Vaping cannabis may not be as harmless as it seems, according to two new studies by Carolyn Baglole and colleagues. While vaping is often viewed or advertised as a safer alternative to smoking, the research team found that cannabis vapour contains harmful chemicals, including carcinogens and agents toxic to the lungs. These substances can trigger stress responses and gene expression changes in human lung cells, similar to those caused by smoking cannabis.
The first study, published in American Journal of Physiology – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, showed that cannabis vapour contains carcinogens and both cannabis smoke and vapour generate cellular stress. The second study, in Cell Biology and Toxicology, found that vaping cannabis alters gene activity in lung cells, potentially affecting inflammation, immune responses, and cancer risk. The results highlight possible health risks associated with cannabis vaping.
The researchers stress the need for more research to understand the full impact of cannabis vaping, especially as legalization and social acceptance grow. These findings can help inform public health messaging and policy decisions, challenging assumptions that vaping is a safer option.
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Vaping cannabis could harm your lungs. Two recent studies from The Institute suggest that cannabis vapour may have adverse effects on lung cells. The Institute News. May 22, 2025
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Transcriptomic changes in oxidative stress, immunity, and cancer pathways caused by cannabis vapor on alveolar epithelial cells. Wilson ET, Graham P, Eidelman DH, Baglole CJ. Cell Biol Toxicol. 2025 Mar 8;41(1):57.
Cannabis vaping elicits transcriptomic and metabolomic changes involved in inflammatory, oxidative stress, and cancer pathways in human bronchial epithelial cells. Arlen MT, Patterson SJ, Page MK, Liu R, Caruana V, Wilson ET, Laporte SA, Goniewicz ML, Harris CS, Eidelman DH, Baglole CJ. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2025 Mar 1;328(3):L478-L496.