Confirmed cases of Pneumothorax from smoking/vaping BHO

Met with an acquaintance yesterday that just spent a month in the hospital. Had fluid in his "body cavity." He is a complete dab head. He had 2 ribs cracked so that they could insert a hose into his body to drain out the fluid.

He obviously told them he was a dab head, and thus now he does not dab at all.

The doctors told him they are starting to see many cases of Pneumothorax (collapsed lungs) due to dabbing. This is happening in kids in their early 20's.

He is in his mid 40's, and was almost solely dabbing. He only dabbed "professional" product from dispensaries.

I have chosen to never dab, ever. I always was worried about the long term effects, and it appears that they are not as long term as once thought.

This info came from doctors in Colorado, and Ohio. Glad to see him alive, and still kicking. Happier to see him not touching BHO anymore.

Dabbing has turned into a religion and I know this will not sit well with others, but it is important to get this info out there.

Purging does not make it safe.

Pneumothorax is horrible. Chest tubes are horrible. Anything that makes your lung leak will give you one.

Photosynthesis said:

Met with an acquaintance yesterday that just spent a month in the hospital. Had fluid in his "body cavity." He is a complete dab head. He had 2 ribs cracked so that they could insert a hose into his body to drain out the fluid.

He obviously told them he was a dab head, and thus now he does not dab at all.

The doctors told him they are starting to see many cases of Pneumothorax (collapsed lungs) due to dabbing. This is happening in kids in their early 20's.

He is in his mid 40's, and was almost solely dabbing. He only dabbed "professional" product from dispensaries.

I have chosen to never dab, ever. I always was worried about the long term effects, and it appears that they are not as long term as once thought.

This info came from doctors in Colorado, and Ohio. Glad to see him alive, and still kicking. Happier to see him not toughing BHO anymore.

Dabbing has turned into a religion, and I know this will not sit well with others, but it is important to get this info out there.

Purging does not make it safe.

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Sad to hear, but if he's smart he won't be toking on anything for the rest of his life.

jd2 said:

Sad to hear, but if he's smart he won't be toking on anything for the rest of his life.

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Not sure it even takes smart. GF had this happen last summer and hasn't smoked anything since. Strictly edibles for cannabis now.

jd2 said:

Sad to hear, but if he's smart he won't be toking on anything for the rest of his life.

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I agree. I would only do edibles if I were in that boat.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that these cases of Pneumothorax are caused by coughing. I don't think that it is the act of smoking or vaping oil, but the coughing that actually does the damage. Lower temp and smaller dabs will reduce the body's urge to cough so violently. And if one's lungs can't handle a small dab without a terrible coughing fit, they probably shouldn't be doing it anyway.

What do you mean "due to dabbing"?
Is there any more specific information on what it is exactly that is doing what since you say purging does not help? And since the doctor seem to be sure to put his/her blame on bho, what is the evidence they are finding..??
I mean sure there was people having Pneumothorax before dab came along, or am I missing something??

All the best
BagAppeal

yeah it seems odd for sure. i wonder if its badly made oil that give people this effect. i have been vaping every day for over ten years now, no pneumo-thorax. many stretches it was over a gram a day. i also dont really cough at all from taking dabs. i know tobacco smokers who dab often cough ridiculously.

HMK
i agree completely, cig smokers cough much much much more. Idk if the oil/resin tries to coat the tar in the lungs causing that unpleasant agitation.
My friend will smoke joint after joint because he can puff it like a cigarette but the second I give him a dab of some oil like EXTREMELY SMALL, almost too small to put on a dabber, he coughs always and says its too rough for him and that smoking weed is better for him

Have you seen anything like that guys?

Dabbing does induce coughing, both because some of the terpenes are expectorants, but because the lungs are built to expel foreign material. Those are the spots in the phlem you are expelling.

Having plant wax vapors included, increases the amount of expelling your lungs must do, hence winterized products lower in terpenes and plant waxes are smoother to dab.

Cracked ribs and collapsed lungs sound like some heavy coughing, leading to a number of questions about his lungs, how he was dabbing, how much, and how often.

Regardless of the answer to any of those questions, my recommendation to anyone who experiences that level of coughing doing anything, is that they stop immediately.

You can just as easily add a stroke or heart attack to the list and your body is clearly telling you it is not in harmony with what you are doing to it.

One thing that I continue to notice, is contests to see who can master the largest dab, which is asking for trouble.

Use your big head, instead of the testosterone filled little one, and choose one dose dabs. You are not only wasting good meds, but you are not doing your bodies any favors either.

Another thing mentioned was the oils coating the lungs Cilia.

Which has nothing to do with quality, coughing, purging, etc.

"I have been smoking cigarettes for 54 years, and I haven't gotten cancer."

I love this rational from people.

I just wanted to pass on the info straight from the doctors.

Here in Co. I believe BHO will be outlawed within 3-5 years. Been saying it for a while now.

This thread seems pointless. Your buddy has other issues. Dr.'s are of course going to blame the "devil weed". Scapegoat.. duh? Why dont you contribute to advancing the cry for research, standards, and regulations with this medicine? Instead of jumping right to the " see, I told you it was bad all along, lets OUTLAW it!" bandwagon..... Theres so many variables with volatile oils. The active compounds in the resinoid is not the problem. The issue is in the caring, and processing of said consumable. CONTAMINATES? The product coming from as you say a "professional", or a dispensary, hold little weight with me. Skyhighler has it right when he said recently hes to feel the safest utilizing his home-made meds. I think its cus he knows he has ultimate quality control. You really think most of these people making mass quantities of errl and selling it on the cheap give a shit about what they left around for you to burn into your chest? I dont. It pays to have a trusting relationship with someone whos product you introduce to your most intimate parts, potentially several times daily.

I consider myself a pretty heavy cannabis volatile oil user. In all forms. Religiously. I do HUGE dabs often, and dont cough @ all. Never smoked butts, hate em. I do have a buddy that does and has a spell just like mentioned earlier every time a slab is just in the room! He dont even have to dab, just smell the slab and he'll cough. He thinks its the heavy pinene in alot of our stuff, I think its a little tht, a lil mental, and a lotta tobacco!! When he does dab hes coughing for like a week! Rant over. DONT HATE THE OIL, HATE THE MUTHER FREEKING GAME. This "movement" has destroyed the culture I love so very, very much, and I hate seeing people that are "caregivers", or self proclaimed ganjamen staining it with there stupid, uneducated, ignorant slanderer nonsense. Oh man, i need to chill.

Respect to HMK, Gdub (GW). Ive always felt you guys are like my uncles, (not sure how old u are hmk, but ive been reading what you post since I was much younger and appreciate your posts) thanks for your contributions.



Learn, and respect the oil, or just walk away and leave us alone!


Not directed at anyone per se, just sayin'

I think the idea this thread is getting at is plant waxes -> lung problems. If you dab absolutes, you shouldn't have these problems.

can something else be trapped in the wax as a consequence of how its grown and/or what its exposed to? allergens? pathogens? toxins?

soysoz, I dont think that was the intent of this thread. A dirty (i.e. moldy, bacteria ridden) "absolute" can still be potentially harmful.

Weird- In short, yes. Read up on it if it interests or concerns you. Cus' it should. Educate...
Only way to combat ignorance.

Photosynthesis said:

Another thing mentioned was the oils coating the lungs Cilia.

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Smoking in general will paralyze and/or kill cilia for your information.

I've been smoking bho consistently for 6 years and haven't had any issues.

Its too bad your buddy went through this but there isn't very much information given as to what caused this only speculation.

I think something to keep in mind is the concentration of chemicals used to grow the plants. Almost every single person I know uses pesticides that are for "ornamental plants only."

They are not made to be ingested by humans, and they are most certainly not meant to be smoked/vaped.

Concentrate those down via BHO, and who knows what you will get.

I find it a shame that BHO is even popular. It is unecessary to process plant material via "butane" to create hash.

It is one of the flaws of the movement.

not really, they're after oil, not hash

I am not at all surprised to hear this. Many of my NorCal friends were having lung issues, whereas before they ever dabbed no probs.

I smoke my share. Can make bubble too, but something about that BHO. Must be the solvents. I went for 8 months only smoking bubble, and not even weed, and I was MUCH healthier lungwise. I can still do my workouts, though. If that was an issue, I'd be real clear something was very wrong.

That WAS a good point about the effect on the Lungs of the intense coughing... As opposed to the oil itself. But the fact that oil is found in the lungs, like on the sides of a dab pipe, doesn't make me feel too good.

Personally, I need to stop making and smoking BHO. Bonging for that matter too. Flecks in the phlegm tell all One needs to know.

Cheers on all of Ya, regardless - not judging - do what's best for Yrselves.

SativaBreather said:

not really, they're after oil, not hash

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Being that the majority of people are ingesting it via bong, rig, vape hash would be the correct terminology.

Now if this is for some Rick Simpson Syringe type shit I feel you. However after reading Rick Simpson's directions to make his oil there is no way in hell I would ever put it in my body.