How vaping CBD and THC can affect your lungs
Health effects of cannabidiol vaping products
This project looks at whether chemicals and contaminants in CBD and THC vaping liquids turn into reactive compounds that can harm airway cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252576 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze commercial cannabinoid vaping liquids to identify metals, flavoring chemicals, and other contaminants and then test how these ingredients change THC and CBD when heated. They will look for oxidized products (quinones) formed during vaping and study whether these chemicals attach to and damage proteins in airway epithelial cells. Lab models of airway tissue will be exposed to the vaping-derived chemicals to measure cell injury, inflammation signals, and molecular changes. The team aims to link specific vaping liquid constituents to chemical reactions and biological harm that could explain vaping-related lung damage.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who use CBD or THC vaping products, or who have experienced breathing issues after vaping, would be the most directly interested in the study findings and may be contacted if any human sampling is needed.
Not a fit: People who do not vape cannabinoid products or whose health concerns are unrelated to lung or airway exposure are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify harmful vaping ingredients and chemical reactions that inform safer product standards, warnings, or treatments to protect lung health.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab work has shown cannabinoids can oxidize and form reactive products and that some reactive compounds can damage cells, but applying this to diverse commercially available vaping liquids and their flavor/metal additives is a newer focus.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rebuli, Meghan Elizabeth — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Rebuli, Meghan Elizabeth
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.