A vaporizer (or vaporiser) is a device used to release active compounds from plant material, most commonly aromatherapy herbs or tobacco. Vaporization is used by some as an alternative to smoking. Rather than burning the leaf material, a vaporizer heats herbs at a temperature short of the point of combustion where the more volatile constituents become vapors, where they can then be inhaled. Vaporization will thereby eliminate or substantially reduce harmful smoke toxins that are normally present in during tobacco smoking. With certain aromatherapy herbs which produce resin, vaporization will further enhance potency due to minimizing oxidation which in turn saves the user more material.
