Is Your Vaping Device Getting Heavy Metals Into Your Lungs?

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and was republished with permission.

Vaping is heralded in response to the ill effects of smoking. It has been shown to be safer in many different cases, however, we experienced a short-lived crisis in 2019 that saw 68 people die and 2,807 sick with e-cigarettes and some cannabis-related vaping devices.

Known as EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury), there have been many attempts to make it safer, more regulated, and so on. The main problem with the cases in 2019 was that vitamin E acetate may have been added to dilute cannabis oils. These oils were primarily sold on the unregulated market.

Photo by Jon Cartwright / Getty Images

Some groups tried to blame legal cannabis, but virtually every case of EVALI came from states that had no legal cannabis on the books. In other words, the unregulated market.

While vaping was generally “safer” than smoking, there is some evidence that vaping could have other unforeseen consequences as well. This emerges from a recently published study entitled “Metals in Cannabis Vaporizer Aerosols: Sources, Possible Mechanisms and Exposure Profiles”.

Essentially, the researchers wanted to find out if the actual devices were releasing harmful metals into the smoke and what potential health problems this could pose for end users. Basically, by heating the elements, the devices could release heavy metals, which are then shot directly into the lungs.

RELATED: Has The Marijuana Vaping Disease Been Longer Than We Thought?

The rule of law does test cannabis oils for impurities such as microbial contamination and heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic – but in this case the oil could not be the culprit, but the devices themselves.

E-cigarette and other nicotine vaporizer users have been shown to have higher levels of heavy metals in their blood than smokers, but there is a significant lack of research when it comes to cannabis vaporizers. According to a recent Forbes article:

“… high voltage and temperature settings of the standard [vaporizer] Devices, dissolved metals, or even fine metal particles from the heating coil or liquid can potentially be inhaled into the consumer’s lungs, ”according to a research team from Medicine Creek Analytics.

The article continued:

“The results suggest that chromium, copper, nickel, as well as smaller amounts of lead, manganese and tin, migrate into the cannabis oil and inhaled vapor phase, which can lead to possible acute ingestion of an amount of inhaled metals above the regulatory standard of several government agencies “They added, noting that smoke and vapor from cannabis flowers and cannabis concentrate did not produce the same results, suggesting that the vape-pen heaters were to blame.

Photo by Itay Kabalo via Unsplash

Carrying out tests

To see if cannabis devices gave the same results, the researchers used 13 different brands to test them along with cartridges. About half of these had 510 threads, which is the most common vape pen on the market.

RELATED: 3 Big Differences Between Vaping Cartridges and Raw Concentrates

They then proceeded to plug the devices into the wall and use a smoke machine that mimicked human breathing and inhaled an aerosol worth about 50 puffs, which was then analyzed by a plasma mass spectrometer.

Researchers discovered at least three metals that are known to be found in the heating elements and coils. These metals are chrome, nickel and copper. These appeared in the aerosols after the fifty puffs. Over time, “leaches” became more common as the heat and frequency continued to degrade the metals. According to this Forbes article:

“The results suggest that the cartridge devices themselves leach metals, and possibly at higher rates when the components are heated,” wrote the researchers, who found the cartridges “generally do not have the big four metals” of arsenic, cadmium and Have emitted mercury and lead.

RELATED: 3 Differences Between Vaping Marijuana and Smoking it

Interestingly, however, the addition of terpenes to the oils resulted in a significant decrease in leaching. Researchers still haven’t fully understood how this works, but it was an interesting find nonetheless.

Photo by Elsa Donald via Unsplash

What should I do?

At this point, you need to make an informed decision. There are inherent risks to smoking, and while vaporizing has been touted as a safe alternative, it’s important to note that it’s not risk-free.

RELATED: Vaping THC vs. Smoking Nicotine: Study Shows Which Is Riskier

Additionally, it seems that if you vape evenly throughout the day – like with nicotine vaporizers – you are at greater risk of consuming these heavy metals. While there have not been any significant medical complications associated with the continued use of these metals, the gradual build-up of these substances is likely not good for you. We have come to a point where you need to weigh the risk of smoking against the risk of evaporating heavy metals.

There are other ways to consume

Of course, there is more than one way to consume cannabis, whether you drink it, use it in a tincture, or eat it. Sure, these different methods have different effects, but I think it’s absolutely important that people are well informed when it comes to finding the healthiest method.

Additionally, I think vaporizer companies need to start looking at these questions for future designs. It is good that there are agencies that test and make sure that these products are safe for public consumption. Otherwise we could see another iteration of the 2019 edition of EVALI.