Can I Still Use My Vape Pen? In the past few weeks, vaping has come under national scrutiny as the CDC began reporting shocking numbers of mysterious and severe lung related illnesses tied to nicotine and THC-based e-cigarettes. Since then, a number of states have enacted e-cigarette bans while others (including our home state of California) have issued warnings that people stop vaping immediately.
At Fleur Marché, our goal is to be your trusted resource in the cannabis space by providing an accurate and reliable cannabis education while also providing a safe pl ace to buy highly vetted and rigorously tested CBD products. As such, we approached this whole vape thing in the same way we think you would: concerned, skeptical, and eager to hear what the experts had to say. After doing our research and chatting with Samantha Miller, a biochemist and veteran cannabis scientist responsible for the development of the ever popular dosist “dose pen™” (nbd!), here’s where we came out… Bottom line, given the lack of certainty about what exactly is causing these lung illnesses, it’s probably safest to avoid vapes and vaping until we know more. But for those of you who rely on vapes for therapeutic reasons or for those who just like vaping and don’t want to stop, we’re breaking down the facts about what we know (and what we don’t).
We approached this whole vape thing in the same way we think you would: concerned, sceptical, and eager to hear what the experts had to say.
What We Know:
- According to the CDC, there have been 805 cases of lung injuries associated with vaping from 46 states and 1 US territory. 12 deaths have been confirmed in 10 states.
- All reported cases have been associated with the use of e-cigarettes or vapes with most patients reporting the use of products containing THC. - Vitamin E Acetate has been found in samples of many (though not all) of the products used by patients in the reported cases. - The CDC recommends that “Anyone who is concerned about the reported health risks refrain from using vape or e-cigarette products.”
What We Don’t:
- The specific cause of these lung injuries is not yet known, as investigators have yet to identify one single product or ingredient that can be linked to every case.
The Science of It All: Founder and Chief Science Officer of Pure Analytics*—a best-in-class, California-based cannabis screening lab—Samantha Miller explained that the cause of these lung issues is likely the addition of certain diluting agents (like Vitamin E Acetate) in inexpensively manufactured vape products. For scientific reasons that will bring you back to high school chemistry (we’ll spare you) once these additives are vaporized and settled in the lungs, they congeal and become solid masses that the lungs are unable to expel and that block them from functioning as they should. Terrifying…
The cause of these lung issues is likely the addition of certain diluting agents in inexpensively manufactured vape products.
Tips for Safe Vape Shopping:
- Only buy your cannabis vapes from retailers that are regulated (for THC products) or have clear vetting standards (for hemp-based CBD products) or brands that you trust to be manufacturing high quality, additive-free products. This means NO gas stations or convenience stores! (More on the vape products we sell at Fleur Marché below). - Ask about a vape product’s potency – if it’s less than 70% cannabis (either CBD or THC), you should be suspicious about what exactly is making up that 30%+ of product. - For hemp CBD vapes, buy products that only have full spectrum hemp extract and terpenes. Stay away from any additives, even things that sound natural like lavender or chamomile oils, because they haven’t yet been tested for safety in vapes.
Buy products that only have full spectrum hemp extract and terpenes. Stay away from any additives...because they haven’t yet been tested for safety in vapes.
Fleur Marché’s Approach: At Fleur Marché, we require a rigorous set of testing from any brand we’re interested in working with. We review the tests personally and therefore feel confident about the quality and safety of every product on the site. We carry the Beboe Calming Pen – CBD Blend because it is the one vape that we felt comfortable with, as Beboe is diligently focused on quality, safety and compliance. Beboe performs rigorous testing on all of its products using independent third -party labs to ensure compliance with California state regulations. It does not use Vitamin E in any of its vape pens. That said, given the general uncertainty right now, we have decided to temporarily pause vape sales.
Given the general uncertainty right now, we have decided to temporarily pause vape sales.
*Pure Analytics
was founded in 2010 as a pioneering cannabis analysis facility. Over its 9 -year history, Pure Analytics has gained notoriety for its work in supporting the development of hundreds of unique CBD strains with novel testing programs that identify cannabinoid traits of interest in early stages of growth as well as providing analytical services for the testing of cannabis products to ensure consumer safety and proper dosage. Today, Pure Analytics remains a leader in cannabis an alytics as a licensed testing lab, performing product certification for the regulated cannabis market. We’re committed to ensuring the safety and quality of cannabis and cannabis products available to consumers.
Samantha Miller is an internationally recognized biochemist, known for her expertise in cannabis and cannabinoid science. Samantha has been at the forefront of cannabis science and innovation for the last 9+ years. Merging her extensive background in product development with her deep understanding o f cannabis therapeutics to develop the award winning dosist dose-controlled vaporizer product line as founding CSO of the brand. Her innovative work was recognized making 'TIME Magazine's list of Top Inventions of 2016. Frequently called on for her perspective and knowledge and highlighted as a leading female executive in cannabis, Samantha can be found spotlighted in recent publications of 'Rolling Stone,' 'The Verge' and 'Entrepreneur.' Go to url to find more about Vaping products shorturl.at/cmstz
