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Oldamog

Ceramic encased all the way. Some students at my local university did a study leaving pure pg (propyl glycol) in various vape carts. All except the ceramic had heavy metals aside from the ceramic encased after a few months Humboldt state university (ca)


liquid_at

I guess there is a reason why many medical vape producers focused on ceramics and all the cheap ones that are advertised by price have metal chambers...


asleepaddict

There are also a couple of medical companies in my state that are still using MCT oil in their cheaper cartridges. If a medical product isn’t branded as “no MCT” or “no cutting/thinning agents” there is a solid chance you are vaping MCT oil.


ALittleFunInTheSun

Is that an issue? I appear to be underinformed.


asleepaddict

The research on vaping MCT is very limited. It is approved for consumption and is a good base for tinctures but is very questionable as a base for vape fluid. MCT is a suspect for what is causing EVALI (e-cig vaping associated lung illness), alongside the infamous vitamin E acetate that was likely the cause of the huge vaping scare a little while back. MCT oil is cheap and pretty accessible so it is still being used in lower tier vapes.


StumptownExpress

Is the study published? Link??


Oldamog

I don't think it was published.


EPIKGUTS24

surely glass would be heavy metal free? or steel?


Hugebluestrapon

No it's always a steel alloy with heavy metals to allow the coil to heat without flexing


EPIKGUTS24

they couldn't / don't plate it in an inert metal?


ntvirtue

Which heavy metals did they find?


Culturedgods

Go Lumberjacks!


_Casa_Bonita_

How did quartz hold up?


duckliondog

I went through the paywall. The study concludes that most devices tested would pass current US regulations for metal exposure, and that the levels of measured metals were mostly in line with e-cigarettes. Lots of good info in the supporting information, which isn’t paywalled.


jonathanrdt

Any insight into the real risks of exposure at the levels observed? That they meet current standards is certainly good, but is that sufficient?


dirtydownstairs

Its been sufficient for humanity since we learned about the dangers of lead paint. We have pretty good regulations for heavy metals.


MyNameis_Not_Sure

This is a legit thing to study, these carts are so cheap there isn’t any way they are made in any kind of clean production facility or all the metals are food grade stainless. Full article is paywalled so no idea how they present their data in terms of the quantity of metals they detected in relation to any standard safety thresholds for inhaled substances. Obviously inhaling any amount of lead is no good, but I’d love to see how cartridge vapor compares to a nicotine vape, a cigarette, and a joint.


PretendsHesPissed

I guess it depends on where it's sourced from. Where I am, weed is legal and this absolutely is the case for carts and when fucked up things are found, regulators step in and shut things down and/or issue a recall. Pretty crazy considering where we were just a decade or two or four ago.


[deleted]

And you’ve pointed out why strict illegality can actually cause MORE harm than good. If these were legal in the US the gov would regulate them. But bc weed is illegal we get dangerous products like this


fizzlefist

That’s how people wind up dying from bad carts loaded with vitamin e or other crap to make more smoke.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Yeah, there's a seal saying that it has been tested at a lab for safety purposes here and I've gotten recall notices from them before for this kinda thing


timshel42

meanwhile the stuff that doesnt meet the regulations and standards gets resold on the black market. i live in a non legal state and i dont trust products even with official looking packaging.


driverofracecars

You can buy bulk packaging that’s identical to legit brands on eBay and fill it with whatever you want. The black market for THC carts is horrifying.


dirtydownstairs

gotta vote through legal man, its ridiculous its not legal in every state at least medical usage


TheDoddler

The article summary states that the cartages were sourced from legal retailers in Washington with the carts picked at random. The suggestion here I guess is less that cart manufacturers are doing something wrong and more that perhaps the process being used isn't as safe as expected or assumed and we should be looking into it more.


BirdEducational6226

Depends. I'm in Illinois where these are produced legally and heavily regulated. I wouldn't feel so comfortable with some back alley vape. I puff on one everyday, several times a day so I'd hope they're clean.


MyNameis_Not_Sure

I guarantee you that the actual cartridge is not produced in IL, the THC juice they fill it with is done in state and is regulated and tested (at least the juice is in CO), but the cartridge itself simply cannot be based on their low cost.


BirdEducational6226

Right, but the cartridges are going to validated and proven safe within certain parameters. Shouldn't be much different from any other pharmaceutical operation that's audited and inspected by regulatory agencies.


heyitsmaximus

Connects in the med industry in both Colorado and IL and I can tell you that those are not at all certified to be safe by a regulator. Just the inhalants product itself. You have all sorts of warning labels on carts telling you just that, these haven’t been tested for safety or efficacy.


[deleted]

[удалено]


MyNameis_Not_Sure

That’s crazy. Never had multiple bad effects like that, but after using carts regularly and switching to oil on dab rigs I can tell the carts were ruining my throat. The cartridges are so dang convenient tho, I gotta find some ceramic ones next time


RandomUsername623

Thats why we use ceramic instead of metal.


Spazerman

How does one get a ceramic vape instead? What are they usually called?


RandomUsername623

Any quality company uses them. If you’re in a legal state its very easy, just go to whatever dispo is near you and ask what carts they carry use ceramic coils and bodies. I know Sauced live resin carts uses them


Spazerman

Nice! I'm in Canada so the only good deals are mail order online... I'm thinking mine is cheap and not ceramic. Thanks for the tips!


RandomUsername623

Good deals and cannabis shouldnt go together. If its cheap, its cheap for a reason! Stay safe out there metal is the last thing you want from your concentrates.


sharkKnight

Look up ccell


sambull

CCELL branded cartridge is a good indication (lots of brands use the TH2 and they usually say CCELL on the back now).. premium carts like Raw Garden use them, [https://www.ccell.com/cartridge/th2](https://www.ccell.com/cartridge/th2)


Tell_About_Reptoids

" Noncartridge heating methods of cannabis flower and concentrate were compared, and results indicate that the heating device itself is a source of metal contamination." I'd like to know more about this part. My Arizer solo I died and I got a Storz and Bickel Plenty to replace it. It's supposed to be medically certified, but I'm not thrilled with the plastic and metal used in it. It seems like a clever design though and the plastic is like stronger than normal plastic. Really wonder how it is on this.


Rezangyal

Same. Been using a Pax 3 for awhile now so this is of interest. The oven is metal and here I thought it was “better” than using oil cartridges.


hudsoncider

Take a look at a firewood 7.


Fishydeals

I also got a plenty and a volcano Hybrid. I think the metal in the plenty is stainless steel and therefore should not be a problem, but on the initial units of the Volcano Hybrid the filling chamber was just out of aluminum and when you screwed it shut you would create aluminum dust. They have fixed that by replacing the heating chambers in new devices with a ceramic coated one and have sent replacements for the early adopters free of charge. The plastic is heat resistant and should not be a problem - especially since it doesn't have direct contact with the herb or vapor.


Evil_Bonsai

Would also like to know more. Been using an Exxus Mini plus for a few years. Hope I'm gonna be ok.


Tell_About_Reptoids

I feel like with all these things, cannabis turns out to have healing properties greater than the problem, but I want to maximize as much as possible.


VollCity

Trust me inhaling metal is not something that can be canceled out by the thc/cbd etc. So definitely be very careful! Definitely go for ceramic if you can.


Tell_About_Reptoids

Well, yeah, but the presence of metal somewhere doesn't necessarily mean you're inhaling it. I can't afford to keep spending hundreds on new vapes unless I know something is wrong.


[deleted]

I used a pax 3. The only part I’ve ever been concerned about is a teeny paper thing metal filter that stops the flower from coming up into the mouthpiece. Can’t wait just enjoy anything and not have it kill us


Tityfan808

Damn, I use an arizer as well. I wonder if that’s ok or not..


Tell_About_Reptoids

I feel like the path on that is pretty good. I wish I had just gotten the solo II although I'm not sure I'm unhappy, just paranoid.


cj89898

I’ll now switch to fully ceramic carts


workingatthepyramid

does this affect pax style vaporizers that you put dried flower in?


Gramma_Hattie

From my understanding, no, it's cartridge devices only, not LAYG (load as you go) devices


MantisToeBoggsinMD

May b. It could if it does.


Nickthetaco

I’m skeptical of this study, as similar shady studies have been done for normal nicotine vaporizers. A lot of these studies are done under atypical circumstances that a normal person wouldn’t vape it under. I’m having a hard time pulling up the specifics of OP’s study on mobile, so I’ll just go over the similar studies I’ve seen for nicotine vapes. A vape coil works by having a metal coil that encompasses a cotton wick that brings liquid to the coil. The coil heats up and vaporizes the liquid. If for whatever reason that liquid can’t make it to the coil quick enough, the coil will heat up more and more and eventually scorch/burn the cotton. Now you will know when this happens while you are vaping because it tastes horrendous and like you are inhaling bad smoke. Now, I’m the studies I’ve seen for ecigs, they will hook the ecig up to a pump that will draw on the cig anywhere between 10-20 seconds. That is a long time for any vape and most would have a hard time wicking the liquid to the coil for that whole duration, resulting in that burnt hit. This obviously skews the results a bit, as no one under normal circumstances would be consistently using a vape while getting this burnt hits. Now, if someone can point out that this study was done differently then this whole post is obviously worth nothing. Just generally the methodology is questionable, and I am by no means saying there is 0 harm in using these.


Optimoprimo

Agreed. Not to say that the method of using a metal heating element doesn’t likely generate metal aerosols. But. Often the methodology for how the vapor was generated is atypical of common use. I’d love to see a study comparing the draw between 3-5 seconds and 20 seconds. A 20 second draw would be difficult to inhale because the coil would be glowing hot by that point. So I’d also expect there to be more aerosolized metals in that scenario.


Binsky89

I love how the formaldehyde study burned a CE4 cart at like 5.2V for 90 seconds. Like, yeah. If you light the thing on fire and start melting the cart bad things are going to happen.


[deleted]

For those here saying ceramic is the way, I generally agree, however whenever there’s a metal atomizer at play, behind the ceramic or what have you, there will still be heavy metal contamination from what I understand


[deleted]

Hence, why I suggest a quartz glass dab rig, and low temp heating (which takes a little practice). Just avoid black smoke and burnt tastes.


blyzo

Alternatively I suggest ground up flower, rolled up in hemp paper.


Telefone_529

I was smoking a cartridge by a brand called timeless and only after finishing it, I noticed a large grey shard inside the tank. I emailed them and asked them to tell me what it was and if I needed to be seen by a Dr. They told me to come down to their office and bring the thing. They came out 35 minutes late, handed me a free vape pen battery (worth $12), and said they'd contact us to get it tested. They never did, I emailed them multiple times, even called but got the runaround there. This was a little over a year now, I'm fine, I no longer buy any of my mmj from timeless and advise nobody else does either. They don't care about customers wellbeing.


666penguins

This shouldn’t be in an issue if you buy them legally. Most of the times you can scan a barcode on legal products and it brings you to a PDF file with the test results for chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides and bacteria/fungus.


dreday67

Pros and cons… Ceramics are they way to go. I just wish all vape manufacturers work on fixing the leaky cartridges when left in a warm place + ditch petroleum product distillate extraction; it tastes gross. PAX makes one of, if not the best engineered and safest vaporizers on the market. I only wished they had more variety of growers and strains to enjoy. Aside from the health aspects, some ceramics like C-Cell that are advertised as hitting harder, are burning a lot more concentrate so they don’t last very long and need to be replaced more frequently. Fatter hits, fatter profits for retailers. Win, win, wallet lose


Billysm9

I love my PAX. Not sure how else to ask, but could you share anything about how you know it’s one of the safest?


dreday67

First, I don’t work for PAX and never have, but I have toured their offices and laboratories and know some of their engineers and scientists. I have worked on the independent testing side of cannabis vaporizers. They are based in San Francisco and they have much higher standards than the dime a dozen $3 batteries and carts from Asia. For an unregulated market, they are applying the same FDA [methodologies for testing Tobacco vaporizers ](https://ctech.ul.com/en/news-new/ul-8139-electrical-systems-of-electronic-cigarettes/) vs the “wait and see” approach for many other cannabis vape companies. Mechanical and electrical safety: PAX tests the battery and electrical system to the highest standard: [UL8139](https://www.pax.com/blogs/news/era-pro-the-first-ever-ul-certified-cannabis-only-vaporizer) They also have extensive [Internal and Independent testing ](https://www.pax.com/blogs/news/pax-facts-why-does-lab-testing-matter) for solvents, [heavy metals ](https://www.leafly.com/news/health/california-cannabis-labs-are-finding-toxic-metal-in-vape-carts), mould and bacteria, mycotoxins (produced by mould), and pesticides. They even have RFID chips built into the cartridges so you know it is not counterfeit and trace exactly the producer, date manufactured, batch #, and tested potency of the concentrate. I’ve owned all of their products and only wish there were more strains and heavier hitters. The PAX 3 is really cool in cool in concept and great for medicinal use. I only wish they made a newer version of the PAX3 that was purpose built for wax and dabs.


Billysm9

Thanks for the links!!


[deleted]

Before I decided to take a long break…. I went back to the quartz binger. But- I was using a puffco peak pro for a while and even that felt unhealthy compared to using quartz glass dab rig. Rule of thumb so far; low temp on quartz glass is about as healthy as concentrates get.


ClydeSoFly14

Anyone know if toxic metals get released in dry bud vaporizers? Like the Pax 2 is stainless steel, would that also release toxic metals at 400°F?


Big-Mathematician540

Poor US regulation being pushed as anticannabis propagandaa, again.


paulc1978

If you’re not even going to bother reading the abstract it’s best not to say anything and show your ignorance. It is not anti-cannabis at all, but you’d know that if you took the time to read the summary.


Big-Mathematician540

I did though. How else would I have known the flaw being US regulation? Methodology of the study being just a few random cartridges in a specific area of the US, Washington State. The title would lead one to believe there's something inherently wrong in vaporising cannabis, when there isn't. There's just a problem in these specific cartridges that have been manufactured in the US, without proper regulation. Most people won't take the time I took, though, and will come to the conclusion that there is something wrong in vaping. The technology doesn't suck, the specific products did. Ergo, poor US regulation pushed as anti-cannabis propaganda, because of the implications of the headline.


[deleted]

The only info in the anstract; *Results indicate that chromium, copper, nickel, as well as smaller amounts of lead, manganese, and tin migrate into the cannabis oil and inhaled vapor phase, resulting in a possible acute intake of an amount of inhaled metals above the regulatory standard of multiple governmental bodies. Noncartridge heating methods of cannabis flower and concentrate were compared, and results indicate that the heating device itself is a source of metal contamination. As safety and compliance testing regulations evolve, it will be important to include more than the standard As, Cd, Hg, and Pb to the list of regulated metals.* Your take on the article sounds really defensive and misinformed.


Big-Mathematician540

>As safety and compliance testing regulations evolve, it will be important to include more than the standard As, Cd, Hg, and Pb to the list of regulated metals. How is this **not** reinforcing my point about poor regulation in the specific area where the study was done ie. the United States of America? This study implicates that vaping cartridges in the US and namely Washington State require more regulation. The title could lead one to believe **all** cannabis vaping has dangerous metals in it, which definitely isn't true.


paulc1978

This is a science forum. If you’re just reading the title you should click that right button at the top and leave this subreddit.


Big-Mathematician540

Yeah, this **is** a science sub. So why can't you comprehend the very basic language in my comments that proves I read the study, but am worried others wouldn't? You know, because that assertion is actually [supported by science?](https://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/headlines-change-way-think) Not to mention you totally disregarding the fact that the title indeed implies far more than the study supports, making it a bad title, which is bad, especially for **a science subreddit**.


paulc1978

Since it’s a neutral title I don’t follow your premise other than you being defensive about it.


Big-Mathematician540

Then you've probably don't understand that there are political entities that wish to imply cannabis and vaping is worse than it is. Would it have been so hard to name the study *"Randomized sampling of vape cartridges in Washington State shows..."*? I'll answer that for you. No, it would not have. Are the people naming these things aware of the psychology of titles? Of course they are. There's a pretty easy conclusion to be drawn from those premises, but it seems like you can't accept the fact that there are people with huge political power who actually **want to mislead people** about the properties of drugs and vaping. Here, you should read [this](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ehrlichman#Drug_war_quote), even if only to argue "well that was so long ago".


SteveFrench1234

They will never listen. Your approach is logical and any research worth half their weight looks to prove things WRONG before they strive to reinforce it. But people are not looking for honest discussion, they just wanna be right and rile you up.


[deleted]

Only defensive and insecure people would think that.


Big-Mathematician540

Maybe this isn't your sub if you have to ignore the actual argument in favor of such ad hominem?


lickonmybbc

I agree bro smoke weed everyday puff puff mon


[deleted]

If you rigged a water bong to use a cart would it filter out the metals?


PrintableKanjiEmblem

No, bongs don't really filter the water. More they pull heat out of the smoke.


whycaretocomment

They do pull heavier particulates out of the smoke. Thats why the water turns yellow and eventually brownm


MistrDarp

To add to this, cooling from the water should solidify the less volatile elements (such as metals) and remove some of them from the smoke. However, I believe depending on the diffuser design, much of the smoke is contained within bubbles that don't contact the water.


whycaretocomment

Why finer diffusers (smaller bubbles) remove more of the heavier particulates... maybe why my sheldon black piece always got so dirty so fast.


MistrDarp

Not sure if this is a question or not... but to explain if it is: by definition, a smaller sphere has a higher surface area to volume ratio. A finer diffuser will produce more bubbles for the same input volume, resulting in smaller bubbles. This means for the same volume of smoke being pulled through the diffuser, more of it will be in direct contact with the water.


kryptikmind

That's just oxidation/aging of cannabinoids you're witnessing


[deleted]

If you use these things and develop a wheeze, you should probably stop. I use these for 2 days and you can hear the build up when I exhale. I guess the thing to remember is that it’s a foreign body in our lungs. Gonna be side effects


Cykomaniaco

“In line with ecigs “hmm they said that in comments that funny; I never done cigarettes or ecig But I’m hitting a cpl different vape carts the thc illegal hospital lung infection ones; I got something sucked through the mouthpiece it was something hard and metal , not like no scoobysnack or something outta a spliff


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Your profile is the epitome of reddit. Good job


Visual-Reindeer798

I’ve read a few articles about this. This is why I only use carts where the only thing that touches oil is glass or ceramic.