Is your vape putting you at risk?

Vape is known for being a better-for-you way to inhale cannabis, delivering all the goods without the harmful byproducts of combustion. But like anything, there’s more to the story. Our lungs are one of our most vital organs, serving critical functions from ensuring the body has enough oxygen, to balancing our pH, to protecting us from infections and environmental pollutants, and so much more. So what we inhale really matters. 

When we talk about vape safety, the conversation often focuses on the cannabis oil itself. But equally important is the hardware used, and how it can impact the quality of the vapor. Vape manufacturing is often marked by a significant variance in quality. Safer products typically boast advanced engineering, high-quality (such as food-grade) materials, advanced ceramics, and are tested to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Unfortunately some of the generic, off-the-shelf hardware on the market are produced with inconsistent quality control, using lower grade materials (some of which may not be heat-resistant or food-safe), and with inconsistent or even no regulatory oversight. These products may be cheaper, but that ultimately comes at a cost, posing risks of toxic emissions like formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein, decreased battery safety, or heavy metal contamination. All of which ultimately ends up in your lungs.

Have you ever heard of crystalline silica?

Don’t worry, most consumers haven’t. Crystalline silica has the same structural formula (SiO2) as glass and sand. It’s a naturally occurring mineral found in many types of stone, including concrete, mortar and quartz. It’s essential for the production of building materials — things like bricks, tile, glass and ceramics.

Crystalline silica poses significant health risks

While it has an important role in construction materials and industrial goods, crystalline silica can be harmful to you if you inhale it. In fact, it’s recognized as a known respiratory irritant and carcinogen. When inhaled, especially over time, crystalline silica can cause silicosis — a buildup in the lungs that leads to inflammation and scarring. It can also increase the risk of developing lung cancer, chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Some studies even suggest a link between prolonged exposure of crystalline silica and kidney disease.

Crystalline Silica should not be in your vape

In vapes specifically, crystalline silica can be found in low-quality heating elements or ceramic components. It degrades into very fine particles that can be easily inhaled, causing harm to lungs. Given the concerns about inhaling crystalline silica, PAX has developed ceramic formulas which are free of crystalline silica. We believe that crystalline silica has no place in vape atomizers.

We test our vapes to ensure there’s no trace of crystalline silica

We’ve told you a lot about how we design for safety and hand select every material used in our hardware, but it’s true. With engineers and scientists from some of the leading companies in the world, we take this responsibility very seriously. We have stringent materials sourcing practices in place to ensure that we’re using high-quality materials across all of our products and avoiding those materials that contain — or degrade — into crystalline silica. 

We evaluate our ceramics for the presence of crystalline silica, in addition to conducting other sophisticated testing, to ensure that harmful substances aren’t making their way into our vapor. And our patented temperature control makes sure our products don’t reach the high temperatures where significant off-gassing or material degradation could occur in the first place.

How to be an informed vape consumer

Not all vapes are created equal, and whether you’re purchasing PAX or other leading brands on the market, we want you to be armed with the tools to make informed purchasing decisions that protect your health and safety. Questions you might ask manufacturers or retailers include:

• Where was this vaporizer manufactured?
• Was it manufactured in compliance with ISO standards?
• What materials are used in the heating element or wick?
• What safety testing has this vape undergone?
• Does this vaporizer company have a good reputation for quality products?

Despite being one of the fastest growing segments in cannabis, the future of vape relies on the industry’s ability to ensure consumer health and safety. We’re committed to quality in all that we do, prioritizing cleaner, safer systems for consumers to enjoy confidently.