aerosol Gas-Phase Components from Cannabis E-Cigarettes and Dabbing: Mechanistic Insight and quantitative Risk analysis

Introduction:
This article investigates the chemical components of the gas phase (GP) of aerosols generated from dabbing and vaping cannabis extracts (CEs) using synthetic distillate (SND) and ThC. The study aims to identify and quantify GP components and estimate the cancer and noncancer risks associated with exposure to these and other degradants. The key points and main message of the article are summarized below.

Key Points:

* The study used aTD-GCMS to quantify target VOC analytes and estimate levels of these components seen from vaping SND in a CV device at three voltages.
* The levels of major-occurring VOCs, identified by comparison of mass spectra against those in the NIST mass spectrometry database, were estimated using a nontarget analysis method.
* The aerosol doses of cannabinoids, terpenes, and potentially toxic degradation products being delivered to vulnerable cohorts such as teens and pre-teens or to medical marijuana patients with compromised immune systems are not known.
* quantitative risk assessment (qRa) was applied to estimate cancer and noncancer risks from dabbing and CV usage, and the results were compared to risks from smoking cannabis using quantitated cannabis smoke components from the literature.
* The study is the first to use qRa to evaluate the safety of cannabis smoking.
* The level of chronic consumption of each method was matched so each would deliver an equivalent daily dose of ThC.
* The results indicate that vaping or dabbing distillates has lower hI and ELCR than those of cannabis smoking by several orders of magnitude.
* The study suggests that dabbing hI may exceed unity under altered conditions such as increased nail temperature or increased terpene content.

Main Message:
The study highlights the potential risks associated with dabbing and vaping CEs, particularly for vulnerable cohorts such as teens and medical marijuana patients. The use of qRa to estimate cancer and noncancer risks provides valuable insights into the safety of these methods of inhalation compared to smoking cannabis. however, the study also emphasizes the need for further research to identify other volatile organics that have not yet been detected in the GP and components of the particulate phase that are potentially toxicologically relevant. The development of novel cannabis inhalation products has outpaced basic and applied biomedical research, and future work must assess the biological impact these aerosols have on the respiratory system.

Meehan-atrash, Jiries, Wentai Luo, Kevin J. McWhirter, and Robert M. Strongin. “aerosol Gas-Phase Components from Cannabis E-Cigarettes and Dabbing: Mechanistic Insight and quantitative Risk analysis.” aCS Omega 4, no. 14 (October 1, 2019): 16111–20. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.9b02301.