Vape safety starts at the counter. Buy cartridges from a licensed store, check the batch test label, and match the battery setting to the oil inside the cart. A regulated cartridge carries a traceable lab result. An unregulated one does not.
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CDC data ties vitamin E acetate in unregulated THC carts to EVALI, a lung injury. From 2019 into 2020, EVALI put 2,807 people in the hospital and caused 68 deaths in the US. Vitamin E acetate showed up in lung fluid from 51 of 51 EVALI patients tested in one NEJM study. THC was in the products used by 82 percent of patients.
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The short version
- Buy from a licensed dispensary in your state.
- Ask for the batch test result before you pay.
- Keep the battery between 2.5 and 3.3 volts for distillate.
- Store carts upright at 60 to 75 °F.
- Stop and call a doctor for chest pain or shortness of breath.
Check the label
State cannabis agencies set testing rules. Most require screens for potency, pesticides, residual solvents, heavy metals, and microbials. Ask to see these items on the label or the package insert:
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- Batch or lot number
- Total THC and CBD in milligrams or percent
- Production or harvest date
- Extraction method: CO2, ethanol, or hydrocarbon
- License number of the producer
A cart with no batch number cannot be traced to a test. Walk away from loose carts sold in plastic bags, carts with hand-written stickers, and carts sold outside a storefront.
Set the voltage
Distillate is thick and flows at low heat. A setting from 2.5 to 3.3 volts suits most distillate carts. Live resin and rosin hold terpenes, and terpenes break down above 3.6 volts. Settings above 4 volts burn the oil and produce harsh vapor. Many batteries have a preheat mode that warms the coil at low power for 10 seconds.
Battery and charging rules
- Use the cable that came with the device.
- Charge on a hard surface, not on a bed or couch.
- Do not charge overnight or leave a charging battery alone.
- Do not leave a battery in a car. Lithium-ion cells vent when hot.
- Replace a battery that swells, gets hot, or has a torn wrap.
- Keep loose batteries away from keys and coins. A short circuit can start a fire.
Storage
- Keep carts upright. Oil stays at the wick and clogs stay away.
- Hold at 60 to 75 °F. Above 85 °F the oil thins and leaks.
- Keep out of direct sun. Light degrades THC and terpenes.
- Lock away from children and pets. Cartridges look like nicotine pods.
Draw technique
Take draws of 2 to 3 seconds. Wait 10 to 15 minutes before the next draw. Inhaled THC reaches peak blood levels in minutes, so a second hit right away adds more than most users expect. Drink water. Vapor pulls moisture from the mouth and throat.
Do not share
A mouthpiece carries saliva and bacteria. Sharing a pen passes both. Wipe the mouthpiece with alcohol before and after use.
Warning signs
Stop use and get medical care for:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath at rest
- Cough that will not stop, or cough with blood
- Fever, chills, or weight loss
- Heart rate above 100 beats per minute at rest
Tell the doctor that you vaped THC. CDC advises that answer for anyone with these symptoms.
Who should not vape cannabis
- Anyone under 21. Every state with an adult-use market sets 21 as the purchase age. Medical markets allow younger patients with a state card.
- People who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- People with asthma, COPD, or heart disease.
Questions for the budtender
- Which batches have a full contaminant panel?
- What voltage does this brand recommend?
- Is this distillate, live resin, or rosin?
- What is the total THC per cart, and how many milligrams per draw?
Dispensary staff can show the test sheet. If they cannot, buy a different product.