 | NORML News: Vapourisers for smokeless inhalation |
 NORML NEWS SUMMER 2008. BY JONATHAN RENNIE
Inhalation of cannabis
provides optimal dose
delivery due to its rapid action
and easy titration. However
this usually requires smoking,
which raises separate health
issues. This can be overcome
by the use of vapourisers,
which allow lung delivery
without smoking. Moreover,
it should be noted that
especially for those suffering
from terminal illnesses, the
cumulative damage caused by
smoking is of minor concern.
It would seem pernicious
to deprive them of relief in
deference to anti-smoking
sentiment.
Smoking & Lung Cancer
Because cannabis smoke
contains similar carcinogens
to tobacco smoke, it has
long been suggested that
the cannabis smokers would
begin to suffer from increased
lung cancer incidents .
However a substantial
recent epidemiological study
has failed to support this
prediction. The 2005 study
of over 2,000 people found
no increase in lung cancer
risk for marijuana smokers.
The research, presented to
the May 2006 meeting of the
American Thoracic Society
in San Diego, was lead by
pulmonary scientist Donald
Tashkin of the University of
California, Los Angeles, who
had previously conducted
research that predicted a
carcinogenic effect from
cannabis smoking. But
looking at residents of Los
Angeles County, he found
that even those who smoked
more than 20,000 joints in
their life did not have an
increased risk of lung cancer.
After controlling for tobacco,
alcohol and other drug use as
well as matching patients and
controls by age, gender and
neighbourhood; marijuana
smoking could not be linked
to lung cancer. In fact, in
some data groups, cannabis-only
smokers fared better
than non-smokers. Tashkin
conceded that the results
suggest cannabis smoking
could even be protective
against lung cancer and
speculated that this may be
due to the anti-tumoural
actions of various cannabinoids.
Smokeless Delivery
Although fears that
cannabis smoking leads to
lung cancer are probably
unfounded, there are other
respiratory problems
associated with smoking
which are clearly best avoided.
However, a safe and effective
alternative form of inhalation
exists.
Vapourisation involves
heating cannabis until the
resins evaporate, but without
burning the solid plant matter.
The cannabinoids are inhaled
as a vapour, not smoke. Doses
can be delivered through the
lungs without the combustion
of plant matter.
A recent study (Abrams et
al, 2007) at the University
of California examined
the effectiveness of
vapourisers and found peak
plasma concentrations and
bioavailability of THC were
similar to smoking. But unlike
smoking, vaporisation did
not increase the amount
of carbon monoxide in the
lungs. Researchers concluded
vapourisation of cannabis is
“a safe an effective mode of
delivery of THC.”
Another recent study, by
Mitch Earlywine and Sara
Barnwell at the University of
New York, found vapouriser
users were 60 per cent less
likely than smokers to report
respiratory symptoms such
as coughing or phlegm. The
report noted “the impact of
a vaporizer was larger as
the amount of cannabis
used increased. These
data suggest that the
safety of cannabis can
increase with the use of a
vaporizer. Regular users
of joints, blunts, pipes, and
water pipes might decrease
respiratory symptoms by
switching to a vaporizer.”
Vapouriser technology is
constantly improving,
both in terms of effective
dose delivery and ease of
use. A number of models are
available, with their popularity
as a safer alternative to smoking
steadily increasing among
medicinal and recreational
users alike. It would be a
small step for the Ministry of
Health to approve and supply
a standard vapouriser model
for prescribed medicinal
marijuana use.
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