How do we know Vapes are safe?

[Febo]

Maybe a dumb question - but the absense of smoke is not proof in itself of the safety of tiny vaped particles inside you is it?

[Mufungo]

Long answer "Yes with a but", short answer "No". :)

[Hudsonrulez]

How do I know vapes are safe? Well I have studies to back me up.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/89659/Vaporizing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporizer

“Using CO as an indicator, there was virtually no exposure to harmful combustion products using the vaporizing device. Since it replicates smoking's efficiency at producing the desired THC effect using smaller amounts of the active ingredient as opposed to pill forms, this device has great potential for improving the therapeutic utility of THC”

please read vaporization 101 in the vapor central vapoizers plus section! for more info have a nice jay!

[sdsoils22]

Maybe a dumb question - but the absense of smoke is not proof in itself of the safety of tiny vaped particles inside you is it?

tiny vaped particles? vapor is just a molecular suspension, the active elements are heated until they kind of pop off, and that's what you inhale. And even with smoke, if you use some type of water filtration there shouldn't be any particles there either. Smoke is bad for you because its just that, smoke, or combusted product suspended in air. vaporizers let you inhale the THC without burning up inert plant matter.

maybe the constant hot air is bad? ive always wondered that

[Ostritt]

The only adverse effect I've ever experienced with the Volcano is some mild acute sinus problems caused by the THC. It really dries you out, more so than a spliff in my experience. However, it can be solved with a few litres of water.

[LendogPDX]

I think t was Growreport 73 or it could have been 74, or I could be way off, but the Z's read a story about some clinic in California doing a study on vaporizors, I'm sure you can find the full text of their findings online somewhere.

[Febo]

So exactly what does one inhale when one vape's?

[sdsoils22]

you inhale THC, cbds and anything else that is on the external part of the buds....with a vaporizer you could heat it enough to burn the plant matter if you wanted, but you don't have to. but like I said who knows about the hot air!:p

[eschatonic]

I wonder about the small particles of dried bud in the vapour. this can be seen by examining the valve piece when it needs cleaning. what you find is a kind of hash mixture of condensed cannabis oil mixed with a brown dust or slightly bigger particles of vapour poo which have stuck to it.

[Hudsonrulez]

vaporization is harm reduction not harm elimination. there are adverse health affects from any drug. However people with sinus problems or lung infections or colds should avoid hot air or gases in their lungs.

Because of these high temps it could encourage bacteria to thrive hence less immune reaction.

But with vapor think of it as steam. Something that is put to the boiling point but below the point of cumbustion. Buds are solids and water is well a liquid. Do whenever you think of steam just think of water boiling but in solid form (non liquid).

with vape you get more turpines and flavanoids and way less tar or carcinogens as listed in the study before.

I'll tell you this. If it weren't for a vaporizer I'd still have a smokers cough.

[Mufungo]

Vapourising is definitely the lesser of two Elvises, my health has improved a lot since using a vapouriser. :)

[druidude]

I pass my herbalaire vapour bag through a bong. I found that my throat would get irratated even with a vapourizer. By using a bong I know this almost disappeared. THe high temps of the vapour even at 185c can cause irritation. I even change the tube mouthpiece before inserting into my bong as the mouthpiece does retain heat so I go for a fresh cool one before using the bong.

No way is totally harmless but can't thihk of a better way of reducing the risks of heat and combustable particles than using a vapourizer and passing through water.

[Ostritt]

Vapourising is definitely the lesser of two Elvises

Hehe I like that, I may have to steal it and call it my own... ah, the life of a writer :D

[Febo]

What I'm thinking about are "fibres" - take asbestos as an alarming example of the harm a few fibres can do...

I vaped yesterday for the first time in a long time and when I exhaled I could see "stuff" in the air .. and I also coughed like crazy after one big hit...

I also challenge the myth that you use less weed with a vape!

[eschatonic]

What I'm thinking about are "fibres" - take asbestos as an alarming example of the harm a few fibres can do...

I vaped yesterday for the first time in a long time and when I exhaled I could see "stuff" in the air .. and I also coughed like crazy after one big hit...

I also challenge the myth that you use less weed with a vape!


I have to challenge your challenge that you dont use any less weed in a vape.
If you are using the same amount of bud as you did before buying your vaporiser i would say that you are using it incorrectly. When i first got mine i didnt use much less weed but now i have got the hang of getting the most out of a given amount of weed. You say you can see allot of stuff coming out when you exhale. everything you exhale with a vape is wasted weed. the best way to minimise this is by taking smaller hits and holding it until nothing or little comes out on the exhale.If you do this one bag will get you twice as stoned and your weed will last allot longer. The thing about this is that you dont feel as if you have taken enough in and if your used to smoking you will rather take a massive hit so you can feel it in your lungs but you will then blow half of it into the air.
I only buy half as much weed as i used to and spend more time stoned than I did.

[druidude]

If you are using the same amount of weed with a vapourizer than you did when you burnt it you are either doing it wrong or built up a big tolerance since you moved to vape.

As eschatonic says there really should only be a fine mist on exhale not billows of smoke thats all wasted THC. The bag should just look slightly misty that you can nearly see through.

Th eproblem I find wiht people who normally smoke is that they associate the irritation at the back of the throat as proof that they are getting something. You won't normally get this with a vape thats why smokers usually up the temp or put more weed in to get that irritation/throat feel. THis is just a waste of weed in my opinion.

I have a friend who still stupidly smokes joints (with tobacco) we use the same supply and I reckon I use a third as much as he does and he always says he gets mcuh higher when using a vape but can't give up the tobcco that he associates with being stoned.

[DarkSpark]

This is a good thread. I've got a vaporiser and I like it. It's got to be better than smoking, that's for sure.
I also have a dumb question or three.
You see mist in a Volcano bag. You inhale the mist. You exhale the mist. You absorb THC into your lungs.
What proportion of the mist is THC vapour?
How much of the THC within the mist is absorbed?
What else is contained within the mist which we exhale?
How much of the 'what else' do we absorb or have settled within our lungs?
Like I say, vaping has got to be better than smoking, but the above questions are something I wonder about sometimes. I'm glad Febo brought up this subject. Sorry if someone's already provided an answer within the earlier links, but hell, looks like there's a lot of reading. Simple short sentences will probably satisfy me for now (got square eyes from too much reading already).

[Febo]

I shouldn't've changed the subject, i'm still more interested in the health issue.. remember, you don't get asbestosis until years and years after exposure to a few asbestos fibres..

btw I use a vapo-bros vape, which I suspect might not be as good as the godlike volcano...

I think I'm gonna do an experiment - vape and smoke in 1 sess.

[eschatonic]

I shouldn't've changed the subject, i'm still more interested in the health issue.. remember, you don't get is until years and years after exposure to a few asbestos fibres..

btw I use a vapo-bros vape, which I suspect might not be as good as the godlike volcano...

I think I'm gonna do an experiment - vape and smoke in 1 sess.

Cannabis is not asbestos.
where would these fibres come from.
with a vape you are not inhaling anything extra that is not already in cannabis smoke.
Cannabis smoke has been inhaled for thousands of years and we still have not noticed any link to asbestosis like illnesses.

[Febo]

Cannabis is not asbestos.
where would these fibres come from.
with a vape you are not inhaling anything extra that is not already in cannabis smoke.
Cannabis smoke has been inhaled for thousands of years and we still have not noticed any link to asbestosis like illnesses.

Did I say, hey everybody, I just read this new study that says Cannabis is Asbestos, check it out... ?
I am merely pointing out the fact that some stuff - if it's the wrong shape - can damage lungs without being burned.
Maybe I'm waaay off the mark, but hey, I was just asking man.

[DutchBoy]

Maybe you should visualize the concept. See asbestos as armed crazymen determined to rip apart any bronchi at first sight. Then see the thc and its brothers like cbd as white floating elves with the only intention to send anything of flesh into the abiss of stony dreamspace ;)

[eschatonic]

Did I say, hey everybody, I just read this new study that says Cannabis is Asbestos, check it out... ?
I am merely pointing out the fact that some stuff - if it's the wrong shape - can damage lungs without being burned.
Maybe I'm waaay off the mark, but hey, I was just asking man.

sorry mate sometimes when i write things they sound a bit patronising or harsh but it was not meant that way. I agree there is a chance that some damage could be done but i dont think asbestos is a good comparison.

[Hudsonrulez]

Shouldn't this thread be in vaporizer plus? just a thought.

[BlackBeauty]

Right you are Hudsonrulez, done