Is Dabbing Dangerous?

May 25, 2020 - Drug Facts - 0 Comments

If you’ve smoked marijuana before, you’ve probably heard of dabbing or dab weed. Dabbing as a method of using marijuana is increasingly becoming popular. While it is a relatively new method, many people are becoming interested in trying it out. For those who are not familiar with dab weed, also known as dabs, it is a concentrated form of marijuana produced using leftover materials like cannabis stems and shake. Other names for dab weed include wax, CO2, resin, honeycomb, shatter, and pull ‘n snap.

One thing that highly interests marijuana users is the extremely high Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC content of dab weed. THC is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana which is responsible for its sedative or euphoric effects. Unlike normal marijuana that usually contains around 20-40% of THC, dab weed can contain up to 80 to 90% of THC. This means that from just a single hit of dab, your body can intake a high amount of THC compared to smoking regular weed.

Another thing that makes dabbing popular is the availability of dab weed in dab pen devices. The older method of dabbing meant using a nail and rig setup, which can be complicated to use especially for newbies. With the availability of dab pens that can vaporize dab weed, users are able to dab in a more discreet manner. The portability and practicality offered by dab pens made it more accessible to users who want to intake a high amount of THC.

The high amount of THC in dab weed is one of the most attractive factors for marijuana users. The common reasoning why people prefer dab weed is that they can get a high in less time and in less amount of weed. However, not many people realize that dabbing can have associated dangers.

High Amount of THC Means Increasing Your Tolerance Rapidly

Just like any other drug, the more you take marijuana, the more your body becomes accustomed to it. This means that over time, you will need to take more weed to get the same effect. For example, if you used to smoke marijuana with 20% THC, you may need to increase the strength of your weed in order to get the same high after a few weeks or months.

When you dab, keep in mind that you’re getting an extremely high amount of THC even with just one use. Depending on your dab concentrate, this can be from 50 to 90%. Dabbing regularly then means you are increasing your tolerance very quickly. This could result in being mentally dependent on marijuana and it is also possible for you to seek stronger, more harmful substances if dab weed can no longer satisfy your cravings.

Hazardous Chemical Exposure

There are still many people who are producing dabs in their own homes or backyard by doing their own extraction of the marijuana concentrate. The extraction process is done by using a flammable chemical called butane. This method has resulted in many accidental explosions and injuries. Since these methods are not regulated, you as a dab user really do not have any guarantee if the dabs you’re taking is pure dab weed or if it is mixed with any other chemicals. It is not uncommon for drug manufacturers to mix in chemicals to heighten the strength of their products.

Even if you’re using a dab pen, you’re still not 100% sure that what you are vaping is actually what it says it is. You are even more vulnerable if you’re buying your dab weeb from social media or other online sources.

Mental Effects

While marijuana is usually taken to calm down and address mental concerns, there have been reports that taking a large amount can aggravate these problems. Reportedly, the high level of THC in dab weed can cause mental side effects in some people. These conditions include paranoia, depression, and anxiety. If the user has pre-existing mental conditions, using dab weed could worsen the effects.

Physical and Behavioral Effects

Many people underestimate the strength of dab weed especially new users. This mistake could make users overuse dabs thinking that it’s the same as the normal weed they smoke. There have been reports of people being hospitalized due to over consumption of weed. People often go to the ER because they start experiencing abnormal psychedelic effects making them panic and anxious that they are dying or in a serious condition.

The intense hallucinogenic effect brought about by dabbing can cause some people to act strangely and even violently. This behavioral effect can bring harm not only to the user but to other people as well.

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, help is available.

Contact Lighthouse Treatment today.