Last Updated on November 20, 2019 by Team Spinfuel
Benzinga magazine asks: Could the legalization of cannabis on the federal level have prevented the current vaping crisis?
That is, in essence, the reason we Vapers have been dealing with our nightmare for the past few months. I’m not sold on this idea. However, the news item from Benzinga is at least interesting.
When I began reading the piece I was nagged by this idea that if the federal government had legalized cannabis that there would have been no need for Bootleggers to ‘cut’ the THC Cartridges with Vitamin E Acetate. Why? Bigger profit margins drive pretty much every business, legal or not. Is it then logical, that no matter what, those that bootleg THC Cartridges would have found ways to increase profit, regardless?
The Article in the Benzinga begins;
The recent wave of vaping-related lung illnesses and fatalities has understandably been a source of concern for millions of cannabis users throughout the United States. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all those that have been harmed by these unsafe products.
Fortunately, this past Friday, thanks to the combined expertise and investigation of some of the best U.S. health officials and institutions, a likely definitive source was identified. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released findings that Vitamin E acetate, often used as a thickening agent in illicitly manufactured THC vaporization cartridges, is the likely culprit.
So far so good, right?
We just do not buy Benzinga’s premise. It seems to us that since there is more money taxing cannabis products, despite the Lung Illness being caused by cannabis Cartridges laced with THC and Vitamin E Acetate. We still hear more about states legalizing cannabis, and a push on the feds to legalize it as well. In the meantime, virtually harmless e-liquid is on the chopping block.
But then, the Benzinga continues…
It’s time to pave the way for well-regulated cannabis as a viable alternative to opioids, tobacco, alcohol – each of which represents a greater risk to public health. Recent public recognition of the vaping health crisis ought to be the impetus for building a broad coalition of stakeholders to legalize cannabis and ensure its safety.
Spinfuel VAPE agrees that there should be a federal level legalization for cannabis, including medical and recreational use. When the dust settles, however, this recent scare had much more effect on people vaping normal e-liquid.
The number of people that vape e-liquid vs the number of people vape or smoke cannabis is enormous. 13 million Vapers of e-liquid, and each of us have been affected in a variety of ways.
From living in states with flavor bans or downright total vape bans, to those of us that were under constant threat of flavor or vape bans.
