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Published Online: 7 October 2024

Reviewing the Risk of Ketene Formation in Dabbing and Vaping Tetrahydrocannabinol-O-Acetate

Publication: Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
Volume 9, Issue Number 5

Abstract

Introduction: In the wake of continued consumer demand despite increasing regulatory scrutiny, there is a need to develop systematic methods for identifying the harm profile of new psychoactive substances derived from hemp. Tetrahydrocannabinol-O (THC-O)-acetate, colloquially known as THCO, is the acetate ester of the principal psychoactive compound in cannabis. The heating of THCO can create ketene gas, which is harmful to the lungs.
Materials and Methods: The research team used a multidisciplinary, iterative process to develop a survey to incorporate consumers' perspectives of semisynthetic cannabinoids. The survey was then distributed across the social media platform Reddit to learn about delivery device preferences and associated use styles when consuming THCO.
Results: Most participants (74.9%) vaped THCO and one-quarter of participants (24.3%) dabbed THCO and tended to report higher temperatures for dabbing than vaping THCO. A small portion (12.0%) of participants reported concerns regarding ketene risk.
Conclusion: As there are multiple variables associated with the formation of ketene, and consumer responses indicate temperatures use that might enable ketene formation, more research is needed to understand the risk profile of hemp-derived substances like THCO. Further studies are needed to understand the how various routes of administration and delivery devices used with THCO may exacerbate the risk of ketene formation and other potential harms.

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Cite this article as: “CB” Bone C, Klein C, Munger K, Strongin RM, Kruger DJ, Meacham MC, Kruger JS (2023) Reviewing the risk of ketene formation in dabbing and vaping tetrahydrocannabinol-O-acetate, Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research 9:5, e1404–e1409, DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0094.

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cover image Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
Volume 9Issue Number 5October 2024
Pages: e1404 - e1409
PubMed: 37466480

History

Published online: 7 October 2024
Published in print: October 2024
Published ahead of print: 19 July 2023

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Department of Anthropology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Charles Klein
Department of Anthropology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Kaelas Munger
Department of Chemistry, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Robert M. Strongin
Department of Anthropology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Meredith C. Meacham
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, New York, USA.

Notes

*
Address correspondence to: Carlton “CB” Bone, MS, Department of Anthropology, Portland State University, 1825 SW Broadway Street, Portland, OR 97201, USA. [email protected]

Authors' Contributions

C.“CB”B.: Project Administration, Conceptualization, Investigation, and Writing—original draft (lead); C.K.: Supervision and Writing—review and editing (supporting); K.M.: Investigation, Data curation, Validation, and Writing—review and editing (lead); R.M.S.: Supervision and Writing—review and editing (supporting); D.J.K.: Conceptualization, Software, Data curation, and Writing—review and editing (supporting); M.C.M.: Conceptualization and Writing—review and editing (supporting); and J.S.K.: Conceptualization, Data curation, and Writing—review and editing (supporting).

Author Disclosure Statement

No competing financial interests exist.

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No funding was received for this article.

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