Varlet Vincent, Concha-Lozano Nicolas, Berthet Aurélie, Plateel Grégory, Favrat Bernard, De Cesare Mariangela, Lauer Estelle, Augsburger Marc, Thomas Aurélien, Giroud Christian
Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine, Geneva-Lausanne, Switzerland.
Institute for Work and Health (IST), University of Lausanne, University of Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Sci Rep. 2016 May 26;6:25599. doi: 10.1038/srep25599.
Therapeutic cannabis administration is increasingly used in Western countries due to its positive role in several pathologies. Dronabinol or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) pills, ethanolic cannabis tinctures, oromucosal sprays or table vaporizing devices are available but other cannabinoids forms can be used. Inspired by the illegal practice of dabbing of butane hashish oil (BHO), cannabinoids from cannabis were extracted with butane gas, and the resulting concentrate (BHO) was atomized with specific vaporizing devices. The efficiency of "cannavaping," defined as the "vaping" of liquid refills for e-cigarettes enriched with cannabinoids, including BHO, was studied as an alternative route of administration for therapeutic cannabinoids. The results showed that illegal cannavaping would be subjected to marginal development due to the poor solubility of BHO in commercial liquid refills (especially those with high glycerin content). This prevents the manufacture of liquid refills with high BHO concentrations adopted by most recreational users of cannabis to feel the psychoactive effects more rapidly and extensively. Conversely, "therapeutic cannavaping" could be an efficient route for cannabinoids administration because less concentrated cannabinoids-enriched liquid refills are required. However, the electronic device marketed for therapeutic cannavaping should be carefully designed to minimize potential overheating and contaminant generation.
由于治疗性大麻在多种病症中发挥的积极作用，其在西方国家的应用越来越广泛。目前有屈大麻酚或四氢大麻酚（THC）药丸、大麻乙醇酊剂、口腔黏膜喷雾剂或桌面式汽化装置可供使用，但也可以使用其他形式的大麻素。受丁烷大麻油（BHO）滴吸这种非法做法的启发，用丁烷气提取大麻中的大麻素，然后用特定的汽化装置将所得浓缩物（BHO）雾化。“大麻汽化”（即对富含大麻素（包括BHO）的电子烟补充液进行“汽化”）作为治疗性大麻素的一种替代给药途径进行了研究。结果表明，由于BHO在商用补充液（尤其是甘油含量高的补充液）中的溶解度较差，非法的大麻汽化发展有限。这使得大多数大麻娱乐使用者为更快、更广泛地感受到精神活性作用而采用的高BHO浓度补充液无法生产。相反，“治疗性大麻汽化”可能是一种有效的大麻素给药途径，因为所需的富含大麻素的补充液浓度较低。然而，用于治疗性大麻汽化的市售电子设备应经过精心设计，以尽量减少潜在的过热和污染物产生。
