Everything You Need to Know About Vaping CBD Oil

Oct 22, 2024

Sherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert. She's also the former editor of Columbus Parent and has countless years of experience writing and researching health and social issues.

Sean is a fact-checker and researcher with experience in sociology, field research, and data analytics.

iStockphoto / HighGradeRoots

One of the newest trends in the growing vape culture is the practice of vaping cannabidiol (CBD) oil. However, vaping CBD oil poses many health risks. Learn more about the possible side effects and hazards of vaping CBD oil and other ways of reaping the potential benefits of CBD.

Especially where marijuana has been legalized, CBD has been touted as therapeutic for a host of medical problems, such as:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only one CBD-based medication: Epiodolex, which is used to treat seizures associated with two severe forms of epilepsy.

Continuing research suggests that CBD might have both physical and mental health benefits, but there is not yet enough evidence to recommend it as a treatment.

CBD oil is extracted from the flowers and buds of marijuana or hemp plants. Typically, it does not produce a "high" or intoxication because it contains very little, if any, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Only hemp-derived CBD oil with less than 0.3% of THC oil is legal at the federal level in the U.S. At the state level, CBD is legal in states that have legalized medicinal or recreational marijuana.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently linked liquid vaping products to an outbreak of nearly 3,000 lung illnesses so serious that even young people were being admitted to the hospital.

Generally speaking, vaping any kind of liquid—including CBD oil—poses health risks.

Although the CDC has linked many of these hospitalizations to vitamin E acetate (which is used to dilute CBD oil), the risks of vaping CBD oil are considerable. This is particularly true of vape pens sold by illicit dealers, online sources, or friends. At least 26 cases involved vaping CBD oil.

Nearly 70 people have died from what is now being called EVALI (e-cigarette and vaping-associated lung injury). The CDC believes thousands more may have been admitted to the hospital with lung issues related to vaping.

Additionally, numerous scientists, doctors, and researchers are concerned with the safety of inhaling CBD oil because so little is known about the long-term effects. Furthermore, when vaping devices are heated, a chemical reaction takes place that could pose additional risks to the lungs, especially in young people.

In addition to the potential for lung injury, vaping CBD can have various other side effects, such as:

The 2018 Farm Bill removed CBD from the definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. However, it is still subject to the same laws and regulations as other substances the FDA monitors.

According to the FDA, marketing CBD in food or as a supplement is illegal at the federal level in the U.S. Despite this, the marketing of CBD with unproven medical claims and of unknown quality is an ongoing problem.

The FDA also cautions that CBD can interact with other drugs and may have negative effects on the liver and male fertility. The agency has not yet determined how to regulate CBD vaping products effectively.

Organizations such as the U.S. Hemp Authority cannot certify CBD oils as they do CBD topicals, tinctures, and edibles because supporting research is lacking. Until some standards are adopted, consumers have no way of knowing exactly what they're buying and using.

This lack of certification has resulted in the marketing of fake CBD oil products that sometimes contain harmful chemicals. To determine the extent to which this occurs, the Associated Press (AP) commissioned a study of nearly 30 oils claiming to contain CBD. Flora Research Laboratories, which is licensed and inspected by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), conducted the study and found that:

Because this testing was such a small sample, the AP noted that their sampling was not necessarily representative of the entire CBD market.

Some other research found that CBD mislabeling affects up to 70% of CBD products sold online.

If you want to try CBD but avoid the risks associated with vaping, try these forms:

Remember, however, that these are also unregulated.

If you choose to purchase CBD, look for manufacturers who use third-party testing to verify the ingredients and contents of their products.

If you're considering vaping CBD oil to address a medical concern, talk to your doctor first. In such an unregulated market, risks associated with vaping and CBD oil could be significant, and counterfeit products will not deliver the promised benefits.

For help with substance misuse or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. They can provide information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see Verywell's National Helpline Database.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA approves first drug comprised of an active ingredient derived from marijuana to treat rare, severe forms of epilepsy

Black N, Stockings E, Campbell G, Tran LT, Zagic D, Hall WD, et al. Cannabinoids for the treatment of mental disorders and symptoms of mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2019;6(112):P995-1010. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30401-8

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreak of lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products.

FDA. FDA regulation of dietary supplements and conventional food products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. What you need to know (and what we’re working to find out) about products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds, including CBD.

Associated Press. How the Associated Press collected information on CBD vapes.

Bonn-miller MO, Loflin MJE, Thomas BF, Marcu JP, Hyke T, Vandrey R. Labeling accuracy of cannabidiol extracts sold online. JAMA. 2017;318(17):1708-1709. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.11909

By Sherri GordonSherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert. She's also the former editor of Columbus Parent and has countless years of experience writing and researching health and social issues.