Vapor Recycling Breathing Technique

[EverythingsHazy]

The technique:
Step 1: Take a hit.
Step 2: Hold for a few seconds.
Step 3: Exhale 1/4th - 1/2 the hit.
Step 4: Inhale fresh air to fill your lungs again.
Step 5. Hold for a few seconds.
Step 6. Exhale again until some vapor comes out.
Step 7. If you still have any vapor left in your lungs (haven't completely exhaled without seeing any vapor yet), go back to step 4.

Something interesting to note when using this technique, or is how the vapor in your lungs doesn't all just mix with the new air you just inhaled and some out diluted as soon as you start exhaling, You have to exhale a bit of plain air, before vapor starts coming out. This is also the case if you take a small hit, inhale some fresh air, take a small hit, inhale fresh air, and repeat that once or twice, and then exhale. The vapor will come out with breaks of just air in between. This means the way air is contained and absorbed in the lungs is a bit more complicated than it seems at first.

 

[Frederick McGuire]

I do this on occasion, it was actually one of the first things I noticed with my SSV (First Vape), was that I could re-breathe the vapor - something I'd never really considered or desired to do with smoke.

I've never noticed much of a difference in efficiency but it makes sense that it would help...

 

[lazylathe]

Wait for @lwien to come and comment!
He uses a similar technique and i find it works amazingly well!

Slightly different to your description though.

Take a large hit
Hold for 10 to 15 seconds
Exhale a tiny bit and reinhale fresh air
Hold for 5 to 10 seconds
Rinse and repeat till nothing is left to exhale
Sit back and wait...

EDIT: I only use this technique when i remember...
Been too long blowing massive clouds... Need to focus more in a session! LOL!

 

[paytonpenn]

Can there be an option that I use this technique irregardless of efficiency. (I use this technique but refer to it as rebreathing)

 

[Burn]

i use this technique not only for efficiency but also to savor the flavor more. i rebreathe anywhere from 3-5 times per hit depending on the size of the hit.

 

[lwien]

Been using this technique since back when I was smoking joints........early 70's. It's become a habit with me. Do it all the time. Just makes logical sense to me that I'm getting more from my vapor this way.

 

[DDave]

i use this technique not only for efficiency but also to savor the flavor more. i rebreathe anywhere from 3-5 times per hit depending on the size of the hit.

Ditto, when I re-breath after a draw, I exhale 20-25% of lung capacity, then inhale deeply. I continue doing this until the vapor exhaled becomes wispy...

 

[Enchantre]

Been using this technique since back when I was smoking joints........early 70's. It's become a habit with me. Do it all the time. Just makes logical sense to me that I'm getting more from my vapor this way.

We call it the "LIT" method... lwien's Inhalation Technique... around here.

My hubby taught me the same tech when I started using MMJ... he learned it in Jr High....

 

[Ozyzj]

One thing I've noticed: after I've got the vapor inhaled where nothing's left in my mouth, it seems that using the nose to finish with inhaling fresh air (instead of the mouth) gives superior results. Often when I perform this nose inhale I'll get that lovely momentary sharp/bitter tickle feeling in the chest which I use to interpret the depth the vapor has traveled. Remember, it has been proven that absorption is most efficient in the deepest pockets of the lungs.

For those who are new to practicing with their vapor inhalation technique, I recommend performing your practice sessions with a good clear light source like an LED flash light. You can also use a higher temperature setting in order to make more visible vapor to help your practice along. Finally, you may notice that even if you finish a draw by inhaling fresh air for 5 seconds, you'll still see thc vapor escaping your mouth as your inhale ceases. It really does take a good amount of fresh air to accomplish the elusive "ghost hit".

 

[vapefan333]

I'm on the fence about this. I've read that 95% of THC gets absorbed in 5 seconds, of course I didn't read the actual study, so idk. And I've heard lots of different variations of %'s and amounts of seconds over the years. I do practice the technique and I think it does work, I'm just not sure how much because I can't truthfully know how much different rebreathing vs not rebreathing is because I would have to wait a day and experiment on the first bowl of the day to get any kind of accurate feeling. Maybe I will.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

I don't buy into the 90% of thc gets absorbed in x seconds hypothesis, because why would our lungs selectively absorb the THC and leave everything else that makes the vapor visible on the exhale. I doubt that is happening.
Also, 1. when you take your second big inhale of fresh air, you can sometimes feel the vapor from the same hit, well.. hit you again. and 2. Shotgunning vapor from your mouth into someone else's can gett hem high, so unless they have such a low tolerance that >10% of a hit will get them high, I don't believe the thc was mostly extracted.
I also don't think just letting the vapor settle while you hold your breath is a great idea either, because you 1. deprive yourself of oxygen, and 2. I picture the vapor forming sticky condensation on the lungs inner surfaces as it settles, vs being absorbed, which doesn't sound too good to me.
Either way, the fact that if you take a couple fresh air "breaks" in the middle of a hit, when you exhale it, you will see the vapor come out, then stop, then more vapor again, makes me think our lungs are working differently than most people imagine.

 

[Pain]

Couldn't you just breath the vapor into a bag and then rehit it again?

 

[mestizo]

I think the following technique is the most effective.
No smoke on the exhale (just pretend he is vaping).
I know some of you have seen it already.

 

[lwien]

Couldn't you just breath the vapor into a bag and then rehit it again?

'Cause you'd just be re-breathing in your carbon dioxide (CO2) rather than taking in fresh oxygen.

 

[djonkoman]

I've done it frequently for a while, but don't bother with it anymore. I have plenty of weed, and vaping is already way more efficient as smoking, so I don't need more efficiency.

just for fun, once at one of my birtdayparties, we went for a long streak of passing hits, we used a hookah(so it was combustion), filled with weed, and sat in a circle of 10-15 people. the last person still exhaled visible smoke.

 

[super_high]

I do this subconsciously, I think lol. Deffo get more from your vaper

 

[StheDubya]

An old timer at a Dead show turned me on to this technique 20+ years ago and I still do it to this day. I think it works better.

 

[lwien]

An old timer at a Dead show turned me on to this technique 20+ years ago and I still do it to this day. /QUOTE]

That made me feel........................ancient.

 

[basement farmer]

I take a hit and hold it until I pass out.

'Cause you'd just be re-breathing in your carbon dioxide (CO2) rather than taking in fresh oxygen.

I vaguelly recall from physiology class being taught that the urge to breath and respiration rate is a function of blood pH which is determined by CO2 concetration and the body's need to exchange that gas. So I think you are correct. It's unlikely that someone would be able to absorb air that has a higher CO2 concentration than their venous blood.

Probably relates too to the deminishing returns of holding.

 

[His_Highness]

This is an ABD thread...Already Been Discussed

Been doing the 'LIT' to get lit for close to 4 decades. It's a habit now. I try to make one draw last a minute by doing this technique. For me the trick is not to allow the breathing technique to lead to oxygen deprivation to where it becomes uncomfortable. I find I can manage it better if I don't rush between draws and allow myself to catch my breath between draws. I don't know if this is true but the technique may be assisting my efficient use since I rarely require more than 3 hits at the beginning of a Solo bowl and 4 toward the end to reach my destination.

 

[Scott A]

There should be an option for "I use this technique, but dont think it really increases efficiency". I use it mostly because it makes my lungs feel a lot better. Im never bothered by vapor when I inhale, but exhaling is when the irritation happens. I think the added cool air really helps my lungs and through to keep from getting way to irritated.

 

[HellsWindStaff]

The @lwien technique and its many variations definitely noticed that I felt higher after trying this out a month or two back.

Though, I somewhat believe you're getting diminishing returns on inhale/exhale 3,4, 5. I really only do 2 of these short exhales/inhales, and that is plenty. Literally painful and uncomfortable for me to do any more than 2, I'm basically choking myself out just from lack of oxygen and that's not enjoyable at all. I'm also taking real big lung busters, so maybe I'd have an easier time on all the inhales/exhales if I was taking small hits.

1, or 2 though, and I definitely notice a significant result. Don't think much more is needed than that, as your absorbing the majority of THC within the first 10 seconds, I see the value of exhaling/inhaling to push that vapor down and allow it to absorb at receptors not already being used, but there comes a point where I just feel it isn't worth it.

@mestizo , I'll have to try that when I'm home, I'm assuming rubbing your stomach helps dissipate the vapor through your body, while tapping the top of your head forces it down?

 

[Enchantre]

The @lwien technique and its many variations definitely noticed that I felt higher after trying this out a month or two back.

Though, I somewhat believe you're getting diminishing returns on inhale/exhale 3,4, 5. I really only do 2 of these short exhales/inhales, and that is plenty. Literally painful and uncomfortable for me to do any more than 2, I'm basically choking myself out just from lack of oxygen and that's not enjoyable at all. I'm also taking real big lung busters, so maybe I'd have an easier time on all the inhales/exhales if I was taking small hits.

1, or 2 though, and I definitely notice a significant result. Don't think much more is needed than that, as your absorbing the majority of THC within the first 10 seconds, I see the value of exhaling/inhaling to push that vapor down and allow it to absorb at receptors not already being used, but there comes a point where I just feel it isn't worth it.

@mestizo , I'll have to try that when I'm home, I'm assuming rubbing your stomach helps dissipate the vapor through your body, while tapping the top of your head forces it down?

Definitely try taking a half of your normal hit, and then do the LIT a couple of times...

 

[HellsWindStaff]

Definitely try taking a half of your normal hit, and then do the LIT a couple of times...

Just tried this...

Some technique variation, but general idea.

Used the Lotus, would get it to about 75%, clear the piece and inhale fresh air, hold 3-4 sec, 1 sec exhale, deep inhale, hold 3-4 sec repeat. Still could only do about 3 cycles but am higher than usual.

I say 3-4 sec, but really when I inhaled, I could feel the vapor for lack of a better term settling deeper in my chest, once it settled I would repeat the process.

Thanks for the wisdom

 

[StheDubya]

That made me feel........................ancient.

That is exactly how I felt after writing it. That "old timer" is probably the age I am now