Why does this vape taste like grape soda?
Ever taken a puff and thought, “Wow, this tastes exactly like grape soda”? Spoiler alert, grapes did not grow on that plant. What you are tasting are flavorants.
Flavorants are compounds that give foods, drinks, perfumes, and even candles their distinct flavors and aromas. They can be natural, like vanilla extract, or synthetic, like candy flavors made in a lab. In the cannabis space, they are now showing up in vape cartridges, flavored wraps, infused pre-rolls, and even spray packs used to “freshen up” flower.
Let’s break this down so it makes sense.
What exactly are flavorants?
A flavorant is a chemical compound that adds a recognizable taste or smell. Some popular ones you may have already come across in cannabis products include:
Methyl anthranilate = grape soda
Vanillin / Ethyl vanillin = vanilla frosting
Isoamyl acetate = banana candy
Ethyl butyrate = pineapple
Diacetyl = buttery or creamy notes
These same flavorants are used in foods, beverages, and candies you eat every day. That is why most people assume they are safe. But here is where things get tricky.
What does GRAS mean?
In the food world, flavorants are labeled GRAS, which stands for “Generally Recognized As Safe.” This means the FDA considers them safe to eat at typical levels found in food and drinks.
But GRAS only applies to eating. It does not mean these compounds have been tested for inhalation. Your stomach and liver can process flavorants in ways your lungs cannot. When you heat them up and inhale, you are exposing delicate lung tissue to molecules that were never studied in that context.
What happens when heat is involved?
Cannabis products are smoked, vaped, or dabbed. All of those involve heat. And heat changes chemistry.
Esters and aldehydes, which taste fruity or sweet, can break down into harsher chemicals like formaldehyde or acrolein.
Terpenes themselves, even natural ones like limonene or myrcene, can oxidize into lung irritants when overheated.
Compounds like diacetyl are known to cause lung problems when inhaled in industrial settings.
So while flavorants may smell delicious in a piece of candy, once you ignite them in a joint or vaporize them in a cartridge, you are dealing with an entirely different reaction.
Where do flavorants show up in weed?
Vape cartridges: Distillate on its own is bland, so processors rebuild flavor by adding terpenes and flavorants.
Flavored wraps and papers: Those grape or vanilla blunts are flavored with additives in the paper, not the flower.
Spray packs in flower bags: Some companies spray terpene or flavorant solutions to make old or plain-smelling weed seem fresher.
Edibles and drinks: Totally fine here, because you are eating, not inhaling.
Why does this even matter?
I am not here to throw shade at farms or processors who use flavorants. What I want is transparency and conversation. Most consumers do not know that “birthday cake” flavor in a cart is not coming from the plant. They assume it is natural, when in reality, it is often rebuilt with flavor chemistry.
The problem is not that flavorants exist. The problem is that we do not have enough research to say what happens when we inhale them under heat. Until the science catches up, we are all making choices without the full picture.
Questions to ask before you buy
Does this product list “botanical terpenes” or “added flavors”?
Can I see the COA or ingredient disclosure?
Is this flavor supposed to come from the cannabis strain itself, or was it added later?
Asking these questions does not make you difficult. It makes you informed.
Final thoughts
Flavorants are everywhere. They make candy taste like candy and soda taste like soda. But in cannabis, where the delivery method is heat and inhalation, we need to pause and ask if this is the right move.
I am not saying avoid flavored products entirely. I am saying stay curious, ask questions, and make choices with eyes wide open. The plant already has an incredible range of flavors all on its own. Let’s not forget that.
<3 Michelle
