One minute of secondhand marijuana smoke impairs cardiovascular function

[slimvictor]

One minute of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) from marijuana diminishes blood vessel function to the same extent as tobacco, but the harmful cardiovascular effects last three times longer, according to a new study in rats led by UC San Francisco researchers.

In a healthy animal, increased blood flow prompts arteries to widen, a process known as flow-mediated dilation (FMD). When FMD is compromised, as happens during SHS exposure, blood flow is impeded, and the risks of heart attack, atherosclerosis and other heart problems increase, said UCSF’s Matthew Springer, Ph.D., professor of medicine and senior author of the new study.

“Your blood vessels can carry more blood if they sense that they need to pass more blood to the tissues,” Springer said. “They dilate to allow more blood through. But that’s inhibited by exposure to smoke.”

Previous work by Springer and others has shown that as little as one minute of exposure to tobacco SHS diminishes FMD, but the effects of marijuana SHS hadn’t been examined. In the new research, published online in the July 27, 2016, issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association, a team of scientists in Springer’s laboratory measured rats’ FMD, which works similarly to FMD in humans, before and after exposure to both tobacco SHS and marijuana SHS.

The researchers found that rats exposed to marijuana SHS experienced a more than 50 percent reduction in FMD, similar to the reduction in artery function seen in both rats and humans exposed to tobacco smoke in previous studies. As with tobacco, the reduction occurred after just one minute of exposure to SHS from marijuana. However, while rats exposed for one minute to tobacco SHS recover within 30 minutes – an observation that was reproduced in the new study – one minute of exposure to marijuana SHS still significantly affected FMD 90 minutes after the initial exposure.

cont at
http://universityofcalifornia.edu/n...rijuana-smoke-impairs-cardiovascular-function

 

[slimvictor]

To ensure the effect on FMD wasn’t a result of smoke from the rolling paper used in marijuana cigarettes or the cannabinoid compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the main psychoactive substance in marijuana), the researchers also tested marijuana not rolled in paper and with cannabinoid compounds removed. Arterial function was still impaired in those situations, leading the team to conclude that smoke from burning marijuana plant matter itself caused the decline in FMD.

moral of the story: try to make sure all of your marijuana smoke is firsthand
%)

edit: in the name of harm reduction, I am joking!
Smoke is simply not good to breathe in.
Period.

 

[poledriver]

Vapour is much better to breath in

 

[slimvictor]

^ much healthier, for certain.

Of course, the healthiest way to use cannabis is to eat or drink it.
But it's harder to control the dose that way, and it can pretty easily become overpowering / overwhelming.
So, vaporizing seems to generally be best when we consider all factors.

 

[poledriver]

Yeah -

http://theleafonline.com/c/science/2013/11/the-success-of-israels-medical-vaporizer-program/

I use vaporisers and I have for about 3 or 4 years now. Before that I was smoking it and I can tell you personally how much healthier my lungs are for swapping over.

I also use less and feel less like I have to re-dose when I vape compared to when I used to smoke it.

There are some fantastic plug in and portable vapes these days too, the industry is exploding with people swapping to vaping it instead of smoking it (like I did).

Many of my friends and family are swapping over to vaping now too.

 

[Snake_Eyes]

I've had my vape for a little over 5 1/2 years.

I did both for a few years, smoke a bowl out of my bong and then keep the high going with vapor bong hits. I think in the last 2 years I've only smoked maybe 3-4 times which is pretty good seeing as I'm a daily user.

Not only that but you can eat the AVB leftovers which gives an incredible body high if you do enough. I capsule mine and use 1 or 2 for when I need some extra help with sleep. None gets wasted.

 

[slimvictor]

^ nice.
I extract the goodness from my vaped bud as well, in oil usually, and bake (and get baked).

 

[MushroomRyder25]

To the people who switched to vaping - Did you notice a change in the high? I've vaped a few times and I feel like it goes away much quicker.

 

[poledriver]

Yeah it took me quite a few attempts to switch from smoking to vaping full time. That instant hit is not the same when vaping. It may not be for everyone but I feel like I found a new love in vaping my weed instead of smoking it.

Most information I am reading is showing that vaping is much healthier and more economical than smoking it as well.

 

[Snake_Eyes]

To the people who switched to vaping - Did you notice a change in the high? I've vaped a few times and I feel like it goes away much quicker.

Yes but I haven't really noticed a difference in duration but they smoke differently so it's kind of hard to judge. A bowl in my bong is 1-2 hits and you're done then just sit back and wait for the high. The same amount of weed in my vape will give me 8-12 big hits depending on the temp I start at so I'm always coming back to redose.

The high from vaping is cleaner and more heady but I prefer the high smoke gives. If I could afford it I would smoke more often but still vape daily, back when I did both I was probably going through a quarter a week at my heaviest. Just vaping I buy a half ounce every 2 months. My vape setup is arguably my most prized possession (as sad as that is) and I wouldn't trade it for the nicest smoking glass out there.

 

[Foreigner]

I'm only high for about 30 mins when I vape, smoking is about 2 hours.

 

[poledriver]

Secondhand Weed Smoke Is Bad for Rats. What About Humans?

Secondhand Weed Smoke Is Bad for Rats. What About Humans?

Hotboxing your friends might get them high, but are there other effects? While past studies indicate that extreme exposure to secondhand pot smoke causes mild intoxication, a recent study also suggests that it may be worse for you than secondhand cigarette smoke.

The study, published last week by the American Heart Association, found that when rats were exposed to a minute's worth of cannabis smoke, their blood vessels took at least three times longer to function normally again than when they were exposed to tobacco smoke. This resulted in the rats' arteries carrying blood less efficiently for 90 minutes after one minute exposure, as compared to 30 minutes with tobacco.

"Many people avoid being exposed to tobacco smoke but feel that marijuana smoke is benign," UCSF's Dr. Matthew Springer, professor of medicine and senior author of the study, told Motherboard.

"Now with increasing [cannabis] legalization, the opportunities for people to be exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke will increase, and those who smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes may not realize that their families and neighbors could be affected by their smoke."

Repetitive short-term impairment of artery function from tobacco smoke can have long-term effects, he said, so the same might also be true for marijuana smoke. The arteries carrying blood less efficiently limits the amount of oxygen to the heart, which could temporarily increase the chances of heart attack or stroke, especially if someone is vulnerable, explained Springer.

But can a study based on rats adequately be applied to humans?

Springer said yes: “Notably, humans and rats respond similarly to tobacco smoke exposure, and rats respond similarly to tobacco and marijuana smoke exposure (longer duration for marijuana),” he said. “So it is reasonable to suspect that humans and rats will respond similarly to marijuana smoke."

Cardiologist Dr. John Pippin, director of academic affairs for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, disagrees. It's already known that the inhalation of smoke causes the blood vessels to narrow, said Pippin, no matter whether it's from cannabis, tobacco, campfire, or even incense.

But he says the study’s conclusions about rats don’t tell us enough about indications for humans since the physiological comparisons between humans and rats are unreliable. He pointed to his research that says 95 percent of the medications that prove successful when tested on rats fail when tested on humans.

"The message I take home: Don't light up that bong in a room with your pet rat."
"That's why I had to shake my head and say this is some of the most useless research I've ever seen," he said. "The message I take home: Don't light up that bong in a room with your pet rat."

While Pippin points out many people would willingly participate in a study that exposes them to a minute of pot smoke, Springer says that marijuana's legal status makes it difficult to experiment with people.

"Still, ultimately I think we need to have more studies of how humans respond acutely to smoke," Springer said.

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/second-hand-marijuana-smoke?utm_source=vicefbanz

 

[slimvictor]

merged

 

[poledriver]

Thanks!

 

[avcpl]

Interesting article on ideal vape temp. I had been at 200C, but am going to bump up to 210C. I only vape once a week max (I get piss tested for pain management) so not concerned with toxins.

http://www.leafscience.com/2016/05/18/vaporizing-marijuana-temperature-best/

 

[Snake_Eyes]

My vape (DaBuddha) isn't digital so I'm don't know what temp I vape at, I usually start at 12-1 on the knob and end at 3. At 3 the temp is very hot, much higher and it'll combust which I've done a few times. Like stated in the link the vapor at this heat is quite harsh even using water filtration. Call me cheap but I try to milk as much vapor as I can before I jar it.

 

[assclass]

i vape at multiple temps. start low and work up, that way you release maximum good stuff!