Is Vaping THC Better or Worse Than Smoking Flower?

We have all had the opportunity to pick up a dab pen. They are super convenient, being that they are discreet and portable. It's so easy to carry in your packet and hit whenever you want because they don't have a strong smell.

My curiosity peaked when my close friend Cal mentioned to me that he visited the doctor recently, and when he told the doctor that he smokes weed, the doctor asked if he used vape cartridges. When Cal said yes, the doctor strongly advised him to avoid vaping THC, stating that smoking flower was strongly preferable.

This made me wonder - Why would the doctor recommend THC flower over a THC vape? Is he just old school, or is there wisdom in that recommendation?

Why would vaping be worse than regular smoking?

Naturally, I decided to look into research done on vaping THC to better understand the doctor's comment.

Vaping references inhaling the vapor of a product that has been vaporized by heat. In our case, we are referencing vaping cannabis oil.

In theory, vaping should be a healthier form of smoking, which is why I was confused originally. The temperature is more controlled, the substance being vaporized is pure, and there is no combustion present. I found a few articles that spoke about this theory, stating that research was limited, but it is likely that vaping is better for you than smoking flower. So I dug a bit deeper, because this did not align with what the doctor said.

What are the health concerns of vaping?

The American Hearth Association (AHA) completed a paper that analyzed the effects of vaping vs smoking. A key component of the article was that vaping and smoking have similar effects; the issue with vaping research is that long term effects are not yet known. Vaping started in 2003, and grew substantially the next couple of decades. In the AHA article, Figure 5 shows how it took nearly 30 years to record deaths that came as a result of smoking tobacco, so if we apply that to vaping, we still have some time before we will find measurable results.

The University of Michigan Health department wrote an article about how vaping THC is likely worse than smoking cannabis or vaping tobacco. The article states that there is a stronger correlation between vaping cannabis and respiratory ailments than there is with smoking marijuana flower or tobacco. But why would this be the case?

Water-based vs. oil-based vapes

From what I found, it seems that the issues of vaping THC oil stem from a couple of factors. For starters, THC vapes are oil-based, which causes problems in our lungs.

If you have some experience in chemistry, you may have heard of the terms "hydrophilic" and "hydrophobic." Hydrophilic describes a substance that mixes easily with water because it has a similar polarity. Hydrophobic means the opposite (think of "hydro-phobic" as "water-fearing").

Our lungs are better at coping with water based vapors because of the way that our alveoli process molecules (alveoli are the sacs in our lungs that absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide). Oil based vapors cool and build up along the alveoli, causing issues such as inflammation and blockage.

Standard nicotine vapes have become water-based, because it is possible to dissolve the nicotine and flavoring into a hydrophilic solvent. The issue with THC oils in vapes is that oils are composed of lipids, which are hydrophobic. Since alveoli are not designed to take in these oils that are hydrophobic, they can build up and cause disruptions in the alveoli's processes, which leads to inflammation and less efficient oxygenation/deoxygenation of the blood.

Additives in vape THC oils

I found that additives have also been found in the cannabis oils of vape cartridges that are harmful to our health. The FDA has not set as stringent of regulations on THC cartridges, so some issues have slipped through the cracks.

Vitamin E Acetate is an example of a harmful additive that has been found in vape cartridges. It is known to cause severe respiratory issues, sometimes even leading to death. Vitamin E Acetate is more likely to be found in vape cartridges in states where cannabis is illegal; however, it can exist in legal states as well.

The other contaminant that finds its way into cartridges is heavy metals. Since vapes use a heated coil to vaporize the oil, that coil can degrade over time and release heavy metals into the vapor, which is very damaging to your lungs.

Are weed pens more harmful than flower?

From the research above, it is clear that weed pens are highly likely to be more harmful than flower. THC cartridges in pens are oil based, they can contain contaminants, and are not as thoroughly regulated by the FDA. 

Until there is more research, better safety regulations, and higher quality products, it is best to stick to flower over vapes. You can always learn how to roll and pick up a filter tip that prevents your hands from smelling. Joints are a great excuse to take a break and go for a pleasant walk.