Experts Urge 80% of Cannabis Users to Switch From Smoking to 5 Safer Methods
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 3
Experts Urge 80% of Cannabis Users to Switch From Smoking to 5 Safer Methods
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 3
Summary
Nearly 80% of medical cannabis users still smoke it, but physicians Peter Grinspoon and David Kroll say tinctures, edibles, capsules, topicals and suppositories are safer options.
Smoking exposes users to combustion toxins and carcinogens, while vaping can damage lungs through degraded compounds and contaminated THC oils; the 2019 EVALI outbreak caused 2,807 hospitalizations and 68 deaths by 2020.
Tinctures rank highest for controllable dosing and faster onset—about 15 minutes—while edibles take 1 to 3 hours but can last 6 to 12 hours, making them useful for steady symptom control.
Capsules may reduce overuse because they are not flavored like gummies, and topicals or suppositories can deliver localized relief with less psychoactive effect.
More than a quarter of adults in the U.S. and Canada use cannabis medically, and the experts say patients should treat the product like a drug delivery device and use the lowest effective dose.