Pot 'Dabbing' Poses Risk of Serious Burns, Study Warns
Pot 'Dabbing' Poses Risk of Serious Burns, Study Warns
By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, June 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A potentially hazardous form of marijuana use called "dabbing" is growing in popularity across the United States, researchers warn.
In dabbing, users inhale through a water pipe the vapor from "dabs" of waxy or solid marijuana concentrate. A piece of superheated metal or glass instantly vaporizes the dab, creating an intense high from a single inhalation.
But the dabs are created using highly volatile butane gas, and a number of fires, explosions and severe burns have been linked to the production of this marijuana concentrate, said study lead author John Stogner, an assistant professor of criminology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
"Given the amount of butane that can build up during this process, these individuals should be worried about any spark from any source," Stogner said.
Experts also are concerned about the high potency of the dabs, said Heather Senior, parent support network manager for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.
The crystallized resins created by the process can have a THC concentration approaching 80 percent, the study authors said. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical compound in marijuana that causes intoxication.
"We know that it is more potent than smoking marijuana," Senior said. "You don't know what concentrate you're going to be getting. It's going to be a much higher dose, and kids might not be used to that."
The study findings were released online June 15 in Pediatrics.
Dabs, also known as butane hash oil, are created by stuffing marijuana trimmings into a glass, metal or plastic pipe, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Butane is forced into the pipe, and the flammable liquid extracts THC from the plant material.
"There's a big danger of fire even if they aren't using some sort of heating device," Stogner said, noting that butane gas can build up in an enclosed space during the process. The smallest spark can prompt an explosion.
The number of butane explosions linked to dabs and hash oil has nearly tripled in Colorado, jumping from 12 in 2013 to 32 in 2014, according to USA Today.
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, June 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A potentially hazardous form of marijuana use called "dabbing" is growing in popularity across the United States, researchers warn.
In dabbing, users inhale through a water pipe the vapor from "dabs" of waxy or solid marijuana concentrate. A piece of superheated metal or glass instantly vaporizes the dab, creating an intense high from a single inhalation.
But the dabs are created using highly volatile butane gas, and a number of fires, explosions and severe burns have been linked to the production of this marijuana concentrate, said study lead author John Stogner, an assistant professor of criminology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
"Given the amount of butane that can build up during this process, these individuals should be worried about any spark from any source," Stogner said.
Experts also are concerned about the high potency of the dabs, said Heather Senior, parent support network manager for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.
The crystallized resins created by the process can have a THC concentration approaching 80 percent, the study authors said. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical compound in marijuana that causes intoxication.
"We know that it is more potent than smoking marijuana," Senior said. "You don't know what concentrate you're going to be getting. It's going to be a much higher dose, and kids might not be used to that."
The study findings were released online June 15 in Pediatrics.
Dabs, also known as butane hash oil, are created by stuffing marijuana trimmings into a glass, metal or plastic pipe, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Butane is forced into the pipe, and the flammable liquid extracts THC from the plant material.
"There's a big danger of fire even if they aren't using some sort of heating device," Stogner said, noting that butane gas can build up in an enclosed space during the process. The smallest spark can prompt an explosion.
The number of butane explosions linked to dabs and hash oil has nearly tripled in Colorado, jumping from 12 in 2013 to 32 in 2014, according to USA Today.
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