Is Vaping Marijuana Safe?

More and more states across the country are decriminalizing marijuana, giving people more access to cannabis than ever before. It’s given dispensaries ample opportunities to diversify their product lines, opening the door to everything from edibles to tinctures to drinks infused with THC, cannabis’ main psychoactive ingredient. Vaping is just one method that’s seen a surge in popularity, especially among young people; according to statistics from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, it increased just over 10% for 12th-grade students between 2017 and 2023, with just under one-fifth of high school seniors reporting vaping marijuana two years ago. 

It may seem like a modern, risk-free option to smoking marijuana — perceived as a cleaner, safer, more discreet and convenient alternative. But is vaping marijuana safe? Concerns about brain and lung health, and even the dangers of the vape devices themselves, cannot be ignored. 

Cannabis use disorder is still a very real problem that vaping marijuana plays a role in. If you or a loved one frequently vapes marijuana, let’s take a closer look at the risks involved. 

What Does Vaping Marijuana Mean?  

Since the technology was developed more than 20 years ago, vaping has effectively become the new smoking — it’s a method of inhaling a substance through a handheld, battery-powered electronic device (an e-cigarette for nicotine). 

There are a few types of marijuana vaping devices: 

• Vape pens are slim, portable devices that typically use pre-filled or refillable cartridges with THC oil or distillates. They’re easy to use discreetly indoors or in public places where smoking is disallowed. 

• Dab pens are small, handheld devices that use highly concentrated cannabis extracts. They’re made from butane and known as butane hash oil (BHO). Dabs’ different textures can range from a sticky liquid to a brittle, glass-like solid.  

• Vaporizers vary in appearance and size — some resemble USB drives or larger, tank-style devices. Unlike dab pens, they are more versatile and can be used with multiple forms of marijuana, from concentrates to dried flowers and liquids. 

Most marijuana vape pens include a battery that powers the device, a heating element that warms the THC, and a chamber or cartridge that holds the THC product. 

Instead of burning marijuana like traditional smoking, a vape pen heats it at a lower temperature. Vaping produces no smoke, just vapor, allowing users to use it discreetly indoors or in public places where smoking is disallowed.  

How Else Is Marijuana Used?    

Recent reports tell us that there’s been a marked increase in sales of marijuana vaping products — but it’s just one way how people consume marijuana: 

• Smoking marijuana leaves from a joint (a rolled marijuana cigarette) or through a bong (a large glass-tubed pipe) are the most traditional methods. 

• Edibles, like cannabis-infused gummies and other food (like taffy or brownies) or beverages, like THC-infused seltzers, have become more widespread. 

• Tinctures and oils can also be used to supplement edibles or taken sublingually (under the tongue with a medicine dropper). 

• Then there are THC- or CBD-based topicals, initially used with the legalization of medical marijuana for localized pain relief.  

However, although vaping is the newest form of consuming marijuana, it’s one of the most popular, presumably because it mirrors the potent delivery and effects of smoking cannabis. In a recent study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), nearly 13% of respondents reported that they smoked marijuana most: 6%, edibles; 4.7%, vaping; 1.9%, concentrates; and 0.8%, topicals. 

The study also noted that while smoking remains the most predominant form of taking marijuana, smoking and edibles were the most popular combination, followed by alternating smoking and vaping.  

Is Vaping Marijuana Legal?    

The legality of vaping marijuana all depends on where you live, with marijuana laws varying from state to state.  

As of this writing, Washington, D.C., and 24 states see recreational marijuana (which includes vaping) fully legalized and decriminalized: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.   

In some states, marijuana legality remains mixed, allowing only for medical use with a doctor’s prescription, while strictly illegal in others.  

Note that state laws may also vary regarding age restrictions and the amount of marijuana you can possess at a time.  

Is Vaping Marijuana Better Than Smoking? 

Vaping marijuana vs smoking — are there advantages to the former against the latter? One pressing concern in states (where cannabis has and hasn’t yet been legalized) is the present danger of unregulated, black-market THC vaping cartridges laced with toxic ingredients. 

In reports, some unlicensed vape shops selling illegal cartridges — not tested or approved for sale — were found to contain some mixture of pesticides exceeding legal amounts, mainly myclobutanil, a fungicide that, when burned, can turn into hydrogen cyanide.  

This prompted complaints to cannabis regulatory sources from users who complained of vaping THC side effects like headaches and nausea.