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IS IT SAFE TO VAPE
cbd oils?
As question marks surround the safety of vaping cannabis oils in the US,
The Cannavist spoke to a California-based expert to separate the real
concerns there from fake news.
Public Health England has re-affirmed its stance on
vaping, amid calls in the US for e-cigarettes to be banned
following a slew of reports tying illegal cannabis oil
vaporisers to multiple deaths.
The UK public health agency has reassured those who
vape that the practice is tightly regulated this side of the
Atlantic, saying, “All UK e-cigarette products are tightly
regulated for quality and safety by the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.”
Meanwhile in the US, eight people are thought to have
died from a vape-related illness.
In September, US federal health officials issued a public
health warning to highlight a mysterious illness believed to
be linked to vaping black market THC oils, not regular vape
products.
The warning came after it was reported that a fifth person
had died from the unknown illness. Officials in the state
of Kansas then confirmed that a sixth person had passed
away with the same symptoms.
On top of this, US media reports from September said
there were at least 450 cases of vaping-associated illness
suspected in hospitals across more than 30 states, with
that number expected to rise.
This led to an outpouring of support for anti-vape activists,
prompting calls for all e-cigarettes to be banned, as
some confused the harm reduction devices with illegally
obtained cannabis oil vape cartridges. Why would something like Vitamin E be used in such a
product and could this be the root of the problem in the
US?
The Cannavist spoke to Alex Sandorf, Lab Director at
Se7enLeaf in Costa Mesa. Alex has been vocal in reacting to
the recent headlines. Se7enLeaf is a licensed manufacturer,
processor and distributor of cannabis products in
California’s legal and regulated industry. So, why are people getting sick?
Vitamin E acetate has been found in some black
market THC vape cartridges containing MCT oil.
“Originally, and for several years, Propylene Glycol (PG)
was used. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG400) was also brought
out as a solution. Then people switched to Medium Chain
Triglyceride (MCT) oil.
“The industry has been playing fast and loose for a long
time now, putting ingredients in products with little to no
testing or oversight.
“Thickeners, that’s something new. The thickeners allow
individuals of a less than ethical constitution to cut the
product drastically. Thickness, seeing the air-bubble move
slowly or not at all when you move the cartridge, has long
been an indication of potency. If it was ‘cut’ then it would
look thin or watery. Thick golden oil, like cold honey, was a
sign that the cartridge you were buying was pure. With the
right thickener, you could cut a cartridge down as far as
you wanted, and no one would be the wiser.
“This wouldn’t fly in the legal market of course. We do
Certificates of Analysis and no dispensary would buy a
vape that only tested at 15 or 20% THC. But black market?
The potency is whatever you say it is.”
All indications seem to point to a condition called
Exogenous Lipoid (Lipid) Pneumonia. Basically, oil particles
have been inhaled, coating the delicate tissues in the
lungs.