People bought a Penjamin after seeing different ones on Tik-Tok.
But they are curious "What’s the deal with these weed vapes? Are they safer?”
The practice of cannabis vaporization has ancient roots—historical accounts suggest that as early as 500 BCE, Egyptians would heat hemp seeds to high temperatures, releasing inhalable vapors without burning the plant material, a precursor to modern vaping. Prior to the advent of today’s sleek electronic devices, clunky, battery-powered contraptions were used to vaporize dry cannabis flower, offering an alternative to smoking by producing vapor instead of smoke, thus reducing some combustion-related harms.
In regions with relaxed cannabis laws—such as Canada (where it’s fully legal) and numerous U.S. states (allowing medical or recreational use)—vaping has surged in popularity. The first vape pen hit the U.S. market in 2007, coinciding with shifting legal landscapes, and marked a shift from whole-plant material to concentrated extracts or oils, now sold in refillable or pre-filled disposable cartridges.
Modern cannabis vaporizers have evolved into high-tech devices, integrating features like LED screens and Bluetooth connectivity. The Penjamin brand, notable for its pen-shaped design, became so iconic that its name is now commonly used to describe any discreet cannabis vape device. Though marketed for aromatherapy, users often replace its cartridges with high-potency cannabis oil, capitalizing on its covert design. This demand for discretion has spawned a range of disguised products—chapsticks, car accessories, smartwatches, and even earbuds—allowing users to vape undetected.
A critical concern remains the lack of oversight into cannabis vaping products’ quality. Similar to nicotine e-liquids, cannabis vapes may contain additives like preservatives, thickeners, and flavors deemed safe for other uses but untested for inhalation when heated. Tragic incidents highlight these risks: in 2019, 68 U.S. deaths and thousands of lung injuries were traced to black-market products laced with vitamin E acetate, a skin-care ingredient. Australia saw similar issues in 2023, when adulterated e-liquids containing opioids caused overdoses, including one fatality.
Equally worrying are products with extremely high THC concentrations (up to 95% or more), increasing risks of acute mental health effects like anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis—especially among first-time users. Long-term use of these concentrates has been linked to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a rare but severe condition causing chronic vomiting, with cases rising alongside the availability of potent extracts.
While vaping eliminates some smoking-related harms like tar and combustion byproducts, it introduces unstudied risks from novel additives and hyper-concentrated compounds. As the market evolves rapidly, researchers continue to investigate the long-term impacts of these ever-changing products, emphasizing the need for stricter regulation and transparency in cannabis vaping.