As cannabis continues to win legalization drives around the globe, cannabis research is also advancing, supporting both positive and negative results regarding the use of cannabis. These research advances largely indicate marijuana’s helpfulness in handling a wide range of psychological, physiological and physical disabilities and illnesses, but there also several not-so-stoner-friendly conclusions.
The main reason cannabis has been shown to be harmful for its users is not actually the plant substance itself, but the most common process of ingesting it: smoking. There is, however, a healthy alternative that is swiftly growing in popularity: vaporizers.
The heating processes are completely different, which result in different compositions of chemicals being ingested. These chemicals can either harm your body, or help your body.
The heating process
With smoking, the process is instant. You flick your bic, ignite the herb and inhale. The temperature of your lighter cannot be controlled; the weed burns anywhere from 500-800 degrees Celsius (932-1472 degrees Fahrenheit) on its own.
Through vaporization, the heating process is more gradual. The temperature setting typically ranges from 50-260 degrees C (122-500 degrees F), and you are manually in control of changing the temperature.
Chemicals involved: the good and the bad
Due to the high burning temperature of smoke, a chemical reaction known as combustion occurs. This can lead to the destruction of beneficial cannabinoids and an increase in carcinogenic compounds, comparable to those in tobacco smoke. Toxic compounds begin to occur around 200 degrees C (392 degrees F). In addition, chemicals from the butane lighter are also inhaled.
Vaporization involves the physical reaction of evaporation and avoids chemical combustion. Being in control of the temperature allows the user to target the specific boiling points of each cannabinoid (THC, CBD, CBG, etc.) and other therapeutic plant terpenes.
Health complications
Smoking cannabis has been correlated to a number of health complications, including coughing and sputum production, damage to the mucosa, lower Respiratory Tract Infections, and precursors to lung cancer. Secondhand cannabis smoke poses similar health risks to secondhand tobacco smoke due to the mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. Through smoking, one still consumes cannabinoids useful to the body, however their potential significantly decreases due to the ratio of bad to good chemicals.
Vaporization on the other hand, actually reverses the health complications of smoking. It has been reported that those who switch from smoking to vaporizing immediately suffer less coughing, sputum production and infections. When you subtract the toxins caused by smoke, ingested cannabinoids go from having limited availability to your body, to being accessible for your entire Endocannabinoid System to use. Eliminating smoke will eliminate inherent health issues that could be facing you and your family.
As you probably know, cannabis has been shown to help cure several cases of chronic disease and/or illness. This plant has the ability to restore world health, but only if we use it wisely. Removing the toxic process of smoking will diminish most of the risk associated with cannabis use. By slowly heating the cannabis to the perfect cannabinoid boiling point, rather than combusting the plant material and destroying cannabinoids, users can maximize the health benefits of their herb.
Photo credit: ecigclick.co.uk
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