Are Dry Herb Vaporizers Bad For Your Health?

Posted by Vaporizer Chief on 15th Oct 2019

Vaporizers have been booming in popularity since their introduction to the global market in 2006. Most public health organizations have acknowledged the potential risks from the use of these products, but it's rare for institutions to recognize the benefits of switching from traditional smoking methods to vaping. Now in 2019, the United States has been focusing in on the industry with the Center for Disease Control investigating 149 cases of hospitalizations associated with the use of an (e-liquid) vaporizer. The agency reported their findings on August 21, 2019 as “no clear common cause”, which can be summed up as they don't know!

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So let's talk about what we do know as fact-- most vape injury cases have been associated with the use of e-cigarettes/cartridge and liquid vapes. This is an extremely important detail since any vape enthusiast knows that there are different types of vaporizers which include dry herb, concentrates/waxes, oils and liquid units. The most popular type of vaporizer is the portable dry herb vaporizer. This type of vape is compatible only with pure, dry flower and is battery-powered. There have been NO hospitalizations and emergent health issues associated with dry herb devices. It is a considerably different product versus a e-juice or cartridge (liquid) vape in both terms of operation and possible risks.

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There is a two-fold problem in regards to vapes that utilize e-juices and cartridges. The first issue is possible contaminants. Many e-cig users and liquid nicotine fans are people that are trying to quit smoking while avoiding withdrawal symptoms associated with lack of nicotine. The thing is consumers can not be entirely sure of what chemical mixture is in their e-juice. If contaminants are present, the possibility of inhaling heavy metals or toxic micro-particles is present. The FDA has already tested 700 different samples of e-liquids but has been unable to identify a singular component that is causing illness. What does this mean for cartridge and liquid users? It means that there is an element of risk every time they use their device. Buying from a trusted distributor will mitigate the risk, but not eliminate the possibility of contaminated e-juice completely.

The second issue with the use of liquid and e-juice vaporizers is user error. Nicotine is listed a poison with a wide range of side effects including nausea, vomiting, chest pains, heart palpitations, and body-temperature fluctuations. Users that incorrectly use their products or have faulty devices run the risk of getting e-liquid into their mouths and accidentally ingesting large doses. However, the worst outcome of these cases is if the e-juice goes down the wrong 'pipe' and ends up directly in the lungs. Any inhalation of liquids even water is harmful to the delicate lung tissue (think of partial drowning cases) and can lead to an ER visit. It is also important to note the lethal dose of nicotine is 0.5 to 1.0mg/kg for an adult, and even less for teenagers and children. A good portion of the vape-associated injury cases have been teens experimenting with e-juice cartridges.

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So the question remains: are dry herb vaporizers bad for your health? The short answer is no and the long answer is absolutely not-- in fact they are good for you since dry herb vaporizers paired with the proper herb can alleviate a myriad of health problems. Dry herb vaporizers that use convection and conduction heating methods that eliminate the production of carbon monoxide, a dangerous by-product of traditional smoking methods. These devices also create aerosols which harmlessly dissipate into the atmosphere and don't pose the same risks to anyone nearby unlike second-hand smoke. Dry herb material is not liquid in nature so there is no risk of accidental inhalation or ingestion. Additionally, CBD flower material can be purchased from trusted medical distributors and there is NO risk of additional elements in the mix.

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In summary, if you are a medical vape user, the best and safest bet will be to purchase a dry herb vaporizer. In particular, certain desktop devices such as the Volcano Hybrid offer the purest and most flavorful vapor quality and zero risk factor. Some recommended portable dry herb vaporizers include the Crafty, the Davinci IQ, and the Starry Xmax V3.