Other - Activated charcoal roach for joints

[lulz]

This is pretty strange, I just found out you can buy activated charcoal tips for use in joints. It's specifically for joints (or a certain kind of pipe), it even has a marijuana leaf on the logo. The brand name is "Tune activated charcoal filters".

They claim it reduces tar and nicotine in smoke, but doesn't reduce the affect of the smoke.

Does anyone know if this could be true? i.e. if an activated charcoal filter would remove tar and nicotine, but not affect THC and other cannabinoids?

This would be awesome if it were true.

EDIT: image added lower down the thread

[Shampoo]

Seeing as activated charcoal is used as an odor filter by many Cannabis growers, it seems conclusively obvious that the charcoal will at least absorb the terpenes vaporized in the smoking process. The absorption of terpenes will likely reduce the overall smell, taste and flavor of the flowers.

As per modus operandi of THC and other Cannabinoids, the active components will also likely stick to the charcoal- as they do to just about everything else. SWIM has noticed a significant reduction in effects when using a charcoal filter meant for cigarettes, though perhaps this one is formulated specifically to reduce Cannabinoid binding.

Please explore and review this product, as an answer to this question seems to be equally weighted on both sides- it is likely that the charcoal absorbs all oils including tar, terpenes and Cannabinoids; however, if the device is advertized for use with Cannabis, it is certainly possible that it avoids Cannabinoid binding altogether.

[davestate]

Originally Posted by Shampoo

Seeing as activated charcoal is used as an odor filter by many Cannabis growers, it seems conclusively obvious that the charcoal will at least absorb the terpenes vaporized in the smoking process. The absorption of terpenes will likely reduce the overall smell, taste and flavor of the flowers.

As per modus operandi of THC and other Cannabinoids, the active components will also likely stick to the charcoal- as they do to just about everything else. SWIM has noticed a significant reduction in effects when using a charcoal filter meant for cigarettes, though perhaps this one is formulated specifically to reduce Cannabinoid binding.

Please explore and review this product, as an answer to this question seems to be equally weighted on both sides- it is likely that the charcoal absorbs all oils including tar, terpenes and Cannabinoids; however, if the device is advertized for use with Cannabis, it is certainly possible that it avoids Cannabinoid binding altogether.

SWIm completely agrees. On SWIMs last grow he was astounded that there was zero smell with a 5" RVK extraction fan and carbon filter. He vegged for 10weeks and flowered nearly 10 again, and not once was there a leak. The rather long hydrocarbon chain on the THC molecule tends to get "caught up" in the matrix of carbon molecules in the filter.

This quote is from wiki

Filters with activated carbon are usually used in compressed air and gas purification to remove oil vapours, odours, and other hydrocarbons from the air

SWIM notices if he smokes a stealth joint (a cigerette emptied out and rerolled with weed) it lack the inital hit of an unfiltered joint, and requires more weed for the same level of high. And that is just with a regular cotton/Cellulose acetate filter.

SWIM expects from his experience that a carbon filter would be very very counter productive and less healthy, most of the smoke won't be filtered, but you'll need to smoke alot more to get high.

EDIT!!!
Check this link, on production and purification of delta-9 THC
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP1474412.html

28. A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step of purifying Δ 9 THC by charcoal filtration.

Perhaps it might work? Perhaps you could try it on a friend, see if they objectively get less high than usual using a weighed amount of the same weed

This other patent seems to say it removes other cannaboids except delta 9 THC
http://www.patentgenius.com/patent/7524881.html

1. A method of purification comprising charcoal filtration of a .DELTA.9 THC containing composition with a minimum purity of at least 85% by weight .DELTA.9 THC beforefiltration so as to obtain a purified .DELTA.9THC containing composition wherein the .DELTA.9THC containing composition is obtained by extracting .DELTA.9THC carboxylic acid from plant material using a solvent and converting the .DELTA.9THC carboxylicacid to .DELTA.9THC, and wherein charcoal filtration removes cannabinoids from the .DELTA.9THC containing composition.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Great work! Thanks for providing links to some patents and explanations. This is a very helpful post that answers the qu...

[lulz]

These filters are designed differently from ordinary cigarette type filters. It's a little difficult to see clearly, but here's an image:



As you can see the filter's don't look solid, rather they have a series of tunnels running through the length of the filter. Perhaps the smoke is supposed to be exposed to the surface area of charcoal within the tunnels, rather than the way a normal cigarette type filter works.

An experiment is called for, in the name of science and human understanding. Will report back.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Excellent question. Thanks for posting a picture to clarify the product. I look forward to reading the results of said e...

[anonuser30500]

Does not look like many filters in the special pack of charcoal filters. Could end up making swiys hobby more expensive!

As for filters and thc, it is hard to tell the difference really. A filter does take a LOT of oil and tar out of the smoke, but in the UK and Ireland all joints are rolled with tobacco, so maybe its worth losing a bit of the high to save your lungs.

The heat of the unfiltered smoke, drawn deeper than cigarette smoke, is cooled by the filter. Swim seems swims who use filters all the time. They use cheap everyday brands, a few hundred slim throwaway filters to last a month or more for less than £1.