The Joy of Vaporizing
Marijuana, an effective form of botanical medicine, has few side effects that impact health and wellbeing. However, the most common mode of delivery, smoking, presents a health care concern. Smoke from marijuana contains many of the same chemicals and carcinogens found in tobacco smoke. There is no definitive evidence indicating how much smoke causes damage, just that inhalation of tar and other compounds is associated with increased cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, ect. 3, 4 Donald Tashkin, MD, a previous opponent to marijuana smoke reversed his claims that marijuana smoke causes cancer in a report to the International Cannabinoid Society. In fact, he states that the evidence may show a protective effect of marijuana smoke.
The effects from inhaled marijuana are felt within minutes from only a few inhalations, unlike tobacco which only delivers small amounts of nicotine per puff, requiring many repeated inhalations. The vaporizing method was invented in 1996. Vaporization is a method in which the cannabis plant is heated to approximately 150 C, a temperature lower than that required for combustion, but not enough to change the beneficial chemicals from a solid to a gas. This allows the inhalation of beneficial vapor that has less of the harmful hydrocarbons and tars that are produced as part of smoke with the burning of plant cellulose. This means that the lungs are not being exposed to tar nor carcinogens and the patient's risk of developing any long term lung problems is greatly reduced 1.
The vaporizer is still an inhalation method and has all the benefits of smoking; rapid effectiveness means relief from pain, nausea, and anxiety within minutes. The vaporizer heats the medicine slowly allowing the patient to gently inhale medicinal vapors. The effect last from 2-3 hours, the vapors can be more potent than smoke and take effect with fewer inhalations, making the most of a small amount of medicine. The vapors are mild and do not taste like smoke. Some smokers may feel that they are not getting the same quality of inhalation, simply because they are not breathing in smoke. This takes some time to getting use to.
1Marijuana Water Pipe and Vaporizer Study. Newsletter of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies MAPS Volume 6 number 3 Summer 1996
2 Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine. Bakalar, James B. and Grinspoon, Lester. Yale University 1993.
3 The interactions between cigarette smoking and reduced lung function on systemic inflammation. Gan,Wen G Man, Paul Sin Don D Chest 2005; 127-558-564.
4 Smoking related diseases: the importance of COPD. Zaher C, Halbert R, Dubois R, George D, Nonikov D, Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2004 dec. 8(12);1423-8. Medicann Newletter May 2006
to saving our lungs in the process of getting high 
