Cannabis Users See Similar Health Risks for Vaping and Smoking, With Some Exceptions
Cannabis users perceived few differences in health risks between vaping and smoking cannabis, though younger users and women were more likely to prefer vaping for mental health benefits.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 302 current cannabis users, the most commonly reported health benefit of vaping was better pain management (72.5%). Being habit-forming was the top perceived harm for both methods. Few significant differences emerged between perceived benefits and harms of vaping vs smoking, though younger users preferred vaping for stress reduction and women preferred it for mood improvement.
Key Numbers
302 survey respondents (93.2% completion rate). Pain management was top vaping benefit (72.5%). Researching cannabis health effects associated with recognizing cardiovascular risk (Phi=0.141) and cavity risk (Phi=0.15). Women preferred vaping for mood (p=0.016). Younger users preferred vaping for stress/anxiety/depression (p=0.03).
How They Did This
Online cross-sectional survey of 302 adults who used cannabis in the past month, recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Assessed perceptions of general and oral health benefits and harms of vaping vs smoking cannabis.
Why This Research Matters
How people perceive the relative risks of different cannabis consumption methods influences their behavior. This study adds oral health perceptions, a largely unexplored area, to the conversation.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that most users see little difference between vaping and smoking cannabis contradicts public health messaging that distinguishes them. It suggests more targeted education may be needed.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Convenience sample via MTurk may not represent all cannabis users. Cross-sectional design. Self-reported perceptions, not actual health outcomes. Small effect sizes for significant findings.
Questions This Raises
- ?Are users correct that vaping and smoking cannabis carry similar risks?
- ?How would exposure to evidence-based information change these perceptions?
- ?What oral health effects of cannabis are most important to communicate?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 72.5% cited better pain management as top benefit of vaping cannabis
- Evidence Grade:
- Convenience sample survey measuring perceptions, not actual health outcomes.
- Study Age:
- 2025 study
- Original Title:
- Cannabis User Perceptions: General and Oral Health Benefits and Harms of Vaping Versus Smoking.
- Published In:
- Substance use & misuse, 60(8), 1157-1163 (2025)
- Authors:
- Fisher, Jennifer M, Boyd, Linda D, Vineyard, Jared
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06462
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is vaping cannabis actually safer than smoking it?
This study measured perceptions, not actual health outcomes. Some research suggests vaping may reduce respiratory irritation compared to smoking, but long-term comparative data remains limited.
What oral health concerns did users recognize?
Users who had researched cannabis health effects were more likely to recognize the risk of cavities (tooth decay), though overall awareness of oral health impacts was limited.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06462APA
Fisher, Jennifer M; Boyd, Linda D; Vineyard, Jared. (2025). Cannabis User Perceptions: General and Oral Health Benefits and Harms of Vaping Versus Smoking.. Substance use & misuse, 60(8), 1157-1163. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2491766
MLA
Fisher, Jennifer M, et al. "Cannabis User Perceptions: General and Oral Health Benefits and Harms of Vaping Versus Smoking.." Substance use & misuse, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2491766
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis User Perceptions: General and Oral Health Benefits ..." RTHC-06462. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/fisher-2025-cannabis-user-perceptions-general
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.