cartridge Last?
It depends on the cart size (usually 0.5 or 1 gram) and how long and often you draw. Storing carts upright, at room temperature, and away from sunlight keeps the oil from leaking or degrading.
Related terms: Vape Pen, Atomizer, 510 Threaded, Distillate
Sources: CDC: Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with the Use of E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products; DEA Drug Fact Sheet: Vaping and Marijuana Concentrates.
