10 Oct Why more and more people are VAPING cannabis

More and more people are turning to VAPING cannabis.  I’ve seen it among friends and acquaintances, and now reports from the UK show data that vaping cannabis is trending up quickly. Vaping herb is done so you can easily do it in public and not get caught, in addition to health reasons. But it appears to be self-regulated due to costs.

The idea behind the switch from joints to vaporizers is that many think it makes them far less likely to be caught out.

A staggering 2.9 million adults in the UK vape regularly, a study by YouGov in May showed.

There’s no conclusive data showing just how many people vape cannabis, but the technology is more widely available than ever before, in specialist outlets and ‘head shops’. Overall sales of vaping devices used for herb are way up as well.

Dr Robert Ralphs is a senior lecturer in criminology at Manchester Metropolitan University with 20 years’ experience in recreational drug use trends.

Cannabis users are turning to vaping because they’re less likely to be caught, he says – there’s no smoke and therefore very little smell.

“You could be vaping quite openly on the street and nobody would know, mainly because of the lack of smoke and smell. If you compare that to smoking a skunk weed, you can smell that up to 30 meters away.”

Other users turn to vaping to avoid the dangerous super-strength skunk sold by drug dealers across the UK, he explains.

“The herbs, oils and waxes used in vapes are quite often less potent than skunk. A lot of people don’t like skunk because of its potency but they can’t get hold of anything else. You’ve got more options if you’re vaping and there’s also a better taste, a kind of cleaner taste.”

Cannabis contains two active ingredients: tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) which cause the ‘buzz’ and cannabinoids (CBD) which some studies claim can help those suffering from severe arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis.

A vapouriser heats the cannabis herb, oil or wax to just below combustion point, drawing out both chemicals without actually burning them. This stops nearly 100 different types of toxin from being released. All this can be done on the go, in the palm of your hand.

While evidence does suggest vaping cannabis is less harmful than smoking it, the usual, very serious risks apply. Anxiety, cancer and coronary heart disease are all possibilities.

Many regular users are put off by the cost of buying and maintaining the vaping equipment, which needs to be cleaned regularly. Some larger ‘desktop’ models have to preheat before use, sometimes for up to 15 minutes.  The cost of vapes could ensure that, at least for now, the practice of inhaling cannabis stays the preserve of those who can afford the equipment.

Read more at: birminghammail.co.uk.