BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A study by the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center recently found that vaping CBD can lead to more severe lung damage than vaping nicotine.
CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is an active ingredient found in cannabis, or marijuana. Roswell Park reported Monday that most research on the health effects of vaping has only focused on vaping nicotine and not CBD.
The study essentially tested the effects of inhaling CBD versus nicotine. Cultures of human cells were tested and exposed to filtered air, nicotine, or CBD aerosols for two weeks.
The study found the following results:
- More areas of tissue damage were found in the cells that inhaled CBD aerosols versus nicotine aerosols
- MPO, an enzyme that promotes inflammation and damage to lung cells, was found to have greater activity following exposure to CBD aerosol.
- CBD aerosol inhalation resulted in greater inflammatory changes and higher oxidative stress in the lung.
- Exposure to CBD aerosols killed neutrophils, purified white blood cells, at a faster rate than nicotine aerosols.
Dr. Yasmin Thanavala, a doctor in Roswell Park's Department of Immunology, not only noted the difference between smoking and vaping but vaping nicotine and cannabis.
"Our findings suggest that vaping cannabis may not only cause significant lung injury, but can also increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, lead to poor responses to prophylactic vaccinations or cause worsening of symptoms in patients with underlying pulmonary inflammatory disease. So it's not enough for car providers to ask people, 'Do you smoke?' The next step is, 'Do you vape?' If the answer is yes, you need to ask, 'Do you vape nicotine or do you vape cannabis?'"
