CBD vaporisation temperature: the honest guide, with sources

Every cannabinoid and every terpene has a temperature range at which it moves into the vapour phase. Heat too little and almost nothing is released; heat too much and the aromas degrade and you edge towards combustion. Setting the temperature therefore means arbitrating between aromatic finesse and vapour density.

This setting is a matter of experience and taste, not of a sought-after effect on the body. We discuss it here as a technical parameter, in the same way as the grind of a coffee.

The table below brings together indicative values commonly reported. An important caveat: these are onset-of-vaporisation temperatures, not exact atmospheric boiling points. Some values vary markedly from one source to another, particularly for CBG and beta-caryophyllene — treat them as orders of magnitude, not as constants.

Beta-caryophyllene is often quoted at a low temperature in these tables, but that is an onset-of-release value, far below its actual boiling point. It is exactly the sort of inaccuracy that a table copied without checking passes on.

Here we leave blog tables behind for published work. A study published in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics in 2004 compared vapour with smoke: the gas phase of the vapour consisted overwhelmingly of cannabinoids, accompanied by only three trace compounds, against more than 111 compounds in combustion smoke, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The vaporiser delivered between 36 and 61% of the THC, tested at 200 and 230 °C.

An in vitro validation published in PLOS One in 2016 confirmed that vaporisers deliver cannabinoids efficiently with minimal by-products, at controlled temperatures. Worth remembering: this work describes a reduction in pyrolysis compounds, not a "healthy" or "risk-free" process. The nuance matters and we stick to it.

Vaporisers fall into two families. Conduction heats the material by direct contact with a hot surface: faster and cheaper, at the cost of a risk of uneven heating or scorching. Convection passes heated air through the material: heating is more uniform, flavour better preserved, and the device generally more expensive.

For a fine aromatic result, convection has the advantage. For simple, economical use, conduction is often enough. Our article on the accessories that are actually useful to consumers covers the choice of equipment.

In practice, two strategies emerge. A low range, around 160 to 180 °C, brings out flavour and terpenes, with a light vapour. A higher range, around 190 to 210 °C, gives a denser vapour and a more complete extraction of cannabinoids, at the cost of some aroma. Beyond that, towards 230 °C, you enter combustion, which is precisely what vaporisation sets out to avoid.

Measurement science, incidentally, keeps moving forward: a 2026 study using thermogravimetric analysis has refined the estimated boiling points of THC and THCV. A sign that it is better to think in ranges than in fixed values. Vaporising the flower also remains a legal use in 2026, unlike the ingestible products withdrawn from the market. Our laboratory-tested CBD flowers lend themselves to it, as does vaping an e-liquid for those who prefer that format.

At what temperature should CBD be vaporised?

CBD begins to vaporise at around 160 to 180 °C. A low range favours flavour and terpenes; a higher range, towards 190 to 210 °C, gives a denser but less aromatic vapour. These values are indicative and vary from device to device.

Should you choose a conduction or a convection vaporiser?

Conduction heats by direct contact: fast and economical, but sometimes uneven. Convection circulates hot air: uniform heating and better flavour, at a higher price. For a fine aromatic result, convection has the advantage.

Is vaporisation less harmful than combustion?

The available studies show that vaporisation sharply reduces pyrolysis compounds compared with combustion. A 2004 study recorded three trace compounds in vapour against more than 111 in smoke. That describes a reduction in by-products, not a risk-free process.

Which temperature should you choose to preserve flavour?

To favour aromas, a low range of around 160 to 180 °C works well: it releases the most volatile terpenes first, the ones responsible for the scent, before the cannabinoids. Raising the temperature increases vapour density but gradually degrades those aromas.