A laboratory study in the Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology finds that while both a commercial vape pen and a CE-marked medical device can generate respirable marijuana aerosols, only the medical device delivered reliably consistent doses.
Researchers at Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne compared a medical inhalation device (BIKY Breathe) with a common retail vape pen across four THC formulations. Both platforms generated submicron particles with mass median aerodynamic diameters around 0.9–1.0 μm and a fine-particle fraction of 99–100%, a range that supports deep-lung deposition and rapid systemic uptake.
Dose delivery separated the devices. Using THC dissolved in 1,3-propanediol, BIKY Breathe consistently emitted about 6 mg of aerosol per puff and delivered respirable THC doses of roughly 50 μg/puff at 20 mg/mL and 95 μg/puff at 40 mg/mL, with low puff-to-puff variability. The retail vape pen, tested with high-strength distillates, produced much larger respirable doses—about 1.7–2.0 mg THC per puff—but showed greater variability and required several “priming” puffs before stabilizing. Across conditions, transfer efficiency from liquid to aerosol was similar at ~45–54%, indicating effective THC aerosolization by both devices.
Why it matters: Inhaled THC can act within minutes, but uneven dosing risks psychoactive spikes and inconsistent pain control. The medical device’s microdosing profile and dose reproducibility directly address that challenge, offering more precise titration for potential clinical protocols. The retail pen’s output may appeal for potency, yet its variability—and the need for priming draws—undercuts controlled dosing.
The authors note the study was entirely in vitro, so pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy still need confirmation. Even so, the aerodynamic data and dose metrics provide a practical blueprint for follow-up pharmacokinetic and patient studies. Bottom line: regulated, CE-marked vaping technology paired with characterized formulations can deliver consistent, deep-lung THC microdoses, positioning medical-grade inhalation as a credible platform for future marijuana pain-management trials.
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