Vaping Vs Marijuana Research Paper
The most popular ways to consume marijuana are smoking, vaping, dabbing and eating cannabis edibles. Smoking cannabis involves numerous and adverse health risks. Vaping is the better and healthier option. Below is a discussion on why vaped CBD is healthier than smoked:
Before discussing why vaping is preferred to smoking cannabis, it is important to understand the active compounds in cannabis and how they work:
An overview of CBD and THC
Cannabidiol, CBD is an active compound in marijuana. It accounts for about 40% of the cannabis extract. It is nonpsychoactive and counters the effect of THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that is responsible for the psychological effects of cannabis. There are receptors in the brain associated with …show more content…
pleasure, time perception, memory, and coordination. THC attaches to the receptors and activates them. CBD blocks the high brought about by THC.
Why vaped CBD is healthier than smoked
Vaped CBD does not contain the toxic compounds found in smoke
Marijuana is usually smoked in a pipe, bong or joint. Smoking cannabis exposes you to various health risks, as there is inhalation of smoke. When plant material is ignited, toxic compounds and irritants are released. The same stands true for hemp.
When plant material is burned, chemical bonds between the atoms of carbon are broken. This results in the creation of free radicals, which can combine with themselves or other molecules to create various harmful compounds.
Smoking an unfiltered marijuana joint results in more tar being deposited in the lungs, when compared to an equivalent amount of tobacco. The tar leads to chronic bronchitis. Since smoking weed is done regularly, the users are constantly exposing themselves to health risks. Rolling the buds in paper compounds the problem. Burning paper releases additional carcinogens. Smoking also gets soot into the lungs.
When cannabis is vaporized, the active compounds are released without the creation of smoke. To achieve this, temperatures above the boiling point of THC are used. Note that the same temperatures are below the boiling point of the plant. What results is a vapor that resembles steam. It contains the compounds needed but it does not have the toxic compounds found in smoke. Vapes were created to alleviate the health problems relating to smoking like chronic bronchitis.
Vaped CBD has a subtler high
The amount of THC released during vaping is equal to the amount released during smoking.
Users claim to have a subtler high with vaped hemp than with its smoked counterparts. The combination of THC and other compounds differs between smoke and vapor.
CBD has a higher boiling point than THC. It is present in smoke but absent in vapor that is produced at lower temperatures. Vapor does not contain toxins like benzene and carbon monoxide that cause drowsiness. The amount of vapor is also less when compared to the amount of smoke released during the combustion of pot. When vaping, 95% of the vapor consists of CBD. 88% of smoke from combusted weed contains non-CBDs.
Vaped CBD results in improved respiratory health
During a study, frequent users of marijuana reported that they had improved respiratory health after they switched to vaping for one month. One of the most common indicators was less irritation in the airway. A chemical analysis did confirm that hemp vapor contained fewer compound too. Most of the toxins found in smoke were also absent or in negligible amounts if present.
Vaped CBD is a better pain reliever
Weed is a natural pain reliever. It relieves headaches, soreness after workouts, menstrual cramps, and ovarian cyst pain. Vaped CBD works faster than smoking. You are able to absorb more CBD
faster.
Caution
While vaped CBD is healthier than its smoked version, there are a few factors that could make it riskier:
-Weed quality
-Temperature - higher temperatures could result in more toxins
-Vapes - using a cheap vape could result in inaccurate heating. Worse still, plastic components may be introduced in the vapor. Plastic contains volatile toxins.
All in all
While vaped CBD is safer than its smoked counterpart, it may not be 100% safe. There is a need for more research to determine the particular health risks associated with vaping. It is safe to conclude that vaping is the only way to consume marijuana that involves fewer health risks, ceteris paribus (all factors held constant). There must be a reason why 'vape' was crowned the word of the year by the oxford dictionary in 2014.
Before discussing why vaping is preferred to smoking cannabis, it is important to understand the active compounds in cannabis and how they work:
An overview of CBD and THC
Cannabidiol, CBD is an active compound in marijuana. It accounts for about 40% of the cannabis extract. It is nonpsychoactive and counters the effect of THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that is responsible for the psychological effects of cannabis. There are receptors in the brain associated with …show more content…
pleasure, time perception, memory, and coordination. THC attaches to the receptors and activates them. CBD blocks the high brought about by THC.
Why vaped CBD is healthier than smoked
Vaped CBD does not contain the toxic compounds found in smoke
Marijuana is usually smoked in a pipe, bong or joint. Smoking cannabis exposes you to various health risks, as there is inhalation of smoke. When plant material is ignited, toxic compounds and irritants are released. The same stands true for hemp.
When plant material is burned, chemical bonds between the atoms of carbon are broken. This results in the creation of free radicals, which can combine with themselves or other molecules to create various harmful compounds.
Smoking an unfiltered marijuana joint results in more tar being deposited in the lungs, when compared to an equivalent amount of tobacco. The tar leads to chronic bronchitis. Since smoking weed is done regularly, the users are constantly exposing themselves to health risks. Rolling the buds in paper compounds the problem. Burning paper releases additional carcinogens. Smoking also gets soot into the lungs.
When cannabis is vaporized, the active compounds are released without the creation of smoke. To achieve this, temperatures above the boiling point of THC are used. Note that the same temperatures are below the boiling point of the plant. What results is a vapor that resembles steam. It contains the compounds needed but it does not have the toxic compounds found in smoke. Vapes were created to alleviate the health problems relating to smoking like chronic bronchitis.
Vaped CBD has a subtler high
The amount of THC released during vaping is equal to the amount released during smoking.
Users claim to have a subtler high with vaped hemp than with its smoked counterparts. The combination of THC and other compounds differs between smoke and vapor.
CBD has a higher boiling point than THC. It is present in smoke but absent in vapor that is produced at lower temperatures. Vapor does not contain toxins like benzene and carbon monoxide that cause drowsiness. The amount of vapor is also less when compared to the amount of smoke released during the combustion of pot. When vaping, 95% of the vapor consists of CBD. 88% of smoke from combusted weed contains non-CBDs.
Vaped CBD results in improved respiratory health
During a study, frequent users of marijuana reported that they had improved respiratory health after they switched to vaping for one month. One of the most common indicators was less irritation in the airway. A chemical analysis did confirm that hemp vapor contained fewer compound too. Most of the toxins found in smoke were also absent or in negligible amounts if present.
Vaped CBD is a better pain reliever
Weed is a natural pain reliever. It relieves headaches, soreness after workouts, menstrual cramps, and ovarian cyst pain. Vaped CBD works faster than smoking. You are able to absorb more CBD
faster.
Caution
While vaped CBD is healthier than its smoked version, there are a few factors that could make it riskier:
-Weed quality
-Temperature - higher temperatures could result in more toxins
-Vapes - using a cheap vape could result in inaccurate heating. Worse still, plastic components may be introduced in the vapor. Plastic contains volatile toxins.
All in all
While vaped CBD is safer than its smoked counterpart, it may not be 100% safe. There is a need for more research to determine the particular health risks associated with vaping. It is safe to conclude that vaping is the only way to consume marijuana that involves fewer health risks, ceteris paribus (all factors held constant). There must be a reason why 'vape' was crowned the word of the year by the oxford dictionary in 2014.