For many medical cannabis users, vaping is their preferred method of use.
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The use of medical cannabis has grown more prevalent as research continues to show it can provide much-needed relief to people suffering from the symptoms of debilitating medical conditions. But access to cannabis may be jeopardized if states ban regulated cannabis vaporizer products in response to the outbreak of vaping-related illnesses that are being fueled by the illicit market.
An estimated three million Americans use medical cannabis, which is legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia, to relieve symptoms from chronic conditions such as epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or to relieve the side effects of chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients. While there are several forms of medical cannabis treatments, such as pills and topical ointments, vaporizers have become increasingly popular because they can provide more immediate and reliable pain relief.
Despite the benefits of medical cannabis vaporizer products, some state officials around the country are considering banning them in the wake of the nationwide outbreak of vaping-related illnesses and deaths. While well-intentioned, these policies do not address what most health officials believe is the primary suspect of vaping-related illnesses: illicit market products containing THC, the psychoactive element of cannabis, combined with other additives. Indeed, last week the CDC reported that one of these additives, a chemical compound called vitamin E acetate, had been found in lung samples from those who had been hospitalized for vaping-related illness.
Banning all vaping products only hurts the people who rely on them the most while driving more people to the illicit market. The notion of cannabis-as-medicine has become prevalent across the nation, as medical professionals and users themselves often prefer medical cannabis over other pain relievers, like opioids, because cannabis does not have the same addictive properties as many powerful prescription painkillers.
For many medical cannabis users, vaping is the preferred form of treatment — particularly in states where smoking cannabis is not permitted. People who vaporize medical cannabis prefer the easy accessibility and fast-acting properties of vaporizers, and often do not feel the same effects through other methods of consumption – like extracts or edibles. Policies that threaten access to this crucial treatment option would ultimately rob patients, suffering from debilitating conditions, of an effective form of relief.
Officials in some states are considering and implementing bans on legal medical cannabis vaporizer products. As a result, medical cannabis users in those states worry that their most effective treatment option will eventually be taken away from them entirely.
While it is important to take steps to solve the tragic wave of vaping-related illnesses and deaths, it is equally as important for policymakers to consider the facts and not hinder access to regulated products that provide a crucial treatment option for patients in desperate need of relief. Fortunately, health officials in states such as Minnesota and Illinois continue to advise against blanket bans on medical cannabis vaporizer products and instead are focused on the illicit-market THC products that are likely causing these issues. Simultaneously, industry organizations like the Cannabis Information Project, which we belong to, have formed to work with policymakers and the general public to protect patient access to vaporizer products and provide information on the pitfalls of blanket bans.
As policymakers continue to tackle this health crisis, they must consider the ramifications of bans on legal and effective medical cannabis products and enact policies that are focused on curbing the dangers of the illicit market. Medical cannabis users who rely on regulated treatments developed by licensed manufacturers should not suffer because of the bad actors who operate in the shadows.