Fact check: Is vaping weed better than smoking?

1. Summary of the results

The question of whether vaping weed is "better" than smoking cannot be answered definitively, and recent evidence suggests serious concerns about vaping safety. The CDC has documented 2,561 cases of lung injury (EVALI) and 55 deaths related to vaping as of December 2019 ^{[1] [1]}. While some sources suggest potential benefits of vaping such as better flavor control and less odor ^[2], multiple authoritative sources, including the CDC and FDA, explicitly warn against vaping THC oil due to significant lung damage risks ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors need consideration:

• The safety of vaping appears to vary by method: cartridge vaping seems more dangerous than flower vaping ^[4]
• Vaping requires additional considerations such as:
• Initial device investment
• Regular maintenance
• A learning curve for proper use ^[2]
• The 2019 EVALI epidemic significantly changed perceptions of vaping safety ^[4]
• Specific chemicals, particularly vitamin E acetate in THC oil, have been identified as especially dangerous ^{[3] [1]}

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question oversimplifies a complex issue by:

• Assuming there's a clear "better" option when the science shows uncertainty
• Not acknowledging that different stakeholders benefit from different narratives:
• Vaping device manufacturers benefit from promoting vaping as safer
• Healthcare providers and researchers benefit from maintaining cautious skepticism until more long-term studies are available
• While some studies suggest vaping could be a harm reduction method, the long-term safety data is still lacking ^[4]

The question also fails to acknowledge that both methods carry significant health risks, and the safest option would be avoiding both entirely.