The Devil’s Weed has a slightly less devilish means of consumption. A UCSF study (what, Humboldt State wasn’t available?) has evaluated a device that can deliver the active ingredient of marijuana, THC, without having to smoke it…
The research team looked at the effectiveness of a device that heats cannabis to a temperature between 180 and 200 degrees C, just short of combustion, which occurs at 230 degrees C. Eighteen individuals were enrolled as inpatients for six days under supervision in the General Clinical Research Center at San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center.
Under the study protocol, the participants received on different days three different strengths of cannabis by two delivery methods–smoking or vaporization–three times a day. Plasma concentrations of THC were measured along with the exhaled levels of carbon monoxide, or CO. A toxic gas, CO served as a marker for the many other combustion-generated toxins inhaled when smoking. The plasma concentrations of THC were comparable at all strengths of cannabis between smoking and vaporization. Smoking increased CO levels as expected, but there was little or no increase in CO levels after inhaling from the vaporizer, according to Abrams [Donald I. Abrams, MD, UCSF professor of clinical medicine -ed].
In order to truly validate such a device, they’d also have to compare it to the more home-made smokeless method: brownies. Of course, then we have to worry about the health risks associated with moist, chocalate-y baked goods.
Either way, it’s good news for pain-ridden AIDS patients, the targeted beneficiaries.
More from UCSF…
