As the cannabis industry continues to grow, so does the need for rigorous safety standards. Especially when it comes to vaporizer products, many articles and studies have been published that question the safety and efficacy of them.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that vaping of any kind can cause or contribute to lung disease. Serious cases of EVALI (electronic cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury) have been linked to vaping cannabidiol (CBD) oil. Since CBD products are largely unregulated, it’s possible that the oils contain dangerous substances.
True Terpenes is trying to changing that. Building on its toxicological risk assessment framework, the company played a pivotal role in shaping ASTM D8587-24 and ASTM D8588-24. While ASTM D8587-24 outlines a scientific process for evaluating toxicological data on non-cannabinoid ingredients, ASTM D8588-24 establishes a detailed approach for calculating safe daily inhalation exposure limits of non-cannabinoid ingredients.
At the forefront of this initiative is Dr. Shawna Vreeke, Head of Toxicology at True Terpenes. As a co-author of two the ASTM standards, Dr. Vreeke has played a key role in defining the toxicological risk assessment process that ensures inhalable cannabis products meet safety criteria.
The Genesis Behind ASTM D8587-24 and ASTM D8588-24
After the 2019 vape health crisis, Dr. Vreeke notes that it became obvious to the general public that certain ingredients were not safe to inhale.
“Due to prohibition and complex regulations surrounding THC products, no universal safety guidelines existed for their ingredients based on scientific data,” she says. “Therefore, from 2021 to 2022, I collaborated with other toxicologists in the industry to create and publish a methodology to assess the toxicological risk of ingredients used in cannabis vaporizers.”
Dr. Vreeke and the other toxicologists wanted to give both manufacturers and regulators a framework to access these ingredients to prevent ingredient bans while keeping potentially dangerous chemicals out of the hands of cannabis consumers.
“In 2023, I was contacted by a member of ASTM about joining the organization and turning our published methodology into global standards,” she explains.
Details on the New Safety Standards
To comply with the two standards, Dr. Vreeke says the ingredients will need to have undergone a toxicological review and be assigned a maximum acceptable use limit. “This will ensure that, at minimum, the ingredients do not fall into a restricted class, such as a respiratory sensitizer or potential carcinogen. Additionally, the ingredient will not be used at a level where negative health effects may start to arise.”
These standards aim to increase consumer safety and product confidence. It also give regulators a framework to regulate ingredients in a way that protects consumers’ health without creating broad flavor bans.
“The standards will also support the informed use of terpenes and other flavorant ingredients in vaporizers and allow patients and consumers to access products they like and are used to having without the concern of sacrificing health and safety,” says Dr. Vreeke.
“By establishing guidelines for ingredient evaluation, these standards enhance consumer safety by mitigating the risk of both short- and long-term negative health effects,” she continues. “Furthermore, these standards hold manufacturers accountable for prioritizing consumer health during product development, rather than responding reactively to adverse health events.”
