To Vape Or Not To Vape?

THC Cartridges has been in the news a lot lately. Across the US, hundreds of people have been hospitalized for lung injuries caused by vaping. Nine have died from those injuries. The spate of sickness has come on so suddenly that federal and state governments are left scrambling to figure out what to do. In response, Massachusetts has moved to ban all e-cigarette sales for four months, and several other states are considering similar action. With all this going on, it seemed the right time for me to weigh in on vaping.

The Diet Coke Of Smoking

For the sake of completeness, let’s define what vaping is. An “e-cigarette” or “vape pen” is used to heat a liquid solution that is then inhaled. The e-liquids found in vape cartridges are designed to look like smoke when heated, so you still get the “cool” factor of smoking. Most e-liquids carry nicotine, THC, CBD, some combination of these, or none of the above. Most vape cartridges are flavored, as well.

THC cartridges is commonly seen as being safer than cigarettes, which is one reason why it has become so popular in recent years. It’s essentially the Diet Coke of smoking. While many of the harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke are absent from vape mist, that doesn’t necessarily make it safe. 

Order the best branded THC cartridges with fast delivery and secure shipping notice. The fact of the matter is that we don’t yet have a clue about its long-term effects. It just hasn’t been around long enough.

A Matter Of Regulation

With that said, it’s unlikely that the recent spate of illnesses is due to chronic vaping (THC cartridges). Rather, it appears to be tied to black market vape cartridges and e-liquid adulterated with some chemical that clearly should not be inhaled. Which brings me to an interesting question: why are there black market vape cartridges in the first place? THC cartridges is legal in the United States. And vaping is generally cheaper than smoking cigarettes, even the more expensive brands like Juul. So where is the demand coming from?

Well, for one thing, cheaper does not mean cheap. There will always be those looking to undercut a legitimate market, or to sell to those who aren’t old enough to purchase legally. But most of those who’ve become ill were using e-liquid with THC in it. These black marketeers were meeting the demand for illegal marijuana, a demand that wouldn’t exist if cannabis were legal at the federal level.

There’s one more interesting wrinkle here that should be addressed, and that’s the issue of FDA approval. As it turns out, THC cartridges is such a new phenomenon that most products are not currently regulated by the FDA. President Obama granted the FDA authority to do so, and deadlines were set for e-cig companies to submit applications for their products. But before those deadlines passed, President Trump pushed those dates back to 2022. Most of the ingredients used in e-liquids have already been approved for use in food. However, just because it’s safe to eat something doesn’t mean it’s safe to inhale it. Therefore, even e-liquid sold in stores may contain harmful chemicals.

To Vape Or Not To Vape?

Ultimately, the choice lies with the individual. I don’t smoke or vape, so for me the choice is easy. However, if I were to vape, I would definitely order THC cartridges from an official retailer. It’s probably smart to stick to the bigger brands, as well, like Juul, EonSmoke, or Mistic. These companies are much more likely to have spent significant resources on research and development before releasing their products, and are most likely safer.

Those looking for a cannabinoid fix would do better to order THC cartridges, at least in the short term. There’s no way to know how many tainted cartridges are out there, how to identify them, or whether those selling them have done anything about it. Better to stick to smoking for the near term, or if your medical needs aren’t too great, take a break for a while.

As for these bans, I’m not on board. Yes, something needs to be done about this situation. But (with one exception) people are getting sick because they’re using illegal products. A ban on THC cartridges only pushes others to turn to illegal products, too, putting them in harm’s way. Either that, or they turn to smoking cigarettes, which we know is harmful. I’d much rather see these governors use their influence to push the FDA to act now and enforce stricter regulations on e-liquid production. Better to face the evil you know than the one you don’t.