NSMI-funded research examines health risks of Cannabis Vaporisers
Research supported by the North Staffordshire Medical Institute (NSMI) investigated whether cannabis vaporisers provided a safer alternative to smoking and identified potential health concerns associated with the devices.
The study was led by Dr Roger Bloor, a former psychiatrist and addiction specialist, and examined the chemicals produced when cannabis was heated in vaporisers rather than burned.
While vaporising reduced exposure to some of the harmful substances associated with smoke, the researchers detected unexpectedly high levels of ammonia in the resulting vapour.
Investigating alternatives to smoking Cannabis
Cannabis smoke contains a range of potentially harmful substances produced during combustion, including tar and other chemicals that can affect the respiratory system.
Vaporisers were promoted as a way of avoiding some of these substances by heating cannabis instead of burning it.
Dr Bloor and his research team set out to examine whether this represented a genuinely lower-risk method of consumption.
Their analysis found that vaporisers could reduce levels of some combustion-related substances. However, this did not mean that the resulting vapour was free from potentially harmful chemicals.
Detecting Ammonia in Cannabis Vapour
Researchers detected significant quantities of ammonia in samples produced using cannabis vaporisers.
Ammonia is a chemical that can irritate and damage the respiratory system at sufficiently high concentrations, making its presence an important area of investigation.
The laboratory work was carried out at Keele University using advanced Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) technology.
The researchers tested commercially available vaporisers alongside controlled cannabis samples and material representative of cannabis encountered outside research settings.
Their findings indicated that the chemical composition of the plant material itself could influence the amount of ammonia produced.
A small grant with wider research impact
The original study received an NSMI research grant of £4,869 in 2004.
Despite the relatively modest level of funding, the project helped generate further research and contributed to scientific discussion about the potential risks associated with cannabis vaporisers.
The work subsequently informed follow-up studies and was reported in the scientific literature, demonstrating how early-stage charitable funding can help researchers investigate questions that may otherwise receive limited attention.
Understanding harm reduction
The project highlighted the importance of carefully evaluating products promoted as ways of reducing harm.
Removing smoke from the process may reduce exposure to some harmful compounds, but it does not necessarily eliminate all health risks.
Dr Bloor also emphasised that changing the method of consumption would not address the potential psychological and psychiatric effects associated with cannabis use.
The research therefore contributed to a broader understanding that claims about reduced-risk products should be supported by evidence rather than assumptions.
Supporting research across a wide range of health issues
The study demonstrated the breadth of research supported by the North Staffordshire Medical Institute.
Alongside projects in areas such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurological conditions, NSMI also funded work examining substance use and its potential effects on health.
Supporting research across diverse areas of medicine and public health has been an important part of the work associated with the Wade Charitable Foundation and North Staffordshire Medical Institute.