After dozens of people across the Midwest and California were sickened as a result of vaping cannabis or e-cigarettes, consumers, vape makers, and retailers alike have to be aware of how products are made and where they were made.

Vape pens have surged to new heights on the marijuana mountain by offering a portable and discreet way to consume THC or cannabidiol (CBD)-heavy concentrates. 

The proof: Vape oil products made up a whopping 86% of the concentrate market in Colorado, Washington, and Oregon in 2018, and 71% of the concentrate sales in California, according to a May 2018 report by BDS Analytics. 

But there have been serious health and safety concerns associated with vaping technology, first in the e-cigarette industry and later in the cannabis industry. Nearly three dozen young people in the upper Midwestern U.S. and California were hospitalized for severe respiratory problems after vaping nicotine or cannabis, The New York Times reported on Aug. 14, 2019. Three days after that report, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that it had identified 94 possible cases of vaping-related severe lung illness in 14 states.

In one Illinois case, an adult patient hospitalized for vaping-related respiratory distress died sometime in August 2019, the Chicago Tribune reported Aug. 23, 2019, though state health officials did not divulge further details.

This public health crisis has forced popular cannabis companies into action to protect customers by devising ways to verify authentic products and thwart potentially hazardous counterfeits.

Trendy as they may be, vape pen cartridges are still the new kid on the cannabis block. This recent emergence, akin to the rise of e-cigarettes, has researchers scrambling to find out the long-term health effects of vaporization. Meanwhile, many states which have legalized cannabis are still refining testing requirements. The lack of insight into vaping has left many cannabis consumers to wonder whether their vape cartridge is safe to consume.   

In May 2019, Weedmaps published a guide to help readers understand what vape cartridges have in them and how to spot and avoid counterfeit cartridges that could be potentially harmful. In one of the respiratory cases, a Wisconsin patient who fell critically ill but recovered purchased a device off the street, his brother told NBC News. The information below is republished from the May article and updated where necessary.

What's Inside Your Vape Cartridge?

While there are plenty of vaporizers that can be used to consume flower and concentrates, the most popular device style to emerge from the vape clouds is the portable penlike design. Vape pens are designed to vaporize cannabis oils and distillates.     

A vape pen comprises two primary components: a battery and the vape cartridge. The battery consists of the bottom portion of the vape pen, providing power to the heating element, which vaporizes the cannabis oil contained inside the vape cartridge. Most vape oil producers will tell you which voltage is compatible with the selected cartridge. These devices come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Some vape pens have a button that activates the vape cartridge, while others are buttonless and only activated once the user takes a draw. 

Vape cartridges include a mouthpiece, chamber, and heating element known as an atomizer. The chamber is filled with concentrated amounts of cannabinoids, usually either THC- or CBD-dominant, and terpenes. The atomizer is activated when contact is initiated with the battery, heating up the chamber and vaporizing the cannabis oil.

Cannabis vape oils that fill vape cartridges are usually created through a process called distillation, which strips the cannabis molecules down to just the cannabinoids. So, what about unique flavors that are defined by the plant's terpene profile found in the aroma of fresh cannabis flower? All of that is stripped away during the distillation process. Some cannabis oil producers will collect the cannabis-derived terpenes during the process and reintroduce them into the oil, allowing the distillate-filled cartridge to be strain-specific. More commonly, the terpenes used to flavor distillate are derived from other natural plants. 

Are There Contaminants in Your Vape Cartridge and Pens? 

The most prevalent problem on the illegal vape market are concentrate cartridges that contain high levels of pesticides. When consumed at concentrated levels, inhaled pesticides cause health problems. To ensure that vape cartridges don't contain hazardous pesticide level, it's important to purchase from reputable brands that disclose third-party test results and include screening for pesticides. 

Cutting agents can be added to enhance the intensity of the vapor cloud and overall mouthfeel of the vapors. Common cutting agents that are sometimes infused with cannabis oil and e-cigarette vape juice include: 

• Polyethylene glycol (PEG): a cutting agent used in vape liquids to keep the product evenly mixed. 
• Propylene glycol (PG): a binding agent that is added to cannabis vape cartridges because of its ability to foster even vape draws. 
• Vegetable glycerin (VG): Added to vape liquids to help generate large vape clouds for the user. 

Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has labeled these cutting agents as safe for human ingestion, questions remain about what happens when these compounds are inhaled. A 2010 study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that inhaling PG could potentially exacerbate asthma and allergies. Additional research also suggests that, when vaporized at high temperatures, both PEG and PG breaks down into the carcinogens formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. 

There is a steadily rising number of cannabis oil producers that insist on not adding any cutting agents to their product. If you're concerned about the potential harm of these cutting agents, seek out raw products that only contain cannabis distillate and cannabis-derived terpenes.

It's not just the cannabis oil that is at risk of contamination. In a 2018 study conducted by scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, researchers discovered that unsafe amounts of toxic metals, including lead, were leaking from the heating coils of e-cigarettes and seeping into the aerosol that was inhaled. As the FDA continues to grapple with how to properly regulate e-cigarettes and vape pens, it's up to vape cartridge manufacturers and testing labs to catch potentially hazardous products. 

“Metal concentrations in the e-liquid from the original dispenser increased markedly in the same e-liquid after it was added to the device and was brought into contact with the heating coil, both in the generated aerosol and in the liquid that remained in the tank,” the study stated. “These findings support the hypothesis that metals are transferred from the device (most likely the coil) to the e-liquid and from the e-liquid to the aerosol that is inhaled by the user.” 

A large portion of vape cartridge components are produced at metal foundries in China, many of which add small amounts of lead into brass and copper feedstocks to improve the malleability of metals. This includes the heating coil, which heats up the cannabis oil, potentially transferring toxic metals into the consumer's vapors.

As lab testing requirements have been bolstered in California, scientists have been able to identify vape cartridges that contain high levels of lead before they reach the legal market. The California Bureau of Cannabis Control implemented Phase 3 testing standards on Jan. 1, 2019, which included analytical testing for heavy metals. 

How to Tell if Your Vape Cartridge is Legit or Counterfeit

Another consequence of the vape pen's rising popularity is the steady stream of fake THC cartridges that have flooded the market. Some of the industry's most recognizable brands, such as Connected Cannabis Co., Heavy Hitters and Kingpen, have battled against counterfeit vape cartridges. These counterfeit cartridges are being sold with similar branding, logos, and packaging as some of these producers, making it difficult for the average consumer to tell whether they're buying legitimate products. 

The potential dangers of consuming oil from a counterfeit vape cartridge are pretty straightforward. For starters, it's nearly impossible to tell what's inside of the oil without getting it lab tested. Since these counterfeits are likely bypassing state testing regulations, there's no way of telling, without proper laboratory testing, if there are cutting agents, contaminants, or even actual cannabis-derived oil in the cartridge. 

Many cannabis oil manufacturers have been proactive in helping consumers identify whether they have purchased a legitimate vape cartridge. For instance, Heavy Hitters, the California-based cannabis vape cartridge producer, has shared a list of authorized retailers on its website, and also have an online formwhere customers can report counterfeits. Kingpen, another vape cartridge producer in California, has used its social media presence to raise awareness and campaign against counterfeits.

In legal states and provinces, the best way to thwart the counterfeit vape cartridge epidemic is to purchase products from reputable retailers or dispensaries. Unfortunately, this isn't a viable option for cannabis consumers living in areas where recreational cannabis is still illegal. Still, there are certain precautions one could take to reduce the chances of purchasing a counterfeit vape cartridge. 

When ordering or browsing cannabis products on Weedmaps, for instance, you can limit your search results to only display Weedmaps Verified products. This feature will show which storefronts and delivery services have been authorized to sell vape cartridges from reputable industry brands, guaranteeing that you get legitimate products from proper sources.

If the price of a branded cartridge is significantly below market price, that could be a red flag. Avoid purchasing cartridges that are sold without any packaging. If you have a vape cartridge that you suspect might be counterfeit, go to the manufacturer's website and compare your cartridge with legitimate products. There could be a serial number, QR code, or certain stylistic differences that will help you decipher whether you have a real cartridge. Additionally, a quick Google search about a specific brand should unearth a number of resources that will distinguish real vape cartridges from counterfeits.

Tired of smelly cannabis? One company might have a solution for you.

Brampton, Ont.-based CannabCo Pharmaceuticals announced Tuesday that it will launch an “odourless cannabis,” and claims that it is the first ever to do so.

The company says in the statement that it will use a technology called “PURECANN” to create the odourless cannabis, and has exclusive rights to use the technology in its Canadian production.

PURECANN was originally developed for the medical market to eliminate the harshness of smoking cannabis without it losing its properties.

The end result will be cannabis that will not only be nearly odourless, but also less harsh to smoke, which could be appealing to new users who often receive coughing fits when first trying cannabis.

Details of how the technology works were not provided, but CannabCo CEO Mark Pellicane says that no third party products or devices are needed on the user’s end — it is simply cannabis flower that doesn’t smell.

Cannabis’ smell — love it or hate it?

Cannabis typically has a very strong smell that can travel easily if not properly stored. I for one have opened my bag plenty of times only to be hit with a dank odour from less than a gram of cannabis.

Cannabis smell seems to produce a “love it or hate it” reaction from people. While some appreciate the subtle notes of the smell and use it to help predict the nature of the strain, others do not enjoy its pungency.

It will be interesting to see if this apparently odourless cannabis will affect its flavour or potency. According to Adolfo Gonzalez, a founder of cannabis sommelier course CannaReps, cannabis’ flavour and aroma are one and the same, and the smell is a good indication of the quality of the cannabis.

Market potential

Nevertheless, CannabCo likely is targeting the cannabis smell haters, and predicts that there could be a healthy market of users.

“In using this technology CannabCo will be able to produce a wide variety of products currently not in the marketplace, addressing a key market segment that currently does not exist,” CannabCo COO Mark Novak said in a statement.

“Imagine someone going outside for a break during the day, having their afternoon cannabis and coming back without any odour attached to their clothing or coat.” Pellicane said.  “A woman can carry cannabis in her purse without having the odour concentrated or leaking out in her handbag.

“A number of users, and people that are around cannabis smokers, complain about the smell especially in enclosed areas, condos, and apartments, and this technology addresses those concerns.”

Cannabis does appear to be going in directions that are pushing the drug further and further away from its original flower offering. Soon products such as cannabis-infused food (edibles) and beverages (drinkables) will be legal in Canada in October and offer consumers ways of consuming cannabis that do not involve smoking or its traditional smell.

These products are expected to draw in up to $2.7 billion for Canada’s cannabis industry, according to a June report from Deloitte.

CannabCo has received a Confirmation of Readiness notification from Health Canada for their pending cannabis licence and plan to use the PURECANN technology once licensed.

Even with the 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act (AKA The Farm Bill) being signed by President Trump ultimately removing the hemp plant from the Schedule 1 controlled substances classification, many still remain skeptical or confused about the hemp-based CBD compound. 

Those are some monumental conditions, symptoms and ailments that regular people suffer from each and every day. Can CBD help decrease all of this? Does CBD truly do what it claims to? How do you know it works? Are all CBD brands going to create that much of a differing effect? 

Studies are claiming that these results they’ve been finding, show how CBD can kill cancer cells, hinder the opioid epidemic, be utilized as an alternative for easing chronic pain, treating hair loss, assisting with Parkinson’s Disease and even erectile dysfunction.

All of those health issues can be treated with non-psychoactive cannabinoids? One can only hope. 

CBD Is Unique

It is more likely that CBD can potentially lead those who are suffering from these specific issues toward the proper pathway of healing and improving wellness. Curing cancer and opiate addiction is a heavy order though.

Of course, as an advocate for CBD, I’d be ecstatic to learn this was all very much accurate and by no means exaggerated. At the same time, anyone reporting and publishing information about CBD must be far more responsible when attempting to share embellished stories about CBD-related arguments. 

Then again, I’m well-aware that CBD is so unique, it can certainly be effective without necessarily noticing the effects, hence non-psychoactive — meaning no psychotropic effects whatsoever. So, due to the mysterious nature that defines the CBD compound, perhaps all the ailments CBD is linked to treating medicinally are indeed true. 

Yet, we would have to assume every health claim, every anecdotal remark, every embellished testimonial we have ever heard referring to CBD, is absolutely 110% factual.

Perception and Misconception

In 2019, a situation involving truth, transparency and trust is sadly nothing more than a fairy tale. No matter what the topic, nowadays it becomes overcrowded by misinformation before any facts can reach us. 

Many blame citizen journalism. Then again, citizen journalism is a direct by-product of the meaningless mainstream news — a 24/7 talking-head rendition of a Shakespearean soap opera drama, tasked with routinely manipulating and slowly corrupting minds into a biased state. 

The influence of massively over-informing the general public with anecdotal concepts on a regular basis can also be referred to as narcotizing dysfunction — a sociological term for describing how people can become numb and uninterested in the information being presented to them, especially if that information is being constantly thrown in their faces.

Constant media overload is making people numb to facts

Surely, by now, we know better than to believe the first thing we hear about any topic. Right? All the while, though I do believe in miracles and I’ve certainly witnessed firsthand just how effective CBD can be for countless individuals — still, it is difficult to realistically believe certain claims, especially whenever I hear about CBD, a NON-psychoactive molecular compound defeating the opioid epidemic. 

In reality, opiate addiction is easily one of the most massively psychoactive-induced ailments that has transformed into a major social issue — one of the worst this society has ever faced. So, how can you explain that a non-psychoactive compound can cure one of the most addictive mind-altering substance abuse epidemics?

Do we want all those terrible diseases to be curable by Cannabidiol (CBD)? Yes of course. Presumably, we would all be very pleased and overjoyed. Yet, it still seems highly unlikely.

Most brands in the industry make no health guarantees and highlight the fact that it is not approved by the FDA. Thus, this is a required gesture for them to do so, demanded by the Food and Drug Administration. 

Reshaping the Discussion 

Overall, given all what has been discussed, these are questions all too commonly heard. And they’re fueled by the the same type of denial and skepticism that’s been plaguing the Vapor Industry when this technology can be properly used for Tobacco Harm Reduction.

See how specific we have to be now? To simply say “Vaping” may not provide the appropriate information for an accurate interpretation of the terminology being communicated. 

Since now, people refer to vaporizing CBD or marijuana as simply “vaping.” Even though when reflecting on the concept of “vaping,” it is far more accurate to suggest that “vaping” deals with the vaporization of nicotine based e-liquids. 

Regardless, the facts, interpretations, perceptions, embellishments and misconceptions are all closely linked to one another, creating branches of information intertwining throughout our communities. 

Nevertheless, some might say that the more information, the better — yet, this is a lazy justification. Regardless of the topic, we must all agree that the quality of the information in relation to accuracy is, above all, what matters most. Therefore, reshaping how we discuss these topics is more important now than ever before.

CBD is undeniably a wellness miracle and a highly effective cannabis compound. Especially for helping those who suffer from seizures. 

At the same time, Cannabidiol is not a mysterious panacea, meaning it will not cure everything. Instead, CBD is an alternative medicinal option and just like all medicine, CBD affects everyone differently. Using CBD products is merely another method for treating the symptoms brought on by some, but not all, health conditions. 

Nevertheless, it certainly would be miraculous to one day learn that CBD will become the cure-all that we sure all want it to be. So, remember that hope is never far away. 

After two years of hemp trials in the Riverland and South East regions of South Australia, it’s been concluded the crop will grow very successfully in the state.

Released late last week, a report from South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) follows on from a SARDI report published last year.

Over two seasons trials have compared nine different industrial hemp varieties all told, sown across different sowing times from late October to mid-January.

“These trials have shown under the right conditions, including planting in free-draining soil and using good quality irrigation water, there was good germination and growth at the trial sites,” said Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Tim Whetstone.

Groundwater salinity can be a showstopper – a trial at Kybybolite trial site in 2017/18 was halted and moved to Maauope for the 2018/19 trials (750 ppm at Maaoupe vs 2,000 ppm at Kybybolite). However, it was also determined older plants (20cm plus) don’t suffer as much from the effects of salinity as younger plants.

Heat on the other hand didn’t appear to be such an issue. During the October to January period plants reached more than three metres high in the Riverland where it’s not unusual to see back to back 40C days with extremely low humidity.

With regard to weed control, this was achieved through smothering of weeds by the hemp canopy (>50 plants/m2) rather than herbicides, as there are no herbicides registered for use on hemp in South Australia.

The new report, which can be downloaded here, includes full results from trials carried out during the 2017/18 growing season; including new grain quality data, and fibre/hurd yield. It also includes preliminary results from the 2018/19 growing season.

A third season of trials is planned at Loxton and Maaoupe.

Hemp farmers on the lookout for seed for the 2019-20 season will be able to use the information in the report for planning growing schedules.

South Australia’s industrial hemp sector is still very much in its infancy, with just nine licensees planting commercial crops in 2018/19 – for a total crop area of approximately 160 hectares. 13 cultivation licences and two processing licences have been approved to date by the State Government.