Buying an air purifier for cannabis or weed smoke

Marijuana is one of the most widely-used drugs around the world. Used by all demographics, its popularity is rising. According to a 2020 statistic, in the United Kingdom, 31.2% of the population of England and Wales between the ages of 16 and 59 had used cannabis at least once during their lifetime, up from 28.9% in 2001. Furthermore, 7.1% of the population in the UK had used it within the last year¹. With its strong odour and negative health effects due to second-hand smoke, cannabis is often a nuisance to roommates and neighbours. What are the dangers of second-hand cannabis smoke? How can an air purifier for cannabis help? Read on to learn more.

Second-hand cannabis smoke

A significant portion of young people believe that second-hand cannabis smoke (also known as SHCS) is less dangerous than tobacco smoke. In fact, 27% of young adults surveyed believe SHCS to be safe, according to UC Berkeley Public Health².

Which pollutants/chemicals are found in cannabis smoke?

According to one of the first studies of its kind, a paper published in 2022 analysed the effects of cannabis use using a bong in the home. The results found SHCS to be more toxic than that of tobacco smoke. It contains several hundred chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic³. This poses serious health danger to both first-hand marijuana smoke and second-hand smokers. Specifically, the following air pollutants were analysed:

Particulate matter

Levels of fine particle pollution, also known as particulate matter (PM), were extremely high. PM2.5 concentrations were 10 times greater in weed smoke than the levels measured during ‘orange sky days’ caused by wildfires and Sahara desert dust. Furthermore, particles released by marijuana smoke remain in the air for much longer than PM emitted by tobacco smoke: 12 hours after cannabis smoking had ceased, PM levels still exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendations³.

Typical PM levels in the home are as follows:

• Non-smoking homes: 15 μg/m3
• Cigarette-smoking homes: 44 μg/m3
• Cannabis-smoking homes: 200 μg/m3
• WHO recommendations: 10 μg/m3 for PM2.5, 20 μg/m3 for PM10

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

A 2015 study compared urinary levels of VOCs and PAHs in cannabis smokers versus non-smokers. It found a significantly higher level of toxic byproducts of combustion (VOCs and PAHs specifically) in cannabis smokers compared to non-smokers⁴.

Some of the most common VOCs found in cigarette and cannabis smoke include formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, styrene, nitrogen oxides, xylenes, and ethylbenzene. Carbon monoxide is also found in cigarette smoke. In 2012, a list was published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) containing ‘harmful and potentially harmful constituents’ (HPHCs) found in cigarettes. The list includes 93 substances, 33 of which are VOCs⁵. The level of terpenes, natural compounds found in cannabis that give it its distinct marijuana odour when smoked, is one of the factors that determines the severity of exposure to HPHCs⁶.

Heavy metals and toxic gases

Marijuana smoke contains a variety of heavy metals. Cadmium, mercury, nickel, chromium, and lead are all found in cannabis smoke. Ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, nitrogen oxides, and other aromatic amines are all found in levels three to five times higher in marijuana smoke than cigarette smoke⁷.

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Is cannabis smoke bad for your health?

Cannabis smoke is a throat and lung irritant. Certain aspects of smoking marijuana put the smoker and secondary-smoker at higher risk than a tobacco smoker. For example, marijuana joints are typically less tightly packed, meaning that more smoke particles and tar are inhaled. Marijuana smokers, on average, inhale more deeply and retain the smoke inside their longs for a longer period of time than a cigarette smoker. This longer exposure time amplifies the negative effects on health that the toxic substances found in cannabis smoke have on the body. This ultimately contributes to the increased risk of the following health effects.

‘Contact high’

Under extreme, short-term conditions with little ventilation, a second-hand cannabis smoker may experience the same effects as a first-hand smoker. This may include low to moderate sedative effects, minor cognitive impairment, and difficulties concentrating⁸. This is referred to as a ‘contact high’ and may cause a person who did not directly smoke marijuana to fail a drug test.

Cancer risk

A person who experiences exposure to marijuana smoke is at risk of the same adverse health effects as second-hand tobacco smoke. The biggest risk is multiple types of cancer, especially lung cancer. A 2008 study found that the risk of lung cancer increases by 8% every year that a person smokes a joint on a daily basis⁹. The California Environmental Protection Agency has identified ‘at least 33 constituents present in both marijuana smoke and tobacco smoke’ as carcinogenic¹⁰.

Effects on immune, endocrine, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems

As with cigarette smokers, a heavy cough and chronic bronchitis are common amongst heavy marijuana users. Weed smoke is genotoxic and has negative effects on the immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems. A study on rats performed in 2016 found that second-hand cannabis smoke impacts blood vessels and endothelial function to an equivalent extent as tobacco smoke. However, it has an even longer-lasting effect¹¹.

Since marijuana, specifically THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive component in cannabis), is immunosuppressive, smokers may be at higher risk of lung infections in those who are immunodeficient. It may also reduce the immune response in the respiratory system and increase the likelihood of acquiring a respiratory infection. Smoking marijuana is associated with inflammation of the large airway, increased airway resistance, and hyperinflation of the lungs¹².

Minimise your exposure to the chemicals in marijuana smoke

A few tips to reduce your and your loved ones’ exposure to the harmful substances and chemicals in cannabis smoke are:

• Smoke only in places that are well-ventilated: ideally outdoors, by a window, or near a fan
• Reduce your paper usage to produce less smoke
• Clean your home regularly to avoid the build-up of third-hand smoke and residue on your furniture and carpets
• Convert to other cannabis consumption methods like edibles or vaporisation

The benefits of an air purifier for cannabis or weed

The main goal of investing in an air purifier for cannabis or weed smoke is to eliminate its smell/odours in your home and protect your health. An air purifier that is equipped with the proper air purification technology (or technologies) like activated carbon filters removes unpleasant marijuana odours that enter your home. If you are exposed to weed smoke that enters your room or your home from your neighbours who smoke it, protect your own health and well-being and that of your loved ones with an air purifier.

Reducing cannabis smoke in residential settings can not only improve indoor air quality, but it can also improve productivity. Studies have shown that in addition to all of its negative health effects, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) leads to reduced focus and concentration.

How to choose an air purifier for cannabis or weed smoke?