Vaping FAQs

how safe is vaping pot

by Prof. Carolanne Raynor Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Research and the EVALI outbreak suggest that vaping marijuana is dangerous in general and may actually be more dangerous than vaping nicotine products or even smoking cigarettes. This may, at least in part, be due to ingredients of vape products, including vitamin E acetate, flavorings, and other additives.Sep 9, 2022

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Why is vaping so popular?

Vaporizing cannabis has grown in popularity in recent years due to its convenience, discretion, and perceived health benefits. But there are safety concerns.

Why are vape pens going under?

But with cannabis testing regulations going into effect July 1, Green believes many vape brands will go under due to a lack of compliant product and increased costs related to compliance. "So, you're going to start to see some consolidation among the brands," he said. "There won't be 45 vape pens on the shelf.".

What heating element is used in vape pens?

The actual heating element can vary, from ceramic to glass to metal. Green said the nichrome (or nickel-chromium) wire — the same type of heating mechanism you'll find in a toaster — is the most common heating element found in vape pens.

What is the silver tip on a vape pen?

Green said many vape pens also have silver tips (the part you suck on), which are nickel or chrome plating . "You don't see those on medical devices because they aren't safe," he said. (He said Dosist uses medical-grade plastic for its exterior.)

How hot does cannabis oil need to be to be aerosolized?

While cannabis oil only needs to be heated between 160- and 190-degrees Celsius to begin to aerosolize, vaping devices do not heat evenly or consistently. People also use the products differently.

Where are vape pens made?

Jeremy Green, COO of vape pen company Dosist, noted that almost all vape pens are made in Shenzhen, China, which bills itself as the headquarters of the e-cig industry. (Vape pens are made from the same device as e-cigarettes.) The actual heating element can vary, from ceramic to glass to metal.

Is propylene glycol safe to use?

Although the FDA classifies it as "generally recognized as safe," there are concerns about propylene glycol when it's heated to high temperatures, according to a 2015 report by Jahan Marcu, chief scientific officer for Americans for Safe Access.

How does a vaporizer work?

A marijuana vaporizer heats up the drug in either herbal or concentrated form to a degree that active ingredients are transmitted into the body without any actual burning involved. There is no combustion involved while vaping, therefore no smoke is created when using a marijuana vaporizer. Instead of burning the cannabis, the marijuana vaporizer heats the substance to a temperature that is just below the combustion temperature. The vapor that is released and then inhaled delivers the substance to your body.

Is it safe to smoke marijuana?

Smoking marijuana, either recreationally or for medicinal purposes, poses health risks to the respiratory system that can be similar to smoking tobacco. Some people believe that alternatively using a marijuana vaporizer for inhalation reduces these risks and makes inhaling the drug safer. The truth is that vaping marijuana also poses serious risks ...

Is marijuana addictive?

Dependence: Although marijuana isn’t as addictive as tobacco, its use is known to cause a dependency upon the substance. Brain Issues: The THC in marijuana is absorbed into your bloodstream and carried to your brain where it interacts with cell receptors that control neurological development and other functions.

Do vaporizers protect you from tar?

The vaporizers do not completely protect you from the unhealthy effects of tar and smoke being taken into your system. Intoxication: The marijuana oils that are sometimes used for vaping can be highly concentrated with up to 90% of the drug’s active ingredient, THC.

Can vaping marijuana cause asthma?

Breathing Issues: Vaping marijuana can aggravate asthma conditions. It can also cause spasms of bronchial tubes. Cancer Risk: Though not as much as when nicotine is inhaled, cancer-causing substances like tars may be released when vaping marijuana. The vaporizers do not completely protect you from the unhealthy effects of tar ...

Is Vaping Marijuana Safe?

Although vaping sounds more innocuous than traditional smoking cannabis, inhaling marijuana through a vaporizer doesn’t protect you from negative health effects. There are residual irritants, solvents and pesticides being taken into the body through vapors that can have serious health consequences. Additionally, there are other physical and psychological health concerns to consider.

How old do you have to be to vape?

New laws are aimed at curbing vaping among teens. People must now be 21 to buy any tobacco product, including vaping products. And companies can no longer produce and sell flavors that appeal to children like fruit and mint. If you’ve already started vaping or smoking cigarettes, it’s never too late to quit.

What are vaping devices?

Vaping devices, also known as e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e-hookahs among other terms, come in many shapes and sizes. Some look like traditional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Others are shaped like every-day objects, such as pens or USB memory sticks.

What chemicals are in vaping?

Vaping exposes the lungs to a variety of chemicals. These may include the main active chemicals in tobacco (nicotine) or marijuana (THC), flavorants, and other ingredients that are added to vaping liquids. Plus, other chemicals can be produced during the vaporizing process.

Can nicotine be inhaled in a vaporizer?

Plus, other chemicals can be produced during the vaporizing process. “If the liquid has nicotine in it, then the user is inhaling nicotine along with the other ingredients in the liquid,” explains Dr. Thomas Eissenberg, an expert on tobacco research at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Is vaping harmful?

So how safe is vaping? Studies suggest nicotine vaping may be less harmful than traditional cigarettes when people who regularly smoke switch to them as a complete replacement. But nicotine vaping could still damage your health.

Is vaping more popular in high school?

Vaping is now more popular among teens than smoking traditional cigarettes. One in four high school seniors say they vaped nicotine in the past month. And studies have found that teens who vape nicotine may be more likely to go on to smoke traditional cigarettes.

Why are People Concerned about Safety when Vaping Legal Marijuana?

Foremost among them are difficulties in breathing. This led to increasing reports of what later came to be known as EVALI.

What is illegal vape?

Untested, unregulated, and illegal vapes can be made of the contaminated marijuana plant that is blended with low-quality, harmful ingredients. And, these are usually misrepresented or not disclosed to consumers. So, when a person buys marijuana from a wrong source, it can have pesticides, mildew, mold, artificial flavorings, vitamin E, heavy metals, and synthetic cannabinoids.

How many states allow marijuana?

Just 33 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands, have approved comprehensive, accessible marijuana/cannabis health programs. Supported efforts in 13 states allow you to use low THC and high cannabidiol (CBD) products for medical reasons in limited situations or as legal recourse.

What states have medical marijuana laws?

Since then, 32 more states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have passed similar laws. As of June 25, 2019, 14 states ...

How many scientific abstracts are there on marijuana?

In early 2017, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine issued a report based on a review of more than 10,000 scientific abstracts of marijuana health research. They also made 100 health-related findings and suggested ways to improve cannabis research.

Is vaping a good alternative to smoking?

Some people have even switched from smoking cannabis to vaping. That’s because they consider vaping a healthier alternative to smoking as it does not involve combustion. Virtually, vaping eliminates the smoke and concerns associated with it.

How many states have legalized cannabis?

As of June 25, 2019, 14 states and territories have approved adult cannabis. As of January 22, 2018, the Vermont State Legislature passed a law to legalize adult use, and the governor signed the bill. This measure does not establish a system for regulating sales or production. See the measure text below.

What about vaping?

Vaping marijuana involves inhaling heated oil through a vaporizing device , often referred to as an e-cigarette. Vaping marijuana can also refer to using a vaporizer, such as a Volcano, to produce vapor from dried plant material.

How long does it take for vaping to work?

Both smoking and vaping have an almost immediate effect on the body. Their effects peak within 10 to 15 minutes.

How long does marijuana last?

Effects are often long lasting — anywhere from 6 to 8 hours. For this reason, it’s important to start slowly. Consume a very small amount if you’re ingesting marijuana for the first time. For example, a common dose for edibles is 10 milligrams of THC. If you’re just starting out, opt for 2 to 5 milligrams of THC.

What is it called when you mix marijuana with tobacco?

Some people mix their marijuana with tobacco, so it’s a bit less potent (this is called a spliff).

What are the negative effects of smoking weed?

Some negative health effects associated with chronic weed smoking include: air pockets between the lungs and lungs and chest wall. chronic bronchitis. cough. excessive mucus production. possible increased risk of infection in immunocompromised people, such as those with HIV.

Is vaping safer than smoking?

Some people believe vaping is safer than smoking because it doesn’t involve inhaling smoke. But the reality is, when it comes to vaping marijuana, there’s much less known about the negative health effects.

Is marijuana safer than smoking tobacco?

One of the more well-known cannabinoids is called CBD. For this reason, some people believe smoking marijuana is less dangerous than smoking tobacco.

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 .

How many people died from vaping in 2020?

As of Jan. 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 60 deaths in patients with e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI).

Why are e-cigarettes so popular?

First, many teens believe that vaping is less harmful than smoking. Second, e-cigarettes have a lower per-use cost than traditional cigarettes.

How many chemicals are in e-cigarettes?

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. While we don’t know exactly what chemicals are in e-cigarettes, Blaha says “there’s almost no doubt that they expose you to fewer toxic chemicals than traditional cigarettes.”

How many people want to quit smoking?

If you have thought about trying to kick a smoking habit, you’re not alone. Nearly 7 of 10 smokers say they want to stop. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health — smoking harms nearly every organ in your body, including your heart. Nearly one-third of deaths from heart disease are the result of smoking and secondhand smoke.

Can you use THC in a vape?

The CDC recommends that people: Do not use THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products. Avoid using informal sources, such as friends, family or online dealers to obtain a vaping device. Do not modify or add any substances to a vaping device that are not intended by the manufacturer.

Is e-cigarettes as addictive as heroin?

Both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes contain nicotine, which research suggests may be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. What’s worse, says Blaha, many e-cigarette users get even more nicotine than they would from a tobacco product — you can buy extra-strength cartridges, which have a higher concentration of nicotine, or you can increase the e-cigarette’s voltage to get a greater hit of the substance.

Is e-cigarette smoking more popular among youth?

Among youth, e-cigarettes are more popular than any traditional tobacco product. In 2015, the U.S. surgeon general reported that e-cigarette use among high school students had increased by 900%, and 40% of young e-cigarette users had never smoked regular tobacco.

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