A survey study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, first reported by Marijuana Moment, has shown that 15.3 percent of respondents thought smoking flower was the safest way to consume cannabis, compared to just 3.3 percent for vaping flower and 2.6 percent for vaping oil.
Researchers surveyed more than 16,000 U.S. adults aged 18 or older. Of those 16,000, approximately 9,000 opted to answer the question: “In your opinion, what is the safest way to use marijuana?”
Respondents chose from the following possible answers: smoking or vaping bud, vaping concentrate or liquid, edibles, or dabbing concentrate. There was also the option for saying there is no safe way to consume marijuana.
Of the 9,000 respondents, 52.6 percent answered that there was no safe way to use marijuana. For the remaining spread, 24.5 percent believe edibles are safest, followed somewhat surprisingly by 15.6 percent who believed smoking was safest. Vaping and dabbing followed with even lower percentages, with vaping bud or concentrate both around 3 percent and dabbing concentrate at 0.5 percent.
The demographic data in the study was weighted to approximate the entire U.S. population and wasn’t limited to states with legalization.
The results seem consistent with data showing that old-fashioned joints make up for most Americans’ first encounter with cannabis.
Meanwhile, sales data shows that in freshly legalized states there is often an initial demand for flower that transitions to a market favoring edibles and vape-pens.