Electronic cigarettes and cannabis: an exploratory study

Abstract

Aims: To describe cannabis 'vaping' with electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or electronic vaporizers (e-vaporizers).

Methods: Internet survey in 2013-2014. Participants were 11 people who 'vaped' cannabis with e-cigarettes and 44 people who vaped cannabis with e-vaporizers, enrolled online.

Results: Most participants were men (78%). They had used e-cigarettes for 6 days and e-vaporizers for 50 days on average to vape cannabis. Current users of e-cigarettes vaped cannabis on 2 days/week versus 6 days/week for users of e-vaporizers. In these devices, they mostly inserted cannabis buds and oil rather than hashish or wax/butane honey oil. Dual users, who both smoked and vaped cannabis, currently smoked 5 joints/week compared to 14 joints/week before they started to vape cannabis (p = 0.004). Half the participants (45%) reported that vaping cannabis helped them stop or reduce their total cannabis use, 37% that it had no impact on their cannabis use, and 6% that it increased it. Vaping cannabis was perceived as healthier and more discrete than smoking it (less odor). Disadvantages included dry mouth and fewer positive cannabis effects.

Conclusions: Cannabis vaping via e-cigarettes or e-vaporizers is an infrequent behavior that was previously almost undocumented. E-cigarettes do not appear to be a very appealing way to use cannabis.