Features

Personal and discreet: Handheld vapes get boost from legalization

Published on March 13, 2026 by Pat Bulmer

Handheld vapes are driving growth in the legal cannabis market, a new report says.

“Handheld vaporizers offer a discreet and efficient way to consume cannabis by heating it to activate compounds without combustion, thereby reducing toxins and enhancing flavour. For example, Canada’s federal administration reported an increase in cannabis purchases from legal sources, rising to 73% in 2023 from 69% in 2022,” said Dublin-based Research and Markets in a news release touting its latest report, The Handheld Marijuana Vaporizer Market Report 2026.

And in a mutually beneficial arrangement, legalization is increasing vape sales.

“The growing legalization of cannabis is boosting the handheld marijuana vaporizer market,” Research and Markets said.

“Leading market players are investing in advanced technologies like personalization platforms to enhance offerings and improve user experience. For instance, Pax launched “My PAX” in July 2023, allowing users to personalize their devices with text, images, and design templates, catering to individual styles and preferences,” the news release said. American-made Pax just re-entered the Canadian market with a joint venture product.

The report cites a Canadian example, “Simply Solventless Concentrates (SSC) Ltd. acquired Lamplighter in January 2024 to bolster its product range in the vaporizer market by incorporating Lamplighter’s cannabis-infused products. Lamplighter is renowned for its high-quality vapes, pre-rolls, and gummies, emphasizing SSC’s strategic market expansion.”

Worldwide, the handheld vape market is anticipated to grow from $9.73 billion in 2026 to $17.49 billion by 2030.

Another new Research and Markets report, Cannabis Market: Products, Technologies, and Applications, predicts the entire worldwide cannabis market will grow from US$45.6 billion in 2025 to US$79.3 billion in 2030.

“Key market opportunities in the cannabis sector include growth in cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals, expansion of legal retail sales for medicinal and adult use, and demand for analytical and extraction services,” a news release said.

Volatile launch for vapes in Quebec

The introduction of vaping products just as the Christmas shopping season began made for huge, but volatile sales, Quebec’s Mercanto Holdings has revealed.

In a statement designed to preview its next quarterly financial report, Mercanto said the market needs to settle down a bit before patterns can be discerned.

“Given the novelty of the category, the staggered timing of the launch within the quarter and heightened holiday demand, initial sales activity was volatile and may not have been representative of normalized demand,” the company said.

“Early purchasing patterns across the category have reflected uneven replenishment cycles, rapid sell-through in certain locations, and temporary stock-out weeks affecting both cartridges and batteries. These dynamics were not unique to Mercanto.

“As replenishment cycles have begun to stabilize, management is observing better than expected consistency in weekly ordering patterns and is encouraged by the current level of normalized sales.”

For the quarter ended Jan. 31, Mercanto reported 110% revenue growth to $2.05 million, net profit of $150,000-$190,000 compared to a loss a year ago, and a positive EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) compared to a loss a year ago.

“Early sell-through across Mercanto’s vape portfolio has exceeded internal expectations,” the company said.

“Management views the successful entry into the vape category as potentially pivotal for Mercanto.”