Vitamin E refers to a family of eight related fat-soluble nutrients. Vitamin E acetate, the most well-known member of the group, has been used for years as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Because of its ability to delay oxidation and rancidity, it is also frequently used in marijuana vape goods. In this article, we’ll define Vitamin E Acetate and talk about its role in cannabis vaporizers.
Vitamin E Acetate: What is it and How Does it Benefit Your Health?
Vitamin E is typically considered beneficial when consumed in appropriate quantities and preparation. This antioxidant has been found in several trials to alleviate symptoms of many different conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, blood issues, and even menstrual cramp pain.
Vitamin E is a popular ingredient in both cosmetics and food, albeit the former is the more prevalent route of ingestion. These common methods of taking vitamin E are quite safe, but studies show that inhaling very high doses of the vitamin can be detrimental.
As a result of inhalation, it changes into a highly reactive molecule that can cause damage to the lungs and other respiratory system organs. It often appears as an oily liquid, but rapidly oxidizes in the presence of air.
Why Is It Used in Vaporizers?
As a preservative, vitamin E is sometimes added to vape cartridges to prevent the oils from oxidizing and going bad. It’s also added to cartridge oils as a thickening or diluent to make them last longer.
Loss of power, altered flavor profiles (ranging from strong like black pepper to oily like fish), and the release of potentially harmful chemicals can all arise from oxidation, which occurs when oxygen mixes with molecules.
At one point in time, vitamin E acetate was one of the most often used additions in vaporizer cartridges containing both cannabis and nicotine. Nonetheless, the additive’s once-widespread use has declined as information about its potential hazards has become more widely known.
Risk of Vaping with Vitamin E acetate
Vitamin E has been demonstrated to be harmful if breathed. However, preliminary research suggests that the oily substance can adhere to lung tissue, increasing the risk of lung harm.
In a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found vitamins in the lungs of 94% (48 of 51) of patients with e-cigarette use symptoms, but none of the 99 healthy subjects.
How Can You Tell If Vitamin E Acetate Is Present in a Vape Pen?
In contrast to nicotine-based vaping products, where the Food and Drug Administration has been able to regulate the additive’s use, THC-based vaping products have proven to be much more difficult to regulate because marijuana laws vary from state to state and are still illegal from the federal level.
Even still, most companies that make cannabis vaporizers have stopped utilizing the ingredient out of concern for their client’s health. It is not present in any of Diego Pellicer’s products.
Reading the list of ingredients on a product is the quickest way to determine if it contains vitamin E, which might be helpful if you’re wondering about the safety of something you’ve purchased. Any credible producer will clearly state on the label if it does or does not. If the ingredients list is missing (or you’ve already thrown it away), think about where you bought the goods. Products sold illegally online or in underground markets are more likely to contain carcinogenic chemicals.
Alternative Vape Products
Several additional additives are available and can be used instead, which is good news. Vegetable glycerin is one such additive because it is completely safe even when exposed to oxygen and it can also prevent oxidation by limiting the oxygen that can reach it. Also, propylene glycol will serve the same purpose without contributing any of the healthy antioxidants found in oils like hemp seed oil or coconut oil.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
“People do not use THC-containing e-cigarettes, or vaping products, particularly from informal sources such as friends, relatives, or in-person or online sellers,” said the CDC’s official guidance.
This latter point is crucial in the context of THC vapes, as the CDC has reported the following data on the sources of THC vape products among hospitalized patients who suffered from vitamin E acetate-related lung injury:
- The vast majority (78%) of respondents said they never bought anything from a formal retailer.
- Of those polled, 16% said they never looked further for their supplies, never going to a non-commercial source.
- 6% said they used both formal and informal channels to purchase goods.
Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that cannabis is not as tightly controlled as other products, so you may need to do some extra investigating before making a purchase. Perhaps the best piece of advice is to stay loyal to a vape brand once you have confirmed that it has no potentially dangerous ingredients. Helping Hands Boulder is a dispensary with a wide variety of pot vape pens to choose from.
