WHAT'S IN CBD VAPES - ADDITIVES, CUTTERS AND THINNERS, OH MY!
Do you know what’s in CBD vapes? We have made it our mission to make sure we know what is in the ones we stock. Obviously, it is important to understand what is in the products you intend to consume. This may be doubly true for things you intend to inhale. The lungs are, after all, designed to take in things from the air and do very little filtering.
Many CBD vape cartridges and juices use additives and thinning agents that may be damaging to our health. These chemicals may cause a series of medical issues ranging from sore throats to popcorn lung. Results have not been wholly conclusive to date. Therefore, it is clear that more research is needed to ensure the safety of these products.
Meanwhile, it is important to understand what may be in your vape. Also, you should find a trusted source, and, in our view, avoid unnecessary chemicals.
At Blue Lotus, we have looked long and hard to know exactly what’s in CBD vapes. We look for those that are free of chemical additives and contain high quality CBD. TribeTokes stands out as additive free option with some really great strain profiles. We will update our choices as new, equally high quality products come our way. Meanwhile, the facts below were provided by TribeTokes to help unlock the mystery of some of the more common additives.
MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES (MCT)
Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are fats found in coconut and palm kernel oils. These are considered very healthy to ingest as they are great for the brain. However, they are suspect when added to a vaporizer cartridge. Many people assume it is also healthy to inhale. However, heating the oil in order to vaporize it along with the cannabinoids poses a potential health risk. Some claims have been made that MCT plays a role in causing lung infections. These come in the form of lipid or lipoid pneumonia.
The long term effects of vaping MCT are still unclear. The Medical Marijuana Research Institute conducted a study. This found that MCT “produced negligible levels of harmful byproducts” when heated to 230 degrees Celsius. But a 2017 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that MCT still produced heightened levels of one or more potentially harmful particles. This was despite producing less acetaldehyde than other cutting agents.
VG AND PG
VEGETABLE GLYCERIN (VG) -QUALITY IS NOT IN THE CLOUD
Vegetable Glycerin (VG) is a colorless, odorless liquid and it is often found on the list of what’s in CBD Vapes in the US and Canada.
Because it is inexpensive, adds a bit of sweetness, and creates a larger vapor cloud, many vapes use VG. Many people mistake this cloud for “quality” In reality, it is the result of this additive, not the primary ingredients.
VG is considered safe for ingestion. However, studies show that heating glycerol creates a wide range of compounds. These include formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde.
PROPYLENE GLYCOL (PG)
Propylene Glycol is a petroleum byproduct that is colorless and odorless. It has been noted as an excellent tool for fighting smoking becuase of its sweet taste. It has also found uses in many cosmetic and medical products as well.
The FDA has deemed PG safe for consumption because of its low oral toxicity. However, many question if this is applicable to inhaling. Instead, it might should only be limited to consumption. Projectcbd.org noted in 2015 how many cannabis vape cartridges that contain PG have the potential to increase carbonyl exposure to consumers.
They further detailed in a 2017 update how PG can lead to exposure to carcinogenic compound, which can cause harm. It is also worth noting that when reaching high temperatures, PG can degrade into other toxins. These studies also recognized that PG produces significantly higher levels of potentially dangerous compounds than either MCT or VG oils. To read more from Project CBD on the subject of safe vaping, click below.
VITAMIN E ACETATE
WHAT'S IN CBD VAPES - JUST BECAUSE WE CAN EAT IT, DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD BREATHE IT!
Vitamin E is well recognized as a necessary component of our nutrition and a desirable component for skincare. But what about inhaling it? Vitamin E is the common name for several similar chemicals known as “tocopherols.” They are commonly found in vegetable oil or made synthetically from petroleum.
The synthetic process of creating tocopherols begins using toxic petroleum-derived precursor chemicals—most significantly trimethylhydroquinone. We will not go into the complex chemistry for this article, but this doesn’t sound like something we would want in our vapes.
It is Vitamin E Acetate that was linked to the specific lung illnesses and even deaths that resulted from “black market” vape products in 2019. According to the chief scientist of Myriad pharmaceuticals, Eliana Goldberstein Rubashkyn, “No vitamin E should be vaped regardless of its chemical structure.”
There is also evidence that the acetate from of vitamin E oil, tocopheryl acetate may worsen lung reactions. They adhere to the lung’s liner fluid. This fluid, called lung surfactant, enables oxygen transfer from the air to your lungs. Tocopherols interfere with this process and block the essential gas transfer from occurring.
That sounds really bad to us. Even if you choose to vape a product with VG, PG, or MCT – Vitamin E Acetate should clearly be avoided. For additional insights into the chemistry and research about Vitamin E Acetate, click the link below for an interesting article by the team at leafly.com.