Vaporizer (inhalation device)

[1] However, they are most commonly filled with a combination propylene glycol, glycerin, and drugs such as nicotine (e.g. extract from tobacco) or tetrahydrocannabinol as a liquid solution.

[11] This route of consumption is generally much more potent than smoking or vaporizing marijuana flower due to the increased concentration of cannabinoids.

Cartridges typically contain different preparations of cannabis oil mixed with cannabinoids, terpenes, solvents (primarily Propylene glycol and Glycerol) used for thinning, fatty acids, and flavonoids.

Natural or artificial terpenes are frequently added by manufacturers to enhance flavor, often using blends that mimic popular cannabis strains or sugary foods such as candy or pastries.

Such studies suggest that the absence of combustion results in an aerosol that contains significantly lower amounts of harmful substances found in smoke, such as tar, carbon monoxide, and carcinogenic compounds known as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).

[39][40] Their part in tobacco harm reduction is unclear,[41] while another review found they appear to have the potential to lower tobacco-related death and disease.

[49] Less serious adverse effects include abdominal pain, headache, blurry vision,[50] throat and mouth irritation, vomiting, nausea, and coughing.

[9][56][57][58] These findings are important for it is estimated that 10–20% of patients with chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and HIV/AIDS have admitted to smoking cannabis for therapeutic purposes.

For patients, a study found that smoking cannabis sativa reduced daily pain by 34%, a statistically significant amount.

[60] A 2007 study by the University of California, San Francisco, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that "there was virtually no exposure to harmful combustion products using the vaporizing device".

[7] A 2006 study performed by researchers at Leiden University found that vaporizers were "safe and effective cannabinoid delivery system(s)".

[58] The purest preparations produced the highest efficiencies, about 56% for pure THC versus 29% for plant material (female flower tops) with 12% THCA content.

Using pure THC in the vaporizer, no degradation products (delta-8-THC (D8-THC), cannabinol (CBN), or unknown compounds) were detected by HPLC analysis.

[61][62][63] Grant Achatz, chef-proprietor of Alinea in Chicago, "uses the aroma-filled bags as place-mats, punctured when plates are placed in front of the customer".