The most prevalent problem on the illegal vape market are concentrate cartridges that contain high levels of pesticides. When consumed at concentrated levels, inhaled pesticides cause health problems.
Are vapes as bad for you as cigarettes?
While vaping is generally safer and a better option compared to cigarettes, this doesn’t mean that there are no vape health risks. People who are into dual-use -- smoking and vaping, are at a higher risk. There’s also a growing number of younger people (particularly adolescents) who are getting into vaping.
How to tell if your vape cartridge is safe?
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG): a cutting agent used in vape liquids to keep the product evenly mixed.
- Propylene glycol (PG): a binding agent that is added to cannabis vape cartridges because of its ability to foster even vape draws.
- Vegetable glycerin (VG): Added to vape liquids to help generate large vape clouds for the user.
How bad is vaping compared to cigarettes?
The general consensus, is that vaping is around 95% less harmful than cigarette smoke. Referring to vaping as completely safe would be a mistake. But vaping avoids the 600 chemicals that the tobacco companies have, (been force to), admit to adding to their products. I found a dear friend in vaping. There’s no going back.
Why do vape coils go bad?
Why Do Coils Need to be Replaced So Often? Simply put, because vape coils are heated rapidly and then cooled down, sooner or later, the metal deteriorates. Also, given that vape coils are closely linked to the wick, the e-liquid eventually coats the coil wire in burnt vape juice.
Are vape cartridges toxic?
Chemicals found in vape products may lead to lung disease, heart problems, and other serious health risks. Toxic chemicals may be present in e-liquids (“vape juice”) or could be created as the liquid is turned into a gas.
What are the dangers of carts?
In a test of cannabis vape cartridges conducted by NBC News, 15 out of 15 illegal carts contained a fungicide that, when burned, can turn into hydrogen cyanide — a extremely dangerous poison. All the legal vape carts tested were deemed safe.
Do vape cartridges have lead?
This is in addition to other tests specific to terpenes and edibles. Last month, testing revealed the presence of lead in a small but measurable percentage of vape cartridges, rattling cannabis consumers, manufacturers, distributors and dispensary operators.
Do carts have Formaldehyde?
Test reveals toxic content found in vapor from illicit THC cartridges. A pioneering test found a toxic stew of dangerous chemicals — including formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide — in the vapor produced by some illicit THC vaping cartridges, according to data shared with NBC News.
What does a fake cart taste like?
Any THC cartridge that has a burnt flavor, a metal aftertaste, or that makes you cringe is a good sign that the cartridge is counterfeit. These “off-flavors” should not be present and may indicate that it has contaminants or other additives that are causing a bad reaction when heated up into vapor.
What are fake carts filled with?
Just recently in December 2019, Los Angeles police raided multiple shops in L.A. The unlicensed dispensaries were trading in the usual fake vape cartridges, which were confiscated and tested. They found that 75% of the vapes contained undisclosed additives, including the thickening agent vitamin E acetate.
Do Vapes contain heavy metals?
Studies of samples from users, including blood and urine, showed that e-cigarettes are a source of exposure to a large list of metals, including lead and arsenic. With the exception of cadmium, e-cigarette users had more of all metals studied in their bodily fluids than smokers did.
Are there heavy metals in carts?
Investigators affiliated with a Washington state analytical laboratory analyzed aerosol mixtures produced from 13 commercially available electronic cannabis cartridges. Researchers identified the presence of heavy metals, including copper and nickel, in both vapor and in the oil itself.
Can you get heavy metal poisoning from vaping?
The Dangers of Vaping. Smoking e-cigarettes has been proven to be equally as detrimental as traditional cigarettes, if not even more dangerous. Vaping can lead to heavy metal poisoning and similar issues found in cigarette smokers.
What chemicals are in a cart?
Instead of containing nicotine, cannabis vape cartridges typically contain a mixture of cannabinoids, terpenes, various solvents used as thinning agents, and flavoring additives. By pressing the power button, the vape oil is heated to create an aerosol that the user inhales.
What color should a cart be?
Cartridge discoloration affects all cannabis and hemp by-products. Not only THC vapes, but CBD and delta 8 vapes, can also become discolored. In most cases, the best color for cartridge oil is a transparent hue of light yellow or amber color, close to the shades of lemonade to honey.
What is propylene glycol vape?
Propylene Glycol is a thin tasteless liquid which mainly produces the throat hit while vaping. It is best suited to use flavours with a higher PG concentration for smaller vaporisers as it is less likely to gunk your atomiser.
What to do if your vape cartridge is counterfeit?
If you have a vape cartridge that you suspect might be counterfeit, go to the manufacturer's website and compare your cartridge with legitimate products.
What is a vape cartridge?
Vape cartridges include a mouthpiece, chamber, and heating element known as an atomizer. The chamber is filled with concentrated amounts of cannabinoids, usually either THC- or CBD-dominant, and terpenes. The atomizer is activated when contact is initiated with the battery, heating up the chamber and vaporizing the cannabis oil.
What happens to cannabis terpenes during distillation?
All of that is stripped away during the distillation process. Some cannabis oil producers will collect the cannabis-derived terpenes during the process and reintroduce them into the oil, allowing the distillate-filled cartridge to be strain-specific.
How does a cannabis atomizer work?
The atomizer is activated when contact is initiated with the battery, heating up the chamber and vaporizing the cannabis oil. The chamber of a vape cartridge is filled with a THC- or cannabidiol (CBD)-dominant concentrate, and some producers will reintroduce terpenes that had been removed from the distillation process.
What is a vape pen?
Vape pens are designed to vaporize cannabis oils and distillates. A vape pen comprises two primary components: a battery and the vape cartridge. The battery consists of the bottom portion of the vape pen, providing power to the heating element, which vaporizes the cannabis oil contained inside the vape cartridge.
How to tell if a vape oil is compatible with a cartridge?
Most vape oil producers will tell you which voltage is compatible with the selected cartridge. These devices come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Some vape pens have a button that activates the vape cartridge, while others are buttonless and only activated once the user takes a draw.
What is VG in vape?
Vegetable glycerin (VG): Added to vape liquids to help generate large vape clouds for the user. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has labeled these cutting agents as safe for human ingestion, questions remain about what happens when these compounds are inhaled.
Why Do People Get Illegal Cartridges?
There is a lot of demand for THC vaping devices, in both legal and illegal markets. A lot of people who get these illegal vape cartridges tend to be people in their late teens to early 20s, many who aren't old enough to buy the product legally or, are just trying to save some money due to taxes and regulatory compliance by the legal companies.
Vitamin E Acetate
This is where things get really bad. Manufacturers of illicit THC eliquid look for cheap and widely available ingredients to serve as the base, and what a lot of them have settled on is Vitamin E acetate. What makes it dangerous is that it's an oil.
Mineral Oil
Similar to Vitamin E acetate, mineral oil is a commonly used base for various things, including cosmetics and skin care products. It’s inexpensive and readily available, making them a prime candidate as a base for illegal vape cartridges. However, when vaporized and inhaled, it can also cause lipoid pneumonia since it’s an oil.
Other Additives
There are also other additives that may cause these severe respiratory maladies. Biopsies of 17 victims indicate “airway-centered chemical pneumonitis” from one or more toxic substances inhaled from illegal vape cartridges rather than exogenous lipoid pneumonia. That means there’s more than one cause for the illnesses.
Conclusion
Vaping has existed for well over a decade and had become popular worldwide since the early 2010s, but only now have we encountered such severe acute respiratory injuries and illnesses.
What to do if your vape cartridge is counterfeit?
If you have a vape cartridge that you suspect might be counterfeit, go to the manufacturer's website and compare your cartridge with legitimate products.
How to tell if a vape oil is compatible with a cartridge?
Most vape oil producers will tell you which voltage is compatible with the selected cartridge. These devices come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Some vape pens have a button that activates the vape cartridge, while others are buttonless and only activated once the user takes a draw.
What is a vape pen?
Vape pens are designed to vaporize cannabis oils and distillates. A vape pen comprises two primary components: a battery and the vape cartridge. The battery consists of the bottom portion of the vape pen, providing power to the heating element, which vaporizes the cannabis oil contained inside the vape cartridge.
What is the binding agent in vape cartridges?
Propylene glycol (PG): a binding agent that is added to cannabis vape cartridges because of its ability to foster even vape draws. Vegetable glycerin (VG): Added to vape liquids to help generate large vape clouds for the user.
What is the chamber of a cannabis atomizer?
The chamber is filled with concentrated amounts of cannabinoids, usually either THC- or CBD-dominant, and terpenes. The atomizer is activated when contact is initiated with the battery, heating up the chamber and vaporizing the cannabis oil.
Where are vape cartridges made?
A large portion of vape cartridge components are produced at metal foundries in China, many of which add small amounts of lead into brass and copper feedstocks to improve the malleability of metals. This includes the heating coil, which heats up the cannabis oil, potentially transferring toxic metals into the consumer's vapors.
How many people died from vaping in New York?
These vapes were identified by the New York State Department of Health as part of 34 cases of severe pulmonary illnesses in the state, among 380 confirmed and probable cases, with six patients dying, throughout the U.S. Health officials are looking into vitamin E acetate and its link to the illnesses.
What is an e-cigarette?
The Basics. E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that can look like a real cigarette or pen. Some with refillable tanks look a bit different. There are hundreds of brands, and they're sometimes marketed as a way to get your nicotine fix without the danger of cigarettes. They all work the same basic way:
How old do you have to be to buy a vape?
In the summer of 2016, new rules about their sale went into effect. So you have to be 18 to buy them and show an ID if you're under 27.
How much did e-cigarettes go up in 2015?
But, CDC stats on teen smoking show that while use of e-cigs went up to 24% in 2015, cigarette smoking dropped to an historic low -- to just under 11%.
Is it safe to smoke e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes aren't thought of as 100% safe, but most experts think they're less dangerous than cigarettes, says Neal Benowitz, MD, a nicotine researcher at the University of California at San Francisco. Cigarette smoking kills almost half a million people a year in the United States.
Do teens smoke e-cigs?
A 2016 study in the journal Pediatrics found that teens that never smoked but used e-cigs were six times more likely to try cigarettes compared to kids who don't vape. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2015 found a connection too.
Can you sell e-cigarettes in vending machines?
The products can't be sold in vending machines, except for in adult-only facilities. Free samples are banned. E-cigarettes placed on the market after 2007 have to go through an FDA safety and approval review to enter or stay on the market. That could take years, but products can be sold while they wait for approval.
Is nicotine bad for you?
When you stop using it, you can go into withdrawal and feel depressed and crabby. Nicotine isn't good for people with heart problems. And some initial research shows it may hurt your arteries.
How to tell if vape cartridge is bad?
The first thing to check is that the cartridge has the same viscosity and clarity as when you first bought it. The oil should still be some uniform shade of light yellow to amber.
Why does my vape cartridge age?
This heat can come from a high-temperature day, the hot interior of a car, or just the body heat transmitted into a pocket. The other main factor when it comes to the premature aging of a vape cartridge is exposure to light, and especially sunlight.
How to increase vape cartridge longevity?
There are a couple of simple ways to increase your vape cartridge’s longevity. Storing your vape in a case can increase the longevity of the cartridge. photo credit. Just like with flower, how long your vape cartridge stays potent depends on how much care you put into storing it.
How to keep THC cartridges from turning brown?
Keep your cartridges out of direct light, and especially sunlight. Excess light can turn the oil brown and break down the THC molecules, which means losing both potency and flavor. Sunlight also means extra heat, which as mentioned above will damage the cartridge even more.
What is the bottom of a vape cartridge?
At the bottom of the cartridge is a metal plate that vaporizes the oil, which gets inhaled through the mouthpiece. The plate is heated by a battery on one end of the vape pen. Vape carts have increased in popularity due to their ability to bring them on-the-go and allow people to remain discrete.
What temperature does THC degrade?
At temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) the THC molecules begin to degrade into CBN and the oil starts to denature. Since the human body also runs at over 70 degrees, if you’re carrying your cartridges around in your pocket regularly it’s best to keep them in a small protective case.
What happens if the oil inside a cartridge is sludgy?
Similarly, if the oil inside has become sludgy or thickened in any way, the squeeze ain’t gonna be worth the juice.
Does vapi contain vitamin E?
Of the samples received so far, the FDA has found that 47% contain synthetic vitamin E.
Is vaping cannabis oil safe?
Even in regulated cartridges, there is a risk for illness. The fact is, very little is known about vaping cannabis oil and its effects and potential dangers. Officials in many states are urging consumers not to vape anything, legal or not.
Can you vape with a cartridge?
If you have vaped an illicit THC cartridge and experience any of the symptoms above, see a physician immediately. It is also suggested that you bring the cartridge with you for testing. The FDA also states that no vaping products are approved or authorized by the FDA.
Does vitamin E have pesticides?
Of the samples received so far, the FDA has found that 47% contain synthetic vitamin E. Another concern in regards to unregulated cartridges is pesticides. NBC News recently commissioned the laboratory CannaSafe to test cartridges for pesticides and solvents like synthetic vitamin E.
Do you have to test THC cartridges?
Even where it is legal, not every state requires cartridges to be tested. States that do test THC cartridges for pesticides often do not require that they are tested for synthetic vitamin E or tocopheryl-acetate. This thickening agent is thought to be one of the main offenders in cases of VAPI.
Is vaping safer than smoking?
Vaping was also thought to be safer to inhale than marijuana smoke. Especially for people in states where marijuana isn’t legalized, vape pens are seen as a less conspicuous way of getting high. The problem is that the cartridges are not regulated in every state, and those sold on the black market are particularly worrisome.
Is vaping safe for THC?
For years vaping has been advertised as a safer way to consume nicotine and THC. Marijuana vape pens were thought of as a safer way to treat patients who use cannabis medicinally since the smoke contains carcinogens such as tar and carbon monoxide.
How much does a vape cartridge cost in California?
You can find these carts in the Bay Area, and they are undercutting the competition with lower prices per gram. A Premium vape cartridge brand retails for $60 a gram on average in California. I found Mario Carts and Dank Vape Carts in the bay area selling for $25-$45 a gram.
Who makes Dank vapes?
Dank Vapes is owned and created by Dank Woods (LA). They are experiencing counterfeit problems too. As said before, fake brands and companies are also emerging through the help of people on Alibaba and Dhgate.com. These people are creating nice packaging with claims such as 90% THC and solventless.
Can vape cartridges get you stoned?
Do not fall for the conveniences of these vape cartridges, they may get you stoned, but at the same time, they are potentially damaging your health.
Is there a fake cartridge?
There is a new wave of fake cartridges flooding the US market. Many of the most popular THC oil cartridge brands had their packaging replicated by Chinese manufacturers. They have created nearly perfect packaging and vape cartridge duplicates of popular brands. Many of these counterfeit weed cartridges are putting peoples health at risk because they are not using clean oils.
Can vaping oil cause health problems?
Vaping laced oils can cause severe health problems. There have been lab tests done on these fake cartridges, and many of them contained multiple types of pesticides or other impurities. The fakes always claim a high percentage of THC.
Do Dank vape cartridges contain pesticides?
Proof that the Dank vapes cartridges contain pesticides. The reason behind the popularity of these fake cartridge brands is because you can buy them in states where cannabis oil is not legal yet. Unfortunately, the black market doesn’t have any mandatory lab testing for their products such as States like Nevada.