Harm Reduction, Cannabis smoking

[ahmyfingers]

hi all, i was reading a study about the effects of smoking. the tar was a factor but the main stem of this study was more focused on the pesticides used on the tobacco plant when growing. plutonium is prescent in the smoke which causes hot spots in the lung so smoke outside if possible and avoid the tobacco.

that sounds about right. did you know they add well over a thousand chemicals in tobbaco, including gunpowder and various cancer causing chemicals. you can by chemical free tobaco hough. i belive Dunhill makes adidtive free fags(a bit rough for me though). my favourite is Natural Amercian spirit. you can buy in it sainsburys and such likes. it tastes alot better too...

[Grimweeder]

found theis on wilkipedia its a summary of all the scientific studies/tests done on vapourizers mainly the volcano.

All Studies have found the release of harmful constituents dramatically reduced[7] or completely eliminated.[8] Substantial reductions were also found for the M1-volatizer.[9] However, a 1996 study[10] including two simple vaporizers still found ten times more tar in the vapor than THC, although this was nevertheless up to a 30% improvement compared to the best alternative smoking method.

The most recent study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in May 2008,[11] investigated the acceptability and usefulness of intrapulmonary THC administration using a Volcano Vaporizer and pure THC instead of cannabis. Rising doses of THC (2, 4, 6 and 8 mg) were administered with 90 minutes intervals to twelve healthy males. Very low between-subject variability was observed in THC plasma concentrations, characterising the Volcano Vaporizer as a suitable method for the administration of THC.

In 2007, a study by University of California, San Francisco published in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Neurology[12] examined the effectiveness of a vaporizer that heats cannabis to a temperature between 180°C (356°F) and 200°C (392°F) degrees and found:

“ Using CO as an indicator, there was virtually no exposure to harmful combustion products using the vaporizing device. Since it replicates smoking's efficiency at producing the desired THC effect using smaller amounts of the active ingredient as opposed to pill forms, this device has great potential for improving the therapeutic utility of THC. ”

In 2006, a study performed by researchers at Leiden University, tested a Volcano Vaporizer with preparations of pure THC and found that:[8]

“ Our results show that a safe and effective cannabinoid delivery system seems to be available to patients. The final pulmonal uptake of THC is comparable to the smoking of cannabis, while avoiding the respiratory disadvantages of smoking. ”

When using plant material (crude flower tops), besides THC, several other cannabinoids as well as a range of other plant components including terpenoids were detected in the plant material. However, using pure THC in the Volcano Vaporizer, no degradation products (delta-8-THC (D8-THC), cannabinol (CBN), or unknown compounds) were detected by HPLC analysis. Also, a substantially larger fraction of the THC was delivered to the vapor by using pure THC.

Analysis of the vapor from the Volcano Vaporizer found that using multiple passes it delivered 36% - 61% of the THC in the sample.[7] A more recent study using pure cannabinoid preparations achieved a maximum of 54%.[8] For comparison, studies of cannabis cigarettes smoked via a smoking machine under varying conditions of puff duration and air speed found very similar efficiencies of 34% to 61%. Consequently, users can achieve the desired effect with a similar amount of material as when smoking.

In a 2001 study testing a device called the M1 Volatizer,[9] the researchers found that "it is possible to vaporize medically active THC by heating marijuana to a temperature short of the point of combustion, thereby eliminating or substantially reducing harmful smoke toxins that are normally present in marijuana smoke." The M1 Volatizer, produced THC at a temperature of 185°C (365°F), while eliminating three measured combustion products, benzene, toluene and naphthalene. Carbon monoxide and smoke tars were also reduced, but not quantified.

These positive results are in contrast to MAPS/NORML's previous studies into vaporizers which found less encouraging results, leading one to the conclusion that the effectiveness of vaporization varies greatly from vaporizer to vaporizer. See Factors affecting vaporizer output for possible causes of variation.

A 1996 MAPS study[10] tested two simple vaporizer models against water pipes and filtered and unfiltered cannabis cigarettes (joints). The smoke produced by each was analyzed for solid particulates (tars) and 3 major cannabinoids. The various smoking methods were then rated based on their cannabinoid-to-tar ratio. The two tested vaporizers performed up to 25% better than unfiltered cannabis cigarettes (second best) in terms of tar delivery. However, both vaporizers produced more than ten times more tars than cannabinoids, which may partly be attributable to the low potency (2.3%) of the NIDA-supplied cannabis used in the study. Surprisingly, the same study found that water pipes (bongs) and filtered cigarettes performed 30% worse than regular, unfiltered joints. The reason was that waterpipes and filters filter out psychoactive THC with the tars, thereby requiring users to smoke more to reach their desired effect. The study did not, however, rule out the possibility that waterpipes could have other benefits, such as filtering out harmful gases such as carbon monoxide.

These studies have not measured the presence of toxic gases, such as ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide, though previous studies have indicated unquantified decreases in carbon monoxide with vaporization.

Although vaporizers produce cleaner vapors than smoking, they do not completely eliminate respiratory irritation. A puff of strong vaporized cannabis will occasionally cause coughing. This however, could be due to THC itself, which is known to have a strong expectorant effect.

Vaporizer effectiveness

The wide range of results from tests of different vaporizers suggest that the choice of vaporizer is a major factor in determining extraction and delivery efficiency as well as the amount of harmful byproducts produced, or not produced, as in the case of a superior system. In Cannabis and many other medicinal plants, the components responsible for the aromatic nature of the plant will often vaporize at a low-end temperature in the range of extraction temperature values for all the bioactive components. In Cannabis, the temperature range across which the actives will vaporize is at least 56°C (132°F) starting at around 127°C (260°F) where only aromatic compounds of minimal bioactivity will release and going all the way up to 200°C (392°F) with the higher end of this range representing where the cannabinoids of higher bioactivity appear to be released. It is believed that both the total amount of actives delivered as well as the breadth of spectrum delivered per inhalation is critical in determining the value of the delivered dose and, in turn, systems that deliver the highest amount of actives and broadest spectrum of actives per inhalation are believed to be the most effective for medicinal applications: i.e. venturi enhanced extraction / convection based systems.

Proposed factors affecting output include:[7][8]

* Temperature

* Specimen density

* Weight, content of water and essential oils

* Consistency of material in the filling chamber

* Variety and potency of cannabis used

* Different preparations such as crude flower tops, hashish, hash oil, etc.

* Storage time of the vapor

* Proportion of THC exhaled (breathing technique)

Not all those have been scientifically tested. Research using the vaporizer found the delivery efficiency highest at around 226°C (439°F), falling to about half efficiency at 150°C (302°F) to 180°C (356°F) degrees depending on material.[8] The purest preparations produced the highest efficiencies, about 54% for pure THC versus 29% for plant material (female flower tops) with 12% THCA content. Besides THC, several other cannabinoids as well as a range of other plant components including terpenoids were detected in the plant material. Using pure THC in the Volcano Vaporizer, no degradation products (delta-8-THC (D8-THC), cannabinol (CBN), or unknown compounds were detected by HPLC analysis.[8]

The longer vapor is stored, the more of the THC is lost as it condenses on the surface of the vaporizer or the balloon. This loss may be negligible over a few minutes but may exceed 50% after 90 minutes.[8]

Interestingly, the Leiden Univsersity study[8] found that as much as 30%–40% of inhaled THC was not absorbed by the lungs and simply exhaled. However, they did not find large individual differences in the amounts exhaled.

sorry for the longness of the post.

Edited November 10, 2008 by oliwog

[Sarah_Martin]

I like the combination of tobacco with green. For me, it makes the hit more intense and delivers more pain relief. The tobacco is American Spirit which is chemical free.

I've adapted a bong ever so slightly. I smoke my joints through a water filled bong. Initially, I started to do this because of the grit situation, just to make sure. For me the draw feels smooth and it certainly cools it down if you use ice water. I got a plastic (travel) bong which cleans really well and is dishwasher safe. :wink:

I ingest more Canna than I smoke to make sure my body is at a constant saturation point. Love Potion and Crystal Queen today! Even leaving one of the twigs standing in yer cup of tea and coffee, for a few mins, kinda lightens the load. The biologist in me enjoys the thought of simple osmosis (or is that convection? I forget as I'm a bit mashed. Maybe it's both? ) doing the job. Gotta love nature!

Edited December 7, 2008 by Sarah_Martin

[soto]

For me the safest way to use cannabis is to use it with friends.

Not sure what term to use their, can't really use the term 'smoke' if we're talking about the safest ways of using it.

[compostverte]

I like the combination of tobacco with green. For me, it makes the hit more intense and delivers more pain relief. The tobacco is American Spirit which is chemical free.

But still highly addictive.

Do you find yourself smoking at inappropriate times, or repeatedly ?

[asparagas]

what is the conclusion?water bongs is harmless?i am thinking about buying a mad scientist.

thanks

[Guest nigfis]

For me the safest way to use cannabis is to use it with friends.

Not sure what term to use their, can't really use the term 'smoke' if we're talking about the safest ways of using it.

'Scrounger' might cover it... :applause:

Happy new year Soto....

[BlazedMetal]

what is the conclusion?water bongs is harmless?i am thinking about buying a mad scientist.

thanks

I dont know what the mad scientist looks like, but buy it. Bongs are wicked... actually im gonna get group shot together for you guys

[asturel13]

When I managed to quit smoking for three years I still smoked weed in a pipe, and to be honest my lungs never felt so good. In fact I felt no ill-effect on my lungs when I mixed weed with herbal (nicotine free) tobacco, so it just goes to show how bad regular tobacco is, I blame all the shit that they put in it.

[Guest Mystery]

Only reason they think a bong is more harmfull because it makes you cough becuase people dont clear the bong properly. they leave the bong when the tube is still full this makes you cough. Watch hashbean420's vids on youtube and see how he does it.

[CaptainStoner]

i smoke a bong with a small bowl.. much better and easier than a big hit.

I also found that smoking with herbal mix instead of tobacco removed a lot of problems i get with tobacco.

[Guest Ganjaman]

Get a carbon filter for your bong. It filters to the smoke and leaves your bong spotless so less crap in your lungs

[arcane]

Well this has been an insight on bongs.

[roney]

for over 10 years i smoked pipes and bongs mainly. Last Christmas i got meself a handheld portable vaporizer( Iolite - formerly I-inhale) and it has changed everything. I constantly get a much more intense full-on HIGH than i ever got with the pipes/bongs/joints. They are the future I reckons. Clean and healthy and super super high

[Randalizer]

They are the future I reckons. Clean and healthy and super super high

What about combusted butane byproducts? Do they get in the vapor?