title: Drug vaping applied to cannabis: Is "Cannavaping" a therapeutic alternative to marijuana?
abstract: Therapeutic cannabis administration is increasingly used in Western countries due to its positive role in several pathologies. Dronabinol or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) pills, ethanolic cannabis tinctures, oromucosal sprays or table vaporizing devices are available but other cannabinoids forms can be used. Inspired by the illegal practice of dabbing of butane hashish oil (BHO), cannabinoids from cannabis were extracted with butane gas, and the resulting concentrate (BHO) was atomized with specific vaporizing devices. The efficiency of "cannavaping," defined as the "vaping" of liquid refills for e-cigarettes enriched with cannabinoids, including BHO, was studied as an alternative route of administration for therapeutic cannabinoids. The results showed that illegal cannavaping would be subjected to marginal development due to the poor solubility of BHO in commercial liquid refills (especially those with high glycerin content). This prevents the manufacture of liquid refills with high BHO concentrations adopted by most recreational users of cannabis to feel the psychoactive effects more rapidly and extensively. Conversely, "therapeutic cannavaping" could be an efficient route for cannabinoids administration because less concentrated cannabinoids-enriched liquid refills are required. However, the electronic device marketed for therapeutic cannavaping should be carefully designed to minimize potential overheating and contaminant generation.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Varlet
authors.affiliation: Institute for Work and Health (IST), University of Lausanne, University of Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Concha-Lozano
authors.affiliation: Institute for Work and Health (IST), University of Lausanne, University of Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berthet
authors.affiliation: Institute for Work and Health (IST), University of Lausanne, University of Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Grégory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plateel
authors.affiliation: Psychology and Traffic Medicine Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Switzerland.|Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Favrat
authors.affiliation: Psychology and Traffic Medicine Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Cesare
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lauer
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Augsburger
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.|Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Aurélien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giroud
mesh_terms: D002073:Butanes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002188:Cannabis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008385:Marijuana Smoking; D064086:Medical Marijuana / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000072137:Vaping / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002073:Butanes; D002186:Cannabinoids; D064086:Medical Marijuana; C046888:butane; D013759:Dronabinol; C029675:Hashish oil