VAPING MARIJUANA – THC AND CBD
Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are also called vapes, e-hookahs, vape pens, tank systems, and mods. They may be manufactured to look like conventional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens or USB flash drives. [1] Using an e-cigarette is commonly called “vaping.” E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid to produce an aerosol that users inhale into their lungs. The liquid can have substances, flavorings, and additives, nicotine or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the principal psychoactive constituent of marijuana and cannabinoid (CBD) oils. [2]
Key Facts about Use of E-Cigarette, or Vaping Products
Use of these devices is causing deaths and serious lung disease called Vaping Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). Many of these cases are caused by the use of THC extract products in vaping devices. THC is the addictive psychoactive mind-altering compound of marijuana that produces the “high.” [3] As of January 21, 2020, a total of 2,711 hospitalized EVALI cases or deaths have been reported from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories. [4]
The Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey of drug use and attitudes among the country’s 8th, 10th, and 12th graders announced that more than one fifth of high school seniors (20.8 %) reported having vaped marijuana in the past year, as did many 10th graders (19.4 %). From 2018 to 2019, the percentage of seniors vaping marijuana in the past month increased from 7.5 percent to 14 percent – the second largest one-year increase in any drug use that has ever been recorded in the 45-year history of the MTF survey. (The first largest increase was nicotine vaping from 2017 to 2018 reported last year.) Among 10th graders, past-month use was 12.6 percent. [5]
National and state data from patient reports and product sample testing show THC containing vaping products, particularly from informal black-market sources like friends, family, or in-person or online dealers, are linked to most EVALI cases and play a major role in the outbreak. [6] However, some come from sales by “legal” marijuana stores. All such marijuana sales are illegal under federal law. [7]
A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association states:
Marijuana vaping produces significantly greater physiological and psychological effects compared with traditional smoking methods at the same tetrahydrocannabinol levels, raising concerns about potential health effects. [8]
According to the FDA there is danger in using CBD products including:
- CBD can cause liver injury and impair kidney function and cause anemia.
- CBD can affect the metabolism of other drugs, causing serious side effects.
- Use of CBD with alcohol or other Central Nervous System depressants increases the risk of sedation and drowsiness, which can lead to injuries.
- CBD can cause side effects that you might notice. These side effects should improve when CBD is stopped or when the amount ingested is reduced. [9]
What the CDC and the FDA Recommend Regarding Vaping and THC
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend that:
- People not use THC vaping products, particularly from informal sources like friends, family, or in-person or online dealers.
- Vaping products should not be used by youths, young adults, or women who are pregnant.
- THC use has been associated with a wide range of health effects, particularly with prolonged frequent use. The best way to avoid potentially harmful effects is to not use THC-containing vaping products. [11]
Conclusion
The marijuana industry is actively promoting underage vaping through the creation of flavored THC vapes and marketing THC vapes on social media platforms. Desperate to avoid the blame, the marijuana industry tries blame black market products. However, the cases of illness tied to “legal” marijuana dispensaries completely undercut this talking point. AALM takes the position that there is no safe vape.
References
1. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html; https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/balanced/202001/vaping-and-evali (Posted Jan 31, 2020); https://www.fda.gov/tobacco- products/products-ingredients-components/vaporizers-e-cigarettes-and-other-electronic-nicotine-delivery-systems-ends
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid
5. Monitoring the Future Survey https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/monitoring-future
https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2019/12/2019-monitoring-future-survey-raises-worries-about-teen-marijuana-vaping
6. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html; https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/balanced/202001/vaping-and-evali (Posted Jan 31, 2020); https://www.fda.gov/tobacco- products/products-ingredients-components/vaporizers-e-cigarettes-and-other-electronic-nicotine-delivery-systems-ends
7. The 10th Amendment does not permit the marijuana industry to operate, even in the case of “medical” marijuana. This has been ruled on twice by the Supreme Court. See: United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Cooperative, 532 US 483 (2001); Gonzales v. Raich, 545 U.S. 1 (2005). The Courts of Appeals and District Courts agree. United States of America v. Rutherford, 472 Fed.Appx. 863 (CA 10 2012); United States v. Hicks, 722 F.Supp.2d 829 (E.D. Mich. 2010)
8. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2757960
9. http://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/what-you-need-know-and-what-were-working-find-out-about-products-containing-cannabis- or-cannabis; https://www.epidiolex.com/sites/default/files/EPIDIOLEX_Full_Prescribing_Information.pdf
10. https://www.medicaldaily.com/marijuana-effects-one-time-exposure-early-pregnancy-may-cause-birth-defects-445430; https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/what-you-should-know-about-using-cannabis-including-cbd-when-pregnant-or-breastfeeding
11. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html; https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/balanced/202001/vaping-and-evali (Posted Jan 31, 2020); https://www.fda.gov/tobacco- products/products-ingredients-components/vaporizers-e-cigarettes-and-other-electronic-nicotine-delivery-systems-ends
vaping marijuana
