Legal Cannabis Vape Products Contained Metal Particles from the Vaping Device Itself
Legal Canadian cannabis vape products contained metal particles from device components in both the liquid and inhaled aerosol, including cobalt, chromium, nickel, lead, and zinc.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Legal Canadian cannabis vape liquids contained metal particles (Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Sn, Zn) originating from device components. All aerosols contained Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Sn, Zn. SEM showed cracking on unused device connector pins.
Key Numbers
Six products tested. All aerosols contained Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Sn, Zn particles. Device metals matched detected particles. Cracking on unused device connectors observed.
How They Did This
Total metals analysis and single-particle ICP-MS on six legal Canadian cannabis vape products. Aerosol analysis via vaping machine. SEM-EDS on emptied cartridges.
Why This Research Matters
Even regulated products expose users to metals from hardware. Vaping device standards may need as much attention as cannabis quality standards.
The Bigger Picture
The EVALI crisis focused on illicit products, but this shows legal products also have inhalation risks from hardware components.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small product sample. Legal Canadian products only. Particle counts below LOQ. Long-term health effects unknown.
Questions This Raises
- ?What are long-term effects of inhaling these metals?
- ?Should vaping devices be regulated as medical devices?
- ?Are certain designs safer?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- All aerosol samples contained cobalt, chromium, nickel, lead, tin, and zinc particles
- Evidence Grade:
- Rigorous analytical chemistry with source identification, limited product sample.
- Study Age:
- 2025 study
- Original Title:
- Tracking metal presence in cannabis vaping products from source to inhalation.
- Published In:
- Scientific reports, 15(1), 31939 (2025)
- Authors:
- Gajdosechova, Zuzana, Marleau-Gillette, Joshua, Polivchuk, Matthew, Kosarac, Ivana, Katuri, Guru Prasad, Das, Dharani, Cabecinha, Ashley, Waye, Andrew, Abramovici, Hanan
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06493
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Are legal cannabis vape products safe?
This study found metal particles from device components in even legal, regulated products. Long-term health effects are unknown.
Where do the metals come from?
The device's internal components (heating coils, connectors). Cracking on unused devices suggests contamination can begin before first use.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06493APA
Gajdosechova, Zuzana; Marleau-Gillette, Joshua; Polivchuk, Matthew; Kosarac, Ivana; Katuri, Guru Prasad; Das, Dharani; Cabecinha, Ashley; Waye, Andrew; Abramovici, Hanan. (2025). Tracking metal presence in cannabis vaping products from source to inhalation.. Scientific reports, 15(1), 31939. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-17004-2
MLA
Gajdosechova, Zuzana, et al. "Tracking metal presence in cannabis vaping products from source to inhalation.." Scientific reports, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-17004-2
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Tracking metal presence in cannabis vaping products from sou..." RTHC-06493. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/gajdosechova-2025-tracking-metal-presence-in
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.