The Ugly Truth About Butane Lighters

The most common accessory for any smoker is a lighter; how would we spark up without it?

As the industry continues to evolve, so do the products we use and the information regarding our health and safety.

It’s no secret that smoking isn’t the best for your lung health, but that small common accessory smokers use could contribute to unhealthy lungs too.

It turns out lighters are pretty bad for us, but you probably haven’t heard that before, as these small accessories are basically the foundation of two very profitable industries, cannabis, and tobacco.

Although there is a lack of research regarding the effects of butane lights on our lung health, few studies do touch on the matter.

President of and co-founder of SC Labs, Josh Wurzer, led a study that “identified the presence of harmful solvents, impurities, and/or other added odorants and chemicals in cannabis.”

His team found that butane was a class 33 solvent, which meant it had low toxic potential on humans.

In research by global energy company Hess, high concentrations of butane may cause central nervous system depression such as dizziness, drowsiness, headache, and similar narcotic symptoms.

While butane doesn’t seem to have much effect in the short or long run, there’s no denying that those impurities and nasty chemicals in butane travel into our lungs with each toke, especially from a bong or pipe.

What’s just as frustrating is the horrible taste butane lighters have when lighting a bowl. Ever sparked up with a bong or pipe on a hot summer day, and all you can taste is butane?