Vaping FAQs

can cannabis concentrate vaping lead to lung problems

by Prof. Fredrick Donnelly Sr. Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

Smoking marijuana and vaping liquid THC products are also strong risk factors for acute lung problems and serious, life-threatening chronic lung diseases. While smoking cigarettes is a strong risk factor for lung cancer, the link between marijuana and lung cancer is not well established at this time. 11 Sources

"In short, it is all bad, but if you also vape cannabis you have a greater number of unhealthy respiratory symptoms than if you just smoke cigarettes or marijuana, or vape e-cigarettes," Boyd says. "Without a doubt, cigarettes and e-cigarettes are unhealthy and not good for lungs.Mar 24, 2021

Full Answer

Is vaping marijuana bad for Your Lungs?

Some states with legal marijuana are proactively warning marijuana users that vaping liquids has been known to cause severe lung injuries and death. To stay up to date on the latest vaping-related...

What are the negative health effects of vaping?

The short-term side effects of using nicotine vapes are usually:

  • Lingering aftertaste
  • Light-headedness
  • Sweating
  • Headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • High blood pressure
  • Increased heart rate

Why is vaping now more dangerous than smoking cigarettes?

Vaping may be worse for you than traditional smoking, a new study claims. Greek researchers found that flavorings in e-cigarettes harm the lungs by causing inflammation. Experiments, conducted on...

Does vaping decrease your lung capacity?

These findings are fantastic news for vapers who may still be concerned with the effect of vaping on lung function. The reasoning given by the researchers was that because vaping does not burn anything, the tar associated with most negative effects on lung function is virtually non-existent for vapers.

Why are cigarettes dangerous?

Why are e-cigarettes bad for youth?

How many states allow medical marijuana?

What is the active ingredient in marijuana?

Can smoking marijuana cause damage?

Does smoking marijuana cause bronchitis?

Is marijuana good for you?

See 4 more

About this website

Does vaping cause lung damage?

Lung disease: Vaping can make asthma and other existing lung diseases worse. Breathing in the harmful chemicals from vaping products can cause irreversible (cannot be cured) lung damage, lung disease and, in some cases, death.

Can vaping cannabis cause bronchitis?

The study, which published Tuesday in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that vaping cannabis at any frequency was linked with symptoms of bronchitis and wheezing in young adults around 19 years old.

How do lungs heal from vaping?

However, there are certain lifestyle behaviors you can practice to try and accelerate the rate at which your lungs heal.Drink Lots Of Water. ... Eat Healthy Foods. ... Exercise Regularly. ... Cough. ... Clean Your Living Space. ... Practice Deep Breathing. ... Try Steam Therapy.

What are the symptoms of vaping too much?

Symptoms include:Persistent cough.Chest pain.Shortness of breath.Some users may even experience diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and fatigue before any breathing problems develop.

What is Bong lung?

Respiratory doctors recognise that some patients who smoke a lot of cannabis have a distinct form of lung damage -- a very severe form of emphysema that is sometimes called bong lung -- but little is actually known about this condition.

Can vaping CBD cause pneumonia?

Some patients are suffering from another condition known as lipoid pneumonia, doctors said. When vaped oils get into the lungs, the lungs treat them as a foreign object and mount an immune response, resulting in inflammation and the buildup of liquids, which can cause lipoid pneumonia.

Is vaping worse than smoking?

1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.

How long does it take for vaping to affect your lungs?

Exposure for just three days was enough to incur sufficient damage to their lungs, setting the stage for long-term chronic lung damage.

What are 5 risks of vaping?

Vaping has been linked to lung injury.Rapid onset of coughing.Breathing difficulties.Weight loss.Nausea and vomiting.Diarrhea.

What is Vaper's tongue?

Vaper's tongue (also known as vaper's fatigue) is a term that covers taste-related ailments. Often this happens from frequent use of a single, individual flavour. So, if you've been vaping the same flavour for a few weeks. you'll probably start to notice the difference in taste or lack thereof.

How much vaping is too much?

Even today, many high-profile sources list the toxic dose of nicotine (the LD50 – or the dose that will kill about half of people exposed) as between 30 and 60 mg. To put this in context of vaping, this would be about 4 ml of 12 mg/ml e-liquid. d.

What happens if you vape too much in one day?

LUNG INJURIES AND RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS Vaping may cause severe lung injury and can result in cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), popcorn lung, increased cardiovascular risks and even death. NICOTINE INTOXICATION Overexposure to nicotine in vaping liquid can result in nicotine poisoning.

Can you get chest infection from vaping?

Unlike the classic pneumonia caused by infection, lipoid pneumonia develops when fatty acids (the building blocks of fat) enter the lungs. Vaping-related lipoid pneumonia is the result of inhaling oily substances found in e-liquid, which sparks an inflammatory response in the lungs.

Can vaping cause coughing up mucus?

Specifically, the researchers found that vaping with nicotine impairs ciliary beat frequency, dehydrates airway fluid and creates more viscous phlegm. This "sticky mucus" can get trapped in the lungs, which could leave your lungs more vulnerable to illness and infection.

Can smoking dabs cause bronchitis?

When smoked, dabs and traditional marijuana can cause individuals to develop a regular cough and symptoms of bronchitis. In addition, smoking makes an individual more susceptible to chest colds, infections, and pneumonia.

What's bronchitis caused from?

Acute bronchitis is usually caused by viruses, typically the same viruses that cause colds and flu (influenza). Antibiotics don't kill viruses, so this type of medication isn't useful in most cases of bronchitis. The most common cause of chronic bronchitis is cigarette smoking.

The Impact of Smoking Marijuana

Marijuana doesn’t have the exact same negative effects as smoking cigarettes. However, most health experts still warn against smoking the drug. Tha...

The Risk of Smoking Marijuana With COPD

COPD affects about 30 million people in America. Most cases are caused by smoking cigarettes. Other causes are due to air pollution, chemical expos...

The Impact of Vaping Marijuana

An alternative method for taking in marijuana is through vaping. Vaping involves inhaling water vapor through a vaporizer or e-cigarette. Although...

Are There Other, Safer Alternatives?

If you're trying to avoid respiratory risks, there are still ways to ingest marijuana. Edible marijuana products, or “edibles,” do far less damage...

Is vaping marijuana okay if you have COPD? - COPD

Sorry but no. I am a long time cannabis activist so let me explain why. While cannabis does NOT cause lung disease in non-smokers, in current and former tobacco smokers the cilia, mucous glands and other methods the body uses to clean the respiratory tract have been damaged.

Can vaping damage your lungs? What we do (and don’t) know

The rising popularity of vaping has been dramatic, especially among teenagers.According to a 2019 study, about 37% of high school seniors reported vaping in 2018, up from 28% the year before.An estimated 2.1 million middle school and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in 2017; that number jumped to 3.6 million in 2018.A more recent survey found that among high school seniors ...

Why are cigarettes dangerous?

The reason cigarettes are dangerous isn’t because of the nicotine. The tar and other chemicals that cause emphysema or cancer make it so dangerous. Burning or inhaling is a bad idea. That’s why we will probably discover that marijuana is bad for your lungs, too.”.

Why are e-cigarettes bad for youth?

These are similar in nature to vaporizers used for marijuana, and can greatly impact youth because of the potential cancer-causing substances they release.

How many states allow medical marijuana?

The research on medical marijuana looks promising. However, we still don’t know whether it’s an effective treatment. Beyond that, only 31 states , as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia allow the use of marijuana for medical use.

What is the active ingredient in marijuana?

Two drugs that are a synthetic laboratory version with chemical structure of or similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another active ingredient in marijuana, are approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Can smoking marijuana cause damage?

Smoking marijuana can cause damage with rupture to the walls of adjacent alveoli (small air sacs in the lungs) into larger, ineffective air sacs called bullae. The risk is higher in male smokers under the age of 45.

Does smoking marijuana cause bronchitis?

This is associated with an increased likelihood of developing chronic bronchitis. The inhalation patterns when smoking marijuana are different than when smoking cigarettes.

Is marijuana good for you?

Health benefits of marijuana. Marijuana may provide calming effects that improve certain mental and physical conditions. For instance, a doctor might recommend medical marijuana to people with Crohn’s disease as an alternative way to ease inflammation, nausea, and vomiting .

What is vaping cannabis?

Vaping Cannabis involves using either liquid vape juice or dry vaping actual herb product – the two processes are worlds apart. This article does not touch on which method is being referred to. Its a load of hot air, which really doesn’t say much at all. Highly un-informative – armature hour reporting!

Who is the principal investigator of vaping nicotine?

The result challenges conventional wisdom about vaping nicotine, says the study’s principal investigator, Carol Boyd, the Deborah J. Oakley Collegiate Professor Emerita at the U-M School of Nursing. “I thought that e-cigarettes (vaping nicotine) would be the nicotine product most strongly associated with worrisome respiratory symptoms,” she said. ...

Does vaping cause lung damage?

Vaping Marijuana Causes More Lung Damage Than Vaping or Smoking Nicotine. Adolescents who vape cannabis are at greater risk for respiratory symptoms indicative of lung injury than teens who smoke cigarettes or marijuana, or vape nicotine, a new University of Michigan study suggests. The result challenges conventional wisdom about vaping nicotine, ...

Is asthma associated with lung injury?

The researchers also found that an asthma diagnosis was most strongly associated with symptoms of future lung injury than cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cannabis use and vaping cannabis.

Does UCSF use a vaporizer?

They use a Storz & Bickel Volcano at UCSF for medical marijuana patients. Yes, a legitimate hospital has a dry herb vaporizer as a medical device, because it is one. Journalists are mostly idiots. I started a tech site 10 years ago, because as a software engineer, most of the tech journalism makes me cringe.

Does THC make you sick?

It’s not the THC liquid making people sick, it’s the adulterants some black market dealers add into the THC liquid they sell just to make more money. They usually use cooking oil because color and viscosity id similar that of the THC liquid. THC liquid usually uses a base of propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin.

Is vaping bad for you?

Boyd, who also co-directs U-M’s Center for Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health, stressed that the findings do not mean that vaping nicotine or smoking cigarettes or marijuana are not bad for you. These products also produce symptoms of lung injury, but not to the same degree as vaping marijuana, she said. “In short, it is all bad but ...

How much does FVC decrease in marijuana smokers?

All studies reporting a significant decrease, ~1.5%, in FEV1/FVC ratio in marijuana smokers published incomplete data; in particular, most omitted the absolute results for FVC alone. However, two of these studies reported no significant effect on FEV1in chronic cannabis use.20,22Sherrill et al.34in a follow-up survey of a random, stratified, cluster sample of the Tucson population, aged 15–60 years (n=856 who had at least two measurements), found a reduction in FEV1/FVC of −1.9±0.7% and in FEV1of −142±44 ml only in previous marijuana smokers, with a nonsignificant decrease of −0.5±0.6% in current marijuana smokers.22Surprisingly, in 1,239 of the same subjects, tested on at least one occasion, FEV1/FVC was reduced by 0.5±0.6% and FEV1increased by 58 ml. However, in a population-based cohort born in 1972 and 1973 in Dunedin, New Zealand (n=1,037), Hancox et al.showed no significant association between chronic marijuana use and change in FEV1or FEV1/FVC at age 32 but found an increased FVC.32Subsequently, both Pletcher et al., in a longitudinal study over 20 years, recruited in 1985, examining Coronary Artery Risk Development In 5115 young Adults, and Kempker et al., in a cross-sectional study of 7,716 US adults from the National Health And Nutrition Examination Study cohort 2007–2008 and 2009–2010 surveys, reported similar findings as had Tilles et al.previously, although with a much smaller sample size (n=15 women).25,31,33Pletcher et al., reported that FEV1and FVC were 36 and 59 ml greater in cannabis users, with >10 joint-years’ smoking history, than in non-smoking controls.33Kempker27showed no effect on FEV1/FVC up to 20 joint-years but over 20 joint-years was associated with a 2.1-fold risk for FEV1/FVC ratio <70%, accounted for by a significant increase in FVC and no significant reduction in FEV1.25Interestingly, Tashkin et al.29reported a nonsignificant increase in both FEV1and FVC in a convenience sample of 144 heavy marijuana smokers compared with other smoking groups, and in another study, in the same subjects,39found that heavy habitual marijuana use, over a period of 8 years, was not associated with a decline in FEV1. Taken together, this information suggests that, although in some cases FEV1/FVC decreases by ~1.5% in chronic users, this may relate more to an increase in FVC rather than to a reduction in FEV1. This represents a major difference from the effects of tobacco smoking. The possibility that the effect on FEV1is due to selection of people with higher FEV1(because those with lower values do not smoke or do not continue to smoke cannabis) cannot be excluded in some of the studies.

Where does cannabis come from?

Cannabis comes from a flowering plant, native to central Asia and the Indian sub-continent. The genus includes three different species—Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indicaand Cannabis ruderalis. They produce two major active compounds, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (d-9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD); however, they contain 60 cannabinoids and over 400 compounds in total.2THC is the psychoactive compound, but it is modulated by CBD. The C. sativa-dominant strains have higher THC content, whereas the C. indica-dominant strains have higher CBD content.2The C. ruderalis-dominant strains contain even lower THC concentrations than the C. indica-dominant strains.3There is also ‘skunk-like’ cannabis, named for its smell, containing very high THC concentrations.4

Does smoking marijuana reduce TLCO?

Cannabis smoking with or without tobacco smoking was associated with a reduction in TLco (74% predicted±20%, P<0.05). In marijuana and marijuana plus tobacco smokers, both FEV1and FVC were significantly increased compared with that in non-smokers.

Is there a difference between cannabis smokers and control?

No significant differences found between cannabis smokers and control with respect to FEV1and FVC.

Can you smoke cannabis with a water bong?

Another major consideration is the variety of ways that cannabis can be smoked, which alter the characteristics of the smoke inhaled. Using a water bong, e.g., decreased the concentration of inhaled carcinogenic compounds.11,15Recent evidence has suggested that using a vapouriser to smoke cannabis may reduce pulmonary complications.16Otherwise, there have been no peer-reviewed studies examining the effects of differing methods of smoking cannabis on lung health .

Does cannabis have analgesic properties?

Experimentally, the acute bronchodilator effect5,6and analgesic properties7 –9of inhaled cannabis are well described. Acute bronchodilatation is due to THC.4However, as cannabinoids can have partial agonist, or even antagonist, effects, little is known about differences in airway effects from different strains of cannabis containing varying concentrations of cannabinols.

Does smoking cigarettes affect your lungs?

The effects of cigarette (tobacco) smoking on lung health are well known. They include symptoms of cough, sputum production (which when marked constitutes chronic bronchitis), wheeze and shortness of breath. Spirometric changes such as a progressive, largely irreversible decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FEV1divided by forced vital capacity (FVC)−FEV1/FVC ratio occur. This ratio is the most reliable measure of airflow obstruction. These changes may be accompanied by air-trapping within the lungs, measured physiologically (as increased total lung capacity (TLC) or residual volume (RV) or the ratio RV/TLC) or radiologically, on chest X-ray, etc. Chronic persistent, progressive airway narrowing, damage to the alveoli (emphysema) and effects on small airways (investigated with more sophisticated methods, beyond the scope of this review), in varying proportions, comprise the condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As cannabis was thought to affect the lungs in similar ways to tobacco, it was logical to use spirometric measurements to detect the adverse health effects of marijuana. However, with concurrent tobacco smoking, it is difficult to separate changes due to cannabis from those due to tobacco.

How do vape pens collapse a lung?

Vitamin E acetate is not water-soluble but also replaces the natural surfactant that lines the inside of your lungs.

What are the surfactants in the Warburg Effect?

The surfactants, Vitamin E acetate and Polysorbate 80 , block this messenger and potentially slow down cell division. This might ramp lung damage if the surrounding tissues are not fed enough oxygen (Warburg Effect). New tissue will still need to form via cell division if lung tissue is attacked by a toxin and killed in any condition.

Does THC inhibit messengers?

In greater detail, the full function of the messenger (PIK3) is not black and white. (3) In contrast, THC can inhibit but also activate the messenger for different reasons. Unlike vaporized Vitamin E acetate, however, oral doses of cannabinoids maintain homeostasis.

Does cannabis cause cancer?

Cannabis ‘s natural polypharmacy works on a highly balanced rhythm that does not cause the same risk of cancer or lung damage as THC vapes. So, it is typically ill-advised to alter this balance unnaturally.

Can tocopherols replace alveoli?

There is a fluid in your lungs that allows the little sacs known as alveoli to expand with air. A lung will collapse if it loses this fluid. Therefore, it is highly problematic that tocopherols can replace this fluid since this will potentially collapse the lung.

Does heat affect THC?

Heat influences THC to turn into Delta-8, CBN, or degrade. So, heat is an issue in the identity of the molecule. When you put THC in a vape cartridge, it is Delta-9 THC in the beginning. But, does anything happen to the THC when you heat it for vaporization? That question hasn’t really been answered, yet.

Can lung tissue be destroyed by a toxin?

New tissue will still need to form via cell division if lung tissue is attacked by a toxin and killed in any condition. Otherwise, the result might be catastrophic lung damage.

Why is the American Lung Association concerned about the health impacts of marijuana use?

We caution the public against smoking marijuana because of the risks it poses to the lungs.

What is the most common way to smoke marijuana?

Marijuana is most commonly smoked using pipes, bongs, paper-wrapped joints, blunts and other devices including those that heat or vaporize marijuana. Marijuana can also be consumed through dozens of different products including e-cigarettes, candy, brownies and other baked goods, capsules, beverages and many more.

Is second hand smoke bad for you?

Secondhand marijuana smoke contains many of the same toxins and carcinogens found in directly-inhaled marijuana smoke, in similar amounts if not more. 5 While there is no data on the health consequences of breathing secondhand marijuana smoke, there is concern that it could cause harmful health effects, especially among vulnerable children in the home. Additional research on the health effects of secondhand marijuana smoke is needed.

Does smoking marijuana cause respiratory problems?

Smoking marijuana hurts the lungs' first line of defense against infection by killing cells that help remove dust and germs as well as causing more mucus to be formed. In addition, it also suppresses the immune system. These effects could lead to an increased risk of lower respiratory tract infections among marijuana smokers, although there is no clear evidence of such actual infections being more common among marijuana smokers. 4,9 However, frequent marijuana-only smokers have more healthcare visits for respiratory conditions compared to nonsmokers. 10

Can you inhale marijuana concentrate?

There is little known on the potential lung health effects of inhaling marijuana or products made from it through routes other than smoking. However: Use of "vape-pens" to inhale cannabis concentrates or liquids may have similar respiratory health effects as e-cigarette use. "Dabbing" (inhaling flash-vaporized cannabis concentrates) ...

Is marijuana safe for medical use?

The American Lung Association encourages continued research into the health effects of marijuana use, as the benefits, risks and safety of marijuana use for medical purposes require further study. Patients considering using marijuana for medicinal purposes should make this decision in consultation with their doctor, and consider means of administration other than smoking.

Does smoking marijuana harm your lung?

Smoking marijuana clearly damages the human lung, and regular use leads to chronic bronchitis and can cause an immune-compromised person to be more susceptible to lung infections. No one should be exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke.

Does smoking marijuana cause pneumonia?

It can also cause serious lung diseases with increasing years of use. Cannabis can weaken the immune system, leading to pneumonia.

Does smoking cannabis cause lung cancer?

Based on immuno-histopathological and epidemiological evidence, smoking cannabis poses a potential risk for developing lung cancer.

Can you smoke marijuana alone?

It can be smoked alone in its plant form, marijuana , but it can also be mixed with tobacco. The specific effects of smoking cannabis are difficult to assess accurately and to distinguish from the effects of tobacco; however its use may produce severe consequences.

Why are cigarettes dangerous?

The reason cigarettes are dangerous isn’t because of the nicotine. The tar and other chemicals that cause emphysema or cancer make it so dangerous. Burning or inhaling is a bad idea. That’s why we will probably discover that marijuana is bad for your lungs, too.”.

Why are e-cigarettes bad for youth?

These are similar in nature to vaporizers used for marijuana, and can greatly impact youth because of the potential cancer-causing substances they release.

How many states allow medical marijuana?

The research on medical marijuana looks promising. However, we still don’t know whether it’s an effective treatment. Beyond that, only 31 states , as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia allow the use of marijuana for medical use.

What is the active ingredient in marijuana?

Two drugs that are a synthetic laboratory version with chemical structure of or similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another active ingredient in marijuana, are approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Can smoking marijuana cause damage?

Smoking marijuana can cause damage with rupture to the walls of adjacent alveoli (small air sacs in the lungs) into larger, ineffective air sacs called bullae. The risk is higher in male smokers under the age of 45.

Does smoking marijuana cause bronchitis?

This is associated with an increased likelihood of developing chronic bronchitis. The inhalation patterns when smoking marijuana are different than when smoking cigarettes.

Is marijuana good for you?

Health benefits of marijuana. Marijuana may provide calming effects that improve certain mental and physical conditions. For instance, a doctor might recommend medical marijuana to people with Crohn’s disease as an alternative way to ease inflammation, nausea, and vomiting .

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