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Drug vaping applied to cannabis: Is "Cannavaping" a therapeutic alternative to marijuana?

  • Varlet V Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Concha-Lozano N Institute for Work and Health (IST), University of Lausanne, University of Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Berthet A Institute for Work and Health (IST), University of Lausanne, University of Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Plateel G Institute for Work and Health (IST), University of Lausanne, University of Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Favrat B Psychology and Traffic Medicine Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • De Cesare M Psychology and Traffic Medicine Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Lauer E Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Augsburger M Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Thomas A Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Giroud C Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
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  • 2016-05-27
Published in:
  • Scientific reports. - 2016
Butanes
Cannabinoids
Cannabis
Dronabinol
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
Feasibility Studies
Humans
Marijuana Smoking
Medical Marijuana
Reproducibility of Results
Vaping
English Therapeutic cannabis administration is increasingly used in Western countries due to its positive role in several pathologies. Dronabinol or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) pills, ethanolic cannabis tinctures, oromucosal sprays or table vaporizing devices are available but other cannabinoids forms can be used. Inspired by the illegal practice of dabbing of butane hashish oil (BHO), cannabinoids from cannabis were extracted with butane gas, and the resulting concentrate (BHO) was atomized with specific vaporizing devices. The efficiency of "cannavaping," defined as the "vaping" of liquid refills for e-cigarettes enriched with cannabinoids, including BHO, was studied as an alternative route of administration for therapeutic cannabinoids. The results showed that illegal cannavaping would be subjected to marginal development due to the poor solubility of BHO in commercial liquid refills (especially those with high glycerin content). This prevents the manufacture of liquid refills with high BHO concentrations adopted by most recreational users of cannabis to feel the psychoactive effects more rapidly and extensively. Conversely, "therapeutic cannavaping" could be an efficient route for cannabinoids administration because less concentrated cannabinoids-enriched liquid refills are required. However, the electronic device marketed for therapeutic cannavaping should be carefully designed to minimize potential overheating and contaminant generation.
Language
  • English
Open access status
gold
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Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/137783
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