Vaping FAQs

can you get a second hand high from vaping

by Fannie Lehner DDS Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago
image

A contact high, or “second-hand high,” is the idea that someone can get high from the smoke or vapor originally inhaled by somebody else. Although it has been popularized by movies, TV shows, and the like, you may be right to wonder if catching a contact high is really a thing. Seems a little ridiculous, doesn’t it?

At the end of the day, catching a contact high from a vape pen may be possible under the right conditions. If you are being exposed to heaps of unventilated THC vapor for a long amount of time, then absorbing enough THC to feel high could be a real possibility.

Full Answer

Is secondhand vaping different from secondhand smoke?

While secondhand vaping is different from secondhand smoke, it is still dangerous and unhealthy to ingest. E-cigarettes do not burn, so they do not create smoke. However, inhaling the secondhand fumes from vaping is the same as inhaling secondhand cigarette smoke.

Is secondhand vaping harmful to your health?

There isn’t a lot of research done on the health harms of secondhand vaping. Early studies suggest that the risks posed by secondhand vaping are substantially lower than secondhand smoking, but that's a low bar considering how hard cigarette smoke is on the body.

Can you get high off second-hand vapor?

Contrary to popular opinion in this thread, you can definitely get high off second-hand vapor. However, it would not necessarily be easy, or as easy as taking a hit directly. And, exhaled vapor or smoke are not going to be as potent or having the same balance of constituents as the original inhalation.

Is it possible to get high from second-hand smoke?

But this is almost always an entirely psychological effect and not actually a biological reaction to second-hand smoke. The question is if you are this afraid of getting “high” from second-hand smoke, maybe you have psychological problems that you should address.

Why are vapes dangerous for children?

What is the chemical in second hand vape aerosol?

What is third hand smoke?

What percentage of people with asthma report vaping?

How to quit smoking cigarettes?

Is vape aerosol harmful?

Does vaping smell like candy?

See 4 more

About this website

image

Can I be Affected by Secondhand Vape Smoke? - A Healthier Michigan

Vape pens and e-cigarettes have become a common sight in the last five to 10 years. We see them used at stores, bars and big events and assume they must be healthier than actual cigarettes.

Is Secondhand Vaping Something to be Concerned About?

By Brianna McCabe. You don’t have to dig deep into a Google search for ‘is secondhand cigarette smoking dangerous?’ to find a scientific study or credible article reinforcing that it is, in fact, a massive risk to your health. …But what about secondhand vaping? According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, 40% of U.S. adults believe that children’s exposure ...

Mayo Clinic Minute: Secondhand electronic cigarette smoke

Secondhand cigarette smoke is a combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers. Exposure to secondhand smoke has been linked to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. But what about exposure to secondhand electronic cigarette smoke? Watch: The Mayo Clinic […]

How many hours of vaping exposure is a smoker exposed to?

Vaping is likely to produce exposures of about 1/100th those of smoking: i.e. about one extra case of LC for every 40 million worker-years (i.e. Eighty billion worker hours!) of exposure to tobacco vaping.

How much exposure to second hand smoke?

No. Your exposure in normal situations to secondary smoke (what Antismokers like to call “secondhand smoke” to emphasize the fact that it has been “used” and “cast off” by someone else) gives you about 1/1,000th to 1/10,000th of what the smoker is getting. That figure is for tobacco smoke and, given the manner in which people smoke pot I’d say it’s even less. Throw on top of that your phrasing indicating that they are vaping rather than smoking and that you’re not even in the room, I’d say you’re definitely talking about an exposure of less than 1/10,000th of what your brother is getting.

How does cannabis smoke differ from tobacco smoke?

Some studies have refuted the drastically higher ammonia and hydrogen cyanide levels, but all studies conclude that there’s less PAHs. Recent research has indicated that secondhand cannabis smoke impairs the cardiovascular system even more than secondhand tobacco smoke. It impairs the blood vessels’ ability to dilate, and seems to last longer for cannabis smoke than it does for tobacco smoke. Furthermore, a 2016 study examining chronic marijuana smokers of more than 20 years found the only negative health effect to be an increased risk of periodontal disease, a gum infection that can destroy the jawbone. This condition is treatable and typically clears up in a few months.

How do non-smokers get high from smoking weed?

Interestingly, the “contact high” nonsmokers get from weed is almost entirely psychological. Spend time socializing with stoned individuals and you start to feel “high” and begin to act stoned. But this is almost always an entirely psychological effect and not actually a biological reaction to second-hand smoke. The question is if you are this afraid of getting “high” from second-hand smoke, maybe you have psychological problems that you should address. You should probably see a therapist or psychiatrist and tell them you have this morbid fear of getting high from being in the same house as a cannabis smoker. Perhaps you need to be on some sort of medication

Is vaping more persistent than smoking?

Vapor will tend to be less persistent than smoke from combustion, so the potential to hotbox or extract sufficient psychoactives from the ambient environment is significant lessened with vaping. What you are vaping can make a difference there, as well—flower versus oil versus wax or whatnot.

Can you get high from cbd?

To put it simply; We get high from the THC, CBD, and any other Cannabinoids. The goal is to absorb these things. From this we can deduce that the vapor being exhaled contains little to none of these 'things'. So it would be incredibly difficult to get high from vapor that contains hardly anything required to get high.

Is it possible to get a second hand high?

Is it possible? Yes, it most definitely and most assuredly is. Secondhand highs are not unheard of. However, they are… not particularly easy to accomplish, unless under certain circumstances.

What Is a Contact High?

A contact high happens when someone feels high simply from being around other people that are smoking or vaping cannabis. For this phenomenon to happen, THC, the primary intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis, must be inhaled by one person, exhaled into the air through smoke or vapor, and then be inhaled again by somebody else close by. Second-hand highs are possible because not all of the THC and other cannabinoids in cannabis are absorbed by the lungs. It is believed that about 50% of the THC contained in cannabis actually enters smoke or vapor for inhalation. The vast majority of this is absorbed by the lungs and transported into the bloodstream, but not all of it. A study from 2015 found that it is unlikely that a person exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke will test positive for cannabis themselves. While it is possible that extreme cannabis smoke exposure could produce a positive urine test, this occurrence is likely to be rare and limited to the hours immediately after exposure, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.

Can you catch a contact high from vapor?

Probably not, although it may be possible under the right conditions. No scientific studies have ever been done to explore this question. And, without any evidence, it is impossible to tell whether you can really catch a contact high from vapor. That being said, there’s also no way to rule it out. At the end of the day, catching a contact high ...

Does THC come from second hand smoke?

When the experiment was done again in a ventilated room, no THC was detected in the subjects who did not smoke. This indicates that ventilation and airflow are likely more important than proximity when it comes to second-hand smoke. However, all studies that have explored cannabis contact highs have done so with smoke.

Can vapor produce a contact high?

No studies have specifically been done on the ability of vapor to produce a contact high. Additionally, there are certain differences between smoke and vapor that may affect their ability to produce a second-hand high. For instance, vapor is considered to be lighter than smoke and believed to dissipate much quicker.

Can you test positive for cannabis?

A study from 2015 found that it is unlikely that a person exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke will test positive for cannabis themselves.

Can you get a positive urine test from smoking weed?

While it is possible that extreme cannabis smoke exposure could produce a positive urine test, this occurrence is likely to be rare and limited to the hours immediately after exposure , according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.

Can you get high from a vape pen?

At the end of the day, catching a contact high from a vape pen may be possible under the right conditions. If you are being exposed to heaps of unventilated THC vapor for a long amount of time, then absorbing enough THC to feel high could be a real possibility.

How does second hand smoking affect the world?

Secondhand smoking kills tens of thousands of people every year in the United States alone. It can cause sudden infant death syndrome and lung issues in children. In adults, it can lead to serious health conditions later in life, such as stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer—even in people who never smoked themselves. 1

How does an e-cigarette work?

E-cigarette devices use metal coils to heat the vaping fluid, and over time, small amounts of metals can sometimes get into the aerosol after repeated use at high temperatures. 6 . While the person vaping will breathe in the full brunt of these toxins, some will be exhaled into the air.

Is second hand vaping bad for you?

Secondhand Vaping as a Gateway. In addition to the still uncertain health risks associated with breathing in e-cigarette aerosol, being around people who vape could have other consequences—particularly for adolescents who are more likely to be influenced by social norms and visual cues.

Does vaping hurt your lungs?

Short-term studies didn’t find evidence that secondhand vaping hurts lung function , with one notable exception. Researchers found that people who were around vaping aerosol showed increases in the serum cotinine, which is a marker that someone was exposed to nicotine (an ingredient often found in e-cigarettes). 7  Given the long list of health risks posed by nicotine, more research needs to be done on how this exposure could affect someone’s lungs long-term like it can with secondhand smoke.

Can vaping affect non-vapers?

It’s still not clear how the toxins found in secondhand vaping can affect the health of non-vapers, especially long-term. The limited research available so far has largely focused on immediate health effects. That said, there are some concerns about how repeatedly inhaling e-cigarette aerosol over an extended period of time could affect bystanders’ long-term lung function and risk of allergic reactions.

Can vaping cause lung injury?

UPDATE: Recent illnesses have been associated with use of e-cigarettes (vaping). Since the specific causes of these lung injury cases are not yet known, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends refraining from all vaping products.

Does vaping affect air quality?

One study, for example, found that under most conditions, someone vaping at home all day didn’t change the air quality a terrible amount unless they vaped intensely at a high voltage. At that point, levels of formaldehyde exceeded limits set by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), though other compounds didn’t come close. 7

What is secondhand vaping?

Secondhand vaping is exactly what it sounds like: if you're near a person breathing out vapor from an e-cigarette, you generally breathe in the same air that they're exhaling and can inhale the same vapor.

What to do if someone uses e-cigarettes?

If someone close to you, like a parent, caretaker or coworker, uses e-cigarettes, you can kindly ask them to stop while you're around. Frame it as a way to protect both your health and theirs, and hopefully they'll respect your wishes.

Is vaping a health risk?

E-cigarettes can emit a huge cloud of vapor that can affect an entire crowd of people. Getty Images. When vaping first gained popularity, it was marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. However, a recent surge in illnesses, hospitalizations -- and even deaths -- has shown that there may be much scarier health risks associated ...

Does vaping harm the lungs?

The vapor can also harm bystanders ' lungs and contribute to lasting damage ...

Does vapor contain nicotine?

Another study from 2018 found that the vapor not only contains nicotine, but also heavy metals, aldehyde and glycerin, even though vaporizer companies try to paint these products as healthier in every way. These chemicals contribute to the health risk posed by secondhand vaping.

Is vaping a teenager phenomenon?

E-cigarettes are becoming more and more of a teenage phenomenon. With more teens than ever now vaping, it seems like the younger folks who are more at risk. A third of high-schoolers and middle-schoolers reported that they were exposed to vaping aerosol in 2018.

Can you vape with your friends?

If you really want to avoid the negative health effects of secondhand vaping, you may just want to not hang out with your friends while they're using e-cigarettes. Or, if you're reading this and you are an e-cigarette user who's not ready to give it up yet, at least don't vape around other people (especially kids).

Is vaping a tobacco issue?

It is commonplace for tobacco consumption (of any kind) to be tied with vaping. Only a few days ago, anti-vape legislation went into effect in NYC. Four pieces of the bill directly addressed vape businesses as well as users, despite that fact that the legislation was touted as an anti-tobacco campaign.

Is secondhand smoke linked to lung cancer?

While there is a clear relationship between those who smoke and the occurrence of lung cancer, there is no evidence to suggest that secondhand smoke is linked to the disease.

Is second hand smoke bad for you?

Obviously, breathing secondhand smoke is not a good thing, especially for babies, young children, and adolescents. We all know that smoking is bad for you – it’s not news, but looking at all sides of an issue is important. If you’re like me, the study above might have you asking “what now?”

Is secondhand vapor harmful?

There is no, repeat no, research to suggest that secondhand vapor is harmful. The closest we have to any research even examining the topic was conducted in 2014. Dr. Burstyn sought to examine the inhalation of vapor though occupational exposure standards. Ultimately, he concluded that there was very little risk to vapers.

How to avoid a contact high from secondhand smoke?

Avoid a contact high from secondhand marijuana smoke by cracking a window.

How many people were involved in the first cannabis experiment?

Researchers started with a dozen people, six of whom were cannabis smokers and six who were non-smokers. In the first experiment, all 12 subjects spent an hour together in a small unventilated room, during which time each smoker puffed through 10 joints, each with a THC content of 11.3%.

Is second hand marijuana the same as tobacco?

While there's an abundance of research demonstrating the adverse health effects of secondhand exposure to cigarette smoke, there is little evidence to suggest that secondhand marijuana smoke carries the same detrimental health risks as tobacco smoke.

Does cannabis smoke absorb THC?

If we pull a page from the 1999 British Journal of Anesthesia, we learn that the lungs absorb most of the THC when cannabis smoke is inhaled. Researchers have discovered that approximately 50% of THC and other cannabinoids present in cannabis make it into the smoke and are inhaled.

Can you test positive for THC while smoking?

Bottom line: if you spend a lot of time in a small room with the windows sealed shut while your friends are smoking, your blood and urine might test positive for THC and you may feel its intoxicating effects. But outside of a hotboxing hostage scenario, it's more likely your contact high is all in your head, so to speak.

Is second hand weed bad for you?

Considering that past research has found marijuana smoke to be less carcinogenic than cigarette smoke, there doesn't seem to be an immediate public health concern regarding the effects of secondhand weed smoke.

Is marijuana more carcinogenic than cigarette smoke?

Considering that past research has found marijuana smoke to be less carcinogenic than cigarette smoke, there doesn't seem to be an immediate public health concern regarding the effects of secondhand weed smoke.

What are the things that need to be considered by those who choose to smoke marijuana?

From broken bongs that can cut, to the financial complications imposed on nearby nonusers (for example if a child has a parent who faces legal problems due to use ), are all things that need to be considered by those who choose to smoke marijuana.

Is there a strong association between indoor cannabis smoking and adverse health outcomes in children?

Another study that provided a preliminary look at health outcomes of children living in homes where marijuana is used showed a "relatively strong...association...between indoor cannabis smoking and adverse health outcomes in children" indicating a significant need for further study. 4 

Is secondhand marijuana a health problem?

Research shared at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Meeting in 2014 suggested that secondhand marijuana smoke should likely be considered a public health problem. 5 

Does second hand smoke affect non-pot smokers?

Secondhand marijuana smoke can negatively affect the health of exposed non-pot smokers The risks of secondhand tobacco smoke exposure have been known for many years, but with the legalization of marijuana in some states, concerns have been raised about secondhand marijuana smoke exposure as well. These concerns come from two angles.

Does marijuana affect blood vessels?

Rats that were exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke had a 70% reduction in blood vessel function. (These results were the same for rats exposed to marijuana smoke containing THC as those not, so it was considered likely that THC alone wasn't the culprit.) 5

Is cigarette smoke harmful?

Another concern surrounds the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. Tobacco smoke and marijuana are chemically alike, and therefore many of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke are likely to be found in marijuana smoke.

Is marijuana dangerous for children?

A 2017 systematic review published in the Journal of Pediatrics concluded that accidental ingestion of marijuana by children is a serious public health concern, and that physicians and the public should be aware of this concern in children who develop the sudden onset of lethargy or loss of coordination. 14 .

Why are vapes dangerous for children?

Infants and children. Vape aerosols pose an especially high risk for infants and children because of their lower body weight and developing respiratory systems. , being exposed to even low concentrations of the components of vape aerosol can affect brain and lung development.

What is the chemical in second hand vape aerosol?

Secondhand vape aerosol contains flavorings, such as diacetyl, a chemical that may impair the function of cilia in the airway.

What is third hand smoke?

Thirdhand exposure is a thing, too. When someone who’s vaping exhales, the components of the aerosol doesn’t just go into the air — they also settle on surfaces. Trusted Source. . This is what’s referred to as thirdhand smoke (or aerosol). You can be exposed to these components when you touch a contaminated surface.

What percentage of people with asthma report vaping?

Based on the results of the 2018 Annual Asthma Survey by the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership, 14 percent of people with asthma reported that vaping or exposure to secondhand vape triggered their asthma symptoms.

How to quit smoking cigarettes?

Try to taper your nicotine dose gradually if you’re using vaping to help you quit traditional cigarettes. Cutting out nicotine altogether will minimize the risk of nicotine-related side effects for you and others.

Is vape aerosol harmful?

Its long-term effects are still being investigated. What we do know so far is that vape aerosol contains a number of harmful substances, including: There’s evidence that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand vape aerosol absorb similar levels of nicotine as people exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke.

Does vaping smell like candy?

This brief exposure probably isn’t a huge deal, but secondhand vape aerosol (the “smoke” from vaping) is definitely a thing, even if it smells like candy.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9