Cannabis Campaign: A toke without smoke

The British Medical Association's long-awaited endorsement of cannabis as a potential source for beneficial medicines came with a strong public health warning, writes Graham Ball. In a rider to their influential report The Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis, published last Tuesday, medical experts pointed out that smoking a cannabis joint can lead to three times more tar inhalation than smoking a cigarette.

However you do not have to smoke to toke (enjoy the effects of cannabis and marijuana). A hi-tech device bypasses the health hazards associated with the traditional methods of administering cannabis.

The Mini Vaporizer is a portable system that heats the preferred herbal mixture to the point where, in the case of cannabis, the THC (the active mood-altering substance) is released.The vapour is then passed through a water filter and inhaled. There is no smoke and therefore no tar. According to those who have sampled the system its effects are identical to smoking. The kit retails for pounds 39.99 from PO Box 79, Rugby, CV23 8GR.