Vapes are becoming increasingly popular due to their portability and discreet use. When smoking, potentially harmful smoke toxins (free radicals), are released upon burning the plant matter. There is no release of smoke toxins when vaporizing cannabis, so naturally, it has been assumed that vaping is a “safer” method of cannabis consumption. This, however, is not always true. It is important that as cannabis consumers, we have all the facts before partaking of any new product categories as they begin to appear on legal shelves.
There are certain chemicals that have been found hazardous to inhale and some of these appear in illicit vape products today. Vaporizing oils or any carrier/viscosity agents with lipids (fats) is extremely dangerous and damaging to our lungs. A popular carrier agent, MCT or Medium Chain Triglycerides (aka. Coconut oil), is perfectly safe to consume orally (as an edible oil) however, it should not be inhaled which includes by vaporization. To manufacture cannabis extracts with the proper consistency for vaporization, they are routinely blended with carrier agents that control the viscosity and texture of the extract. Some of these agents which have been found harmful for inhalation include, Vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate), polyethylene glycol and MCT. These viscosity agents are cheap and easy to source, hence their appearance in unregulated vape products.
Quality is Key
Although CO2 extraction has become the gold standard for high yielding and safe solvent extraction of cannabinoids, it does pull out natural fats from cannabis. Winterization of cannabis extracts helps to remove these naturally occurring fats (fatty acids and waxes). This refinement process works by combining the crude extract with alcohol at very cold temperatures, where the fats come out of solution and can be easily filtered out. These fats reduce the purity of the cannabinoid extract and can be harmful especially if the extract is being vaporized. Fats can also adhere to the vape coils and result in an unpleasant burnt taste.
Vape pens and cartridges purchased from the illicit industry cannot guarantee the method of manufacture and quality assurance testing for these products. There are often dangerous contaminants found in illicit vape products. If a consumer were to request any sort of quality assurance document such as a certificate of analysis, for example, it is unlikely the documentation exists or that it is authentic. As with any product we ingest, it is crucial that it be quality and safety tested to avoid unnecessary injury or illness. All vape products manufactured by Licensed Producers of Cannabis in Canada are rigorously tested and approved according to Health Canada standards. Always check the ingredients list and inspect your extract prior to vaping. It should be clear and NOT cloudy in appearance.
Vaping cannabis does not have to be scary; as long as consumers are conscious of the potentially hazardous chemicals in unregulated products. This can be an exciting time as cannabis vape products begin to appear on legal shelves, and an opportunity for us to experiment safely with Canada’s newest adult fun time ingredient!
Thoughts? Share them!