Many people begin using weed by vaping marijuana, but there are certain risks and complications they often aren’t aware of. Notably, marijuana is a potent substance with high addiction potential, increasing the longer you use it. Because vaping delivers a fast high and makes it easy to consume weed, it also heightens the risk of addiction. If you or someone you know vapes, there is information you need to be aware of about vaping marijuana. Let’s talk about the potential risks and dangers.
What Does Vaping Marijuana Mean?
Vaping is one specific method you can use to intake marijuana into your system. In fact, it is one of the most potent methods of marijuana use. Vaping delivers smoke directly into your lungs, where the effects of the active ingredient THC can be almost immediately noticed. Essentially, a vape device can contain tobacco products or a liquid version of cannabis. This oil or extract is heated by the atomizer in the vape pen. To vape, you inhale cannabis through the mouthpiece, which releases the contents into your lungs. Sometimes, people wonder if vaping marijuana is safer than smoking it. There are differences between vaping marijuana vs smoking it, but the main difference is how directly vapes release THC into your body. As such, you will experience an intense cycle of highs followed by lows. This is likely to increase your pull towards developing a marijuana addiction.
How Else Is Marijuana Used?
As mentioned, there are other ways to consume weed besides cannabis vaping. Notably, individuals can inhale marijuana essence or extract by heating and inhaling the vapors without use of a vape. But besides inhalation, other common methods of ingesting weed are eating it, smoking it, or dropping it on the tongue. For instance, it can be baked into brownies, eaten in gummy form, rolled into a joint, or taken as droppable liquid. Marijuana comes from the Cannabis sativa plant, which can be used in entirety. However, not all parts of the plant contain the psychoactive ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Parts of the plant that don’t produce a high (called hemp or CBD) are often used in skincare or holistic remedies. On the other hand, marijuana does contain THC and will produce a high. It can also be habit-forming, meaning you can develop a dependency on weed.
Is Vaping Marijuana Legal?
The question of whether marijuana is legal doesn’t have a cut and dry answer. This is because weed’s legality varies widely by country, and even by state in the U.S. In fact, cannabis products as a whole have inconsistent legality. This is to say, non-psychoactive CBD is legal to different degrees per state. Similarly, the potentially-addictive substance, marijuana, is legal in some states, while illegal and criminalized in others. This means it’s possible to purchase marijuana products like vapes in some states but not in others. The reason marijuana’s legality is not agreed-upon is because it has a high risk of health issues, including addiction. As one of the most abused drugs, marijuana can destroy lives if not carefully monitored. Some people should avoid marijuana entirely. Studies show links between weed use and mental health issues, including a greater risk of developing psychotic disorders. Additionally, it can worsen the severity of preexisting mental health challenges, including mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
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Is Vaping Marijuana Better Than Smoking?
As we discussed earlier, there is a difference between vaping and smoking marijuana, but is one better than the other? Vaping may increase your risk of developing an addiction because inhalation releases strong amounts of THC directly into your lungs. As such, you feel the effects faster and stronger. This can make you feel worse when the effects wear off, and makes marijuana use more of a roller coaster for your system. And it’s important to understand that regardless of how you intake weed, you’re still at risk of experiencing adverse mental health side effects.
Unfortunately, the reality of vaping vs. smoking weed is that vaping can increase your risks of certain health dangers. For one thing, because vaping releases smoke into the lungs, it can cause lung disease. Even more, people might source their vape cartridges off the black market, especially in states where weed is illegal. Because these cartridges aren’t regulated, they can contain toxins and harmful chemicals you inhale directly into your lungs. In conclusion, vaping marijuana is not safer than smoking and has its own risks attached.
Health Risks of Vaping
We’ve spoken a lot about the risks and complications of marijuana use. That said, is vaping marijuana safe? Although many people do it, there are ample health concerns with vaping that could have an impact on your life. For example, many people accidentally take laced weed they’ve purchased on the black market. This can have them bringing chemicals or other drugs into their system. Fentanyl is a large culprit of this.
Even if you stay safe from the side effects of vaping, specifically, there are risks of using marijuana in general. It’s important to be aware of the potential dangers and health effects, so here are short- and long-term risks to be knowledgeable about.
Short-Term Risk of Vaping
Common short-term risk of vaping include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Coughing
- Fever
- Burns
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Paranoia
- Mood swings
- Social isolation
- Cravings for more weed
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Development of chronic weed use
Long-Term Risk of Vaping
Common long-term risk of vaping include:
- Lung damage
- Worsened mental health symptoms
- Development of mental illness
- Trouble sleeping
- Impacted brain development (i.e., poor memory, focus, impulse-control)
- Mouth sores
- Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS)
- Financial difficulties
- Legal repercussions
- Addiction
- Overdose
Can Someone Get Addicted to Vaping Marijuana?
Many people ask, can you get addicted to vaping marijuana? Yes, it’s very possible to develop a dependency on weed or even a severe version of addiction called cannabis use disorder (CUD). You can also overdose on marijuana. Weed can be psychologically and physically habit-forming. Your brain will begin to crave the positive feelings stimulated in your brain and body when you use marijuana. Yet, over time, your tolerance will also increase so you have to up your dose or use it more often. At the same time, this increases your likelihood of becoming addicted.
It is possible to be addicted to marijuana in any form, regardless of whether you vape, smoke, or ingest it. Once you get to this stage, the effects on your brain will be strong enough that you can’t easily quit. Sadly, many people realize weed has become a problem in their life but aren’t able to overcome it alone. The good news is treatment for marijuana addiction exists close by.
Find Help for Marijuana Use
There is no shame in having a marijuana dependency that is larger than yourself. Many people get hooked on weed without realizing the consequences. This commonly occurs in young people who start using marijuana for a recreational high or to fit in. Notably, vapes are often a gateway into chronic marijuana use. Long-term weed use leads to addiction that isn’t easily resolved on its own. However, we can help you take back control over your life.
At Vogue Recovery in Las Vegas, we take a holistic healing approach combining traditional and alternative therapies. By entering our drug abuse programming, you’ll be able to stop vaping marijuana and live free from addiction!
- Down and High: Reflections Regarding Depression and Cannabis – Frontiers in Psychiatry
- Marijuana Legality by State – Updated April 1, 2025 – Disa
- Study Finds Cannabis Vaping More Harmful than Nicotine Vaping – News Medical
- The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research – National Library of Medicine
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Leo Paley
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