Max temp. for vaporizing without damaging the lungs

[dunwich]

I know this has been debated before but I seem to get a million different results according to who you ask. For example this article ( https://www.allbud.com/learn/story/cannabis-vaporizing-101-what-temperature-best ) says the following: "Dr. Ian Mitchell of the University of British Columbia sets the range lower: 347° - 392°F (175° – 200°C). Dr. Amo Hazekamp at the Netherlands Bedrocan BV says, “In general, I would say 210°C is the best balance between efficient evaporation of terpenes and cannabinoids and smoothness of the vapor.”"

I have som issues with my lungs so I want to vape at the highest temperature possible without damaging the lungs.

Also: Is it better for example to vape 0,1g at 200°C or 0.2 at 190°C ?

I use a Volcano and some strains make me cough when I vape above 190°C. Does this mean (the coughing) that im vaping at temp too high or too big an amount? The reason I ask is that both quantity and temp seems to affect the harshness of the vapor.

Any advice?

 

[CarolKing]

This is from Leafly
Is Vaping Safe?
According to two recent survey studies, people who vape cannabis perceive it to have health benefits and find it to be safer and less harmful to their health than smoking, Furthermore, cannabis vaporizers are specifically designed for inhalation without harmful smoke toxins.

But what do researchers say? Does vaporizing reduce ingestion of potentially harmful toxins like tar, ammonia, and carcinogens found in cannabis smoke? While there is very little research on cannabis vaporizing, studies over the years have shown that vaporizing does produce fewer carcinogenic compounds than smoking marijuana because it is heated but not combusted. Although cannabis smoke is less toxic than cigarette smoke, inhalation of any combustion product is less than desirable. Any type of smoke still contains gases and particulates that can create lung irritation and respiratory problems. In fact, over 100 toxins and compounds are released when cannabis is burned.


RELATED STORY
What Are the Negative Effects of Cannabis Smoking and Secondhand Smoke?
Smokers are more prone to respiratory infections and bronchitis, but it’s the smoke that gets you, not the cannabinoids. One of the first studies to compare smoking to vaporizing showed fewer respiratory affects with vaping, based on self-reporting of respiratory symptoms.

 

[Boden]

Coughing is generally from too much density or the kinds of terpenes. Piney terps catch me off more than others.

Try slipping some fresh air into your mouth as you hit the bag.

 

[MinnBobber]

First of all, no vaping temps will "damage" the lungs. What you are really asking relates to "irritation" of the lungs.

What temps of vapor "are least irritating" to the lungs?

Lower vape temps tend to be less harsh on throat and lungs but IMO, the BEST option to improve all vapor
is WARM MOIST WATER (from bubbler or hydratube etc).

Hits that would make me cough my lungs out with a direct hit or hit from Volcano bag, are smooth and
tolerable thru warm water. It conditions the vapor which is very very very dry hot air.

It's the key to smooth and soothing vapor !!!!!

 

[MegaMan2k]

depending on how your material was cured, and for how long.

If its still sorta fresh or it has'nt been cured but just dried,

That might result in some of the more harsh mono terpenes still being present in ur bud

Those are primarily the ones that gasses out during the cure. many of those are harsh on the throat in general.


I was choking like a mad man even when vaping low temp on my volcano etc. Only thing that did it for me was to grow my own with much care and only using organic inputs during the cycles etc.
However, I live in a country where cannabis is currently not legal, so i guess that is why there wasnt any "good" weed around. You may have some better luck in you neighbourhood tho and i hope u do m8

 

[dunwich]

Lower vape temps tend to be less harsh on throat and lungs but IMO, the BEST option to improve all vapor
is WARM MOIST WATER (from bubbler or hydratube etc).

Ive been considdering trying to vape through water but I must admit that im very afraid that it might be harmfull on my delicate lungs in some way. Like the Shishas/Hookahs who is supposedly very very bad for the lungs.

 

[CarolKing]

It’s important that you keep your water clean if using a water tool. Bacteria can grow and get in your lungs. I would vaporize very low temps and work my way up where it feels comfortable. A water tool is essential to have in your vaporizing arsenal.

The water tools are easy enough to clean with 99% rubbing alcohol and salt. Then rinse with hot water. You can also clean with PBW, you can get that off Amazon.
Edit
I live in a legal state and I try to buy organic cannabis. Sometimes you pay a little more. So true about contaminated weed like @MegaMan2k said below.

 

[invertedisdead]

I used a Volcano for years as my daily driver, IMO that bag vapor is a bit harsh, but even more so if you let the bags sit around for a bit and get stale.

I have som issues with my lungs so I want to vape at the highest temperature possible without damaging the lungs.

Just saying, if I had lung problems I would probably want to vape at the lowest temperatures possible to minimize any adverse reactions.

 

[howie105]

I know this has been debated before but I seem to get a million different results according to who you ask. For example this article ( https://www.allbud.com/learn/story/cannabis-vaporizing-101-what-temperature-best ) says the following: "Dr. Ian Mitchell of the University of British Columbia sets the range lower: 347° - 392°F (175° – 200°C). Dr. Amo Hazekamp at the Netherlands Bedrocan BV says, “In general, I would say 210°C is the best balance between efficient evaporation of terpenes and cannabinoids and smoothness of the vapor.”"

I have som issues with my lungs so I want to vape at the highest temperature possible without damaging the lungs.

Also: Is it better for example to vape 0,1g at 200°C or 0.2 at 190°C ?

I use a Volcano and some strains make me cough when I vape above 190°C. Does this mean (the coughing) that im vaping at temp too high or too big an amount? The reason I ask is that both quantity and temp seems to affect the harshness of the vapor.

Any advice?

So how compromised is your breathing, what condition is responsible and what is your doctors take on you using a vape?

 

[MinnBobber]

Ive been considdering trying to vape through water but I must admit that im very afraid that it might be harmfull on my delicate lungs in some way. Like the Shishas/Hookahs who is supposedly very very bad for the lungs.

................................................................
When kids have a chest cold/ lung irritation etc, what was the old school remedy: Hot water vapor by leaning over boiling pot of water LOL
Try an experiment please: wet a thick washcloth with hot tap water and then place over nose and mouth and inhale. Doesn't that feel good/soothing? Moist cannabis vapor feels much much much better on the throat and lungs.

And clean pure cannabis vapor that goes into water, certainly does not suddenly become nasty toxic compounds.

95% of my vaping is thru water as my lungs are very sensitive too, and for me, water treated vapor is so much much better.

 

[MegaMan2k]

These are all good points.
But
If you have contaminated weed, either from overload of fertilizers or residue from pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides.
This is something you want to make sure is not the culprit, or you can keep tweaking your vaping forever without any results.

 

[dunwich]

So how compromised is your breathing, what condition is responsible and what is your doctors take on you using a vape?

Well the thing is that no one really knows whats going on. By coincidence I got my lung capacity measured last year and it was at around 65%. At that point I was smoking 4 joints a day plus a couple of cigarettes. I immediately stopped smoking and after some months I bought a vaporizer. 3 months after I was measured to have a capacity of 65% I was now up to 90%. Then 3 months later it went down to around 65% again. This was also the result last time I went for a check-up. SO: the doctors dont really know if its some sort of asthma or if there's an element of COPD.
Im 35 years old, bike 1-2 hours a day, workout a couple of times a week and have absolutely zero symptoms (not that im aware of), so everybody kind of agrees that it would be very weird if it is COPD. Also the fact the I was measured to 90% doesn't make any sense if it is in fact COPD.

Concerning the water solution: im worried about the water, not that the weed will turn toxic. My doctor told me it was very bad to smoke shishas/hookahs because of the waterfiltration. Something about the moist being very unhealthy. He actually thought that my condition could have something to do with me smoking big amounts of shishash 10 years ago. Im sure waterfiltratin will make the vapor more smooth and easy but that doesn't mean that it's less harmfull. The shishas are also very very smooth to smoke becacuse of the water but that doesn't make them more healthy than smoking a cigarette for example.

Reg. the quality of my weed. I buy from a homegrower who im pretty sure knows what he is doing. The quality is among the best ive ever seen. But I guess it could be filled with pesticides/fungicides etc. - is there any way to test it?

Thanks for all the input so far!

 

[Baron23]

Well the thing is that no one really knows whats going on. By coincidence I got my lung capacity measured last year and it was at around 65%. At that point I was smoking 4 joints a day plus a couple of cigarettes. I immediately stopped smoking and after some months I bought a vaporizer. 3 months after I was measured to have a capacity of 65% I was now up to 90%. Then 3 months later it went down to around 65% again. This was also the result last time I went for a check-up. SO: the doctors dont really know if its some sort of asthma or if there's an element of COPD.
Im 35 years old, bike 1-2 hours a day, workout a couple of times a week and have absolutely zero symptoms (not that im aware of), so everybody kind of agrees that it would be very weird if it is COPD. Also the fact the I was measured to 90% doesn't make any sense if it is in fact COPD.

Concerning the water solution: im worried about the water, not that the weed will turn toxic. My doctor told me it was very bad to smoke shishas/hookahs because of the waterfiltration. Something about the moist being very unhealthy. He actually thought that my condition could have something to do with me smoking big amounts of shishash 10 years ago. Im sure waterfiltratin will make the vapor more smooth and easy but that doesn't mean that it's less harmfull. The shishas are also very very smooth to smoke becacuse of the water but that doesn't make them more healthy than smoking a cigarette for example.

Reg. the quality of my weed. I buy from a homegrower who im pretty sure knows what he is doing. The quality is among the best ive ever seen. But I guess it could be filled with pesticides/fungicides etc. - is there any way to test it?

Thanks for all the input so far!

In my experience, coughing is more a function of the harshness of the vapor than the temp. I recently had a respiratory virus that caused a terrible hacking cough. No matter the temp nor the moistness of the vapor, vaping tore me up.

Also, at least in my use case, vaping a bit of herb every day is not on the same level as consuming a shisha or ten in a hookah. I mean, unless you are vaping HUGE qty, I don't see the comparison.

I do use water most often (water pipe) and agree with @MinnBobber that moisture often feels good on the lungs and yes, we used to breath in steam laced with Vick's when I was a kid. Also, people with breathing issues often use nebulizers which, I believe, produce steam.

With all of that said, if your Doctor said stay away from moist vapor...well, then I guess that's what you should do.

Best of luck.

 

[howie105]

Well the thing is that no one really knows whats going on.

In a case of a mystery condition perhaps it would be best to move to edibles till they get a handle on whats going on with your respiratory system. Until then any suggestion may very well be an injurious suggestion.

 

[dunwich]

In a case of a mystery condition perhaps it would be best to move to edibles till they get a handle on whats going on with your respiratory system. Until then any suggestion may very well be an injurious suggestion.

But don't we all agree that vaping shouldn't damage the lungs?

 

[MinnBobber]

Im sure waterfiltratin will make the vapor more smooth and easy but that doesn't mean that it's less harmfull.

..........................................................................................
and vaping thru water certainly doesn't mean it is more harmful . Your Dr needs to stop equating shisha use to vaping thru water as his take is completely without merit.

 

[howie105]

But don't we all agree that vaping shouldn't damage the lungs?

Its less of a concern then combustion but its still inhaling a foreign substance and for folks with an undiagnosed lung condition it could pose a real risk. Thats why it is wise to work with a health care professional till they can diagnose your condition.

 

[psychonaut]

I agree with @howie105, edibles are the best option if you have compromised lungs. At leastd until you know whats going on through the doctor. Alternatively, if you are not getting the medicine that you need through edibles, you could try supplementing a single puff of vapor (versus an entire session) to ride alongside your edible meds. You will likely find you only need a single puff of vapor to get you where you need to be while on edibles.

 

[szai]

That's called a false equivalence. The thing with hookah shisha are worse than cigarettes is because you combust more tobacco for longer periods of time. You also take bigger hits. All that rain worse for your health but even that is simplifying things too much.

 

[Flower of empathy]

Ime taking as short/small draws/sips as possible reduces the lung irritation more than different temps

 

[Flower of empathy]

yes, i also think restriction also plays a part - somehow i can't use vapcaps through water without coughing my lungs out...but without water it is managable

 

[dunwich]

Now we are moving into unknown territory for me. I've tried doing some searches on the vapcaps but find it very confusing. What's the point in them? And why are they (maybe) better for the lungs?

Completely stopping to vape seems completely unrealistic to me at the moment. I've decided to try and cut my vaping into a minimum (0,1g -0,2g pr. day) and see if that makes any difference for my lung capacity. I'll also start experimenting with edibles which ive never tried before.

Again thank you all for your comments - keep them coming!

 

[Flower of empathy]

As u mention u are using the volcano - do u use the fine screen in the top part? definitive recommended. Whispier baloons with small loads should be also better, if u got a reducer just cover the screen and place an empty capsule on top, that's below 0,1g (i'd try maybe level 7 and let it cool down a min or two)...

 

[Tranquility]

It's an oldie:
http://www.canorml.org/healthfacts/smokestudy.html

They claim water tools make it worse. (Although they do mention a vapeing in the write-up, the focus is on smoking.) Because the water takes up some of the THC, people smoke more--raising the tars much higher. In the study, a joint was not as bad as a bong.

 

[invertedisdead]

It's an oldie:
http://www.canorml.org/healthfacts/smokestudy.html

They claim water tools make it worse. (Although they do mention a vapeing in the write-up, the focus is on smoking.) Because the water takes up some of the THC, people smoke more--raising the tars much higher. In the study, a joint was not as bad as a bong.

Big fan of MAPS, but isn't this study misdiagnosed? The condensate material produced by the vaporizer is not tar, so the comparison to smoking methods seems skewed.