Over 1000 respiratory cases have been linked to vaping at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA, USA). So far at least 800 cases were confirmed
as vaping-associated lung injuries (VALI) with 18 patients succumbing to the illness.
To our present knowledge, vape fluids may contain certain compounds with toxic properties.
It is not yet understood though what component or components are responsible for the
cluster of cases. However, federal and state investigators are focusing on vape cartridges
that likely contained cannabinoids as most patients vaped legal or illegal cannabinoids.
Until recently, USA and UK public health authorities have welcomed vaping as a safer
alternative to smoking. In countries where cannabis has been legalised, vaporizers
became an increasingly popular form of administration, however, no human studies have
been performed with vaporized cannabinoid oils, hence the safety of such device is
unknown. A 2018 review concluded that although vaping might not necessarily be safe,
it is still preferable for both patients and their environment to smoking cannabis.
Since 2015, Hungarian, Australian and European scientific bodies have called for ban
on the unregulated e-cigarettes, but encouraged future research to understand all
aspects of vaping cannabinoids. Should vaping itself prove harmless, it might open
new avenues for research and potential administration of medical cannabis, however,
the contrary may cause landslide in the tobacco industry. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(11):
413-418.
