Marijuana is one of the most popular substances in the U.S., and vaping marijuana is a common form of ingestion. Cannabis, derived from the cannabis plant, is the single most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. An estimated 52.5 million people, or 19 percent, in the U.S. use cannabis products, including weed. Notably, a common method of marijuana use is vaping, which is also often believed to be safer than smoking. Many marijuana users are young adults between the ages of 18-25, with vaping being a preferred method of intake. Unfortunately, with the accessibility of vape products comes younger users and greater risk of addiction. Therefore, is vaping marijuana safe? Does vaping marijuana provide the same effects as smoking and are there health risks associated with vaping? We’ll answer all of these questions, so keep reading.
How Vaping Marijuana Works
Vaping weed works by inhaling heated liquid cannabis from a vape device. The vape cartridge contains cannabis oil or extract which is heated by the atomizer in the vape. When the individual inhales through the mouthpiece, the cannabis releases into their lungs. As a result, they begin to feel the effects of marijuana within a few minutes.
Vaping is a method of inhaling weed, which has become popular in recent years. Vape devices originated in 2003 but began to really gain popularity in the United States around a decade later. Roughly 23.8 percent of e-cigarette users vape both marijuana and cigarettes, and 7.4 percent use marijuana vapes exclusively. Interestingly, young adults aged 18-24 are more likely to vape cannabis only, as they’re a main demographic of cannabis users.
There are multiple forms of marijuana products. Cannabis refers to the Cannabis sativa plant, which all products stem from. Weed and marijuana are interchangeable terms referring to forms of cannabis that contain tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is the psychoactive part of the plant that produces feelings of pleasure, relaxation, and a high. Weed can be purchased in multiple forms, including dried plant parts, solid resin, or liquid (such as vape cartridges). Additionally, people can use marijuana by smoking it, eating it (edibles like gummies), dropping it on the tongue, or inhaling it.
Effects of Vaping Marijuana
Marijuana produces pleasurable effects like euphoria, relaxation, and sleepiness. It may also alter one’s perception, such as time, space, and processing. This is because the active ingredient, THC, is psychoactive. In connection, because of marijuana’s effects on the brain and body, there are health risks associated with its use. The longer you use marijuana and the more regularly (as well as how much you intake) will determine your risk factors. You may develop marijuana dependency, which is called cannabis use disorder (CUD) in its most extreme form.
Some of the short-term risks include:
- Trouble sleeping
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Night terrors
- Changes in appetite
- Mood swings
- Inability to stop using weed
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Always thinking about marijuana and needing more
Some of the long-term risks include:
- Memory problems
- Lowered mental cognition
- Poor attention capacity
- Insomnia
- Periodontal disease
- Psychosis
- Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS)
Is Vaping Marijuana Safer Than Smoking?
Since vaping has become a popular method of marijuana use, questions have arisen about its safety. It’s a common belief that vaping is safer than smoking, whether smoking tobacco products like cigarettes or marijuana. Other people consider the two methods to be completely the same. Truthfully, vaping is a form of inhaling marijuana that varies slightly from smoking it. Essentially, vaping marijuana vs smoking produces the same mental and physical effects. But vaping weed may produce stronger effects because it releases THC into the lungs faster. It also increases your risk of developing lung damage. Overall, vaping marijuana isn’t safer than smoking and may present additional risks. In the best-case scenario, vaping weed has the same risks as smoking.
Health Risks of Vaping Marijuana
As mentioned, it’s believed there may be unique risks associated with vaping. For one thing, inhaling weed allows it to enter your system quickly, which could increase your risk of developing an addiction over time. Further, vaping is being studied for the potential that it could cause additional damage to the lungs over smoking, like inflammation or infection. Also, vaping marijuana could lead to inhaling additional toxins and contaminants that increase your risk of developing disease.
Remember, you are still taking marijuana into your system no matter the form you use. As such, vaping marijuana has the same health risks listed earlier. You are at risk of experiencing the same short- and long-term health dangers, regardless of how you use marijuana. A more important element is how much you use marijuana, along with how often.
Vaping Marijuana and Addiction
With vape and marijuana use on the rise, can you get addicted to vaping marijuana? Yes, marijuana is a highly addictive substance. THC acts on the brain similar to other drugs. The process first triggers the reward system and after more marijuana use, your tolerance increases. In order to experience the same effects, you must take more. Once you are dependent on marijuana for feelings like relaxation or sensory alertness, you have to keep taking it. Notably, withdrawal symptoms start to set in if you go too long without using weed. At this point, you may have developed a marijuana addiction. Regardless of whether you smoke or vape weed, you can become addicted. In fact, the immediate flood of THC to the lungs from vaping may speed up the process of forming an addiction.
Safer Use and Harm Reduction Strategies
In order to prevent the development of cannabis use disorder, you can be proactive with a few safer use and harm reduction techniques. For one thing, when using marijuana, make sure you’re only using products that have undergone quality control testing. Bad weed, such as moldy weed, can make you sick. Additionally, limit how often you use weed to avoid habit formation. Smoking marijuana daily or near daily is considered chronic use and will most likely turn into dependence. Use your friends and family to hold you accountable. Having a support system is crucial to making healthy choices around cannabis. However, if you find yourself struggling to stop using weed on your own, you may need to turn to professional support. At Royal Life Centers we help individuals detox from their marijuana addiction in our safe detox facilities. We can help you overcome your addiction so you’re free from the burden of weed dependency.
Finding Addiction Treatment in Arizona
Royal Life Centers in Arizona offers detoxification for cannabis. However, we also provide continuing levels of care to take you from a place of addiction to a place of strength. We believe healing comes through comprehensive, holistic-focused treatment. Through counseling, therapy, case management, and professional guidance, you can overcome your urge to keep vaping marijuana. We have a spot for you in our center in Prescott, so reach out today!
