Yes. 

Part of what makes smoking dabs so dangerous is the fact that many times, the solvents that are used to strip THC from marijuana actually get left in the dab itself. And as a result, smoking a dab or wax can involve burning and inhaling these solvents directly into your lungs. 

The most common solvent used in creating dabs is butane. In addition to the damage that inhaled butane can cause in the lungs (resulting in pneumonia-like conditions), butane is also a potent neurotoxin as well. And if enough is ingested or smoked, it can cause serious problems for the body’s fragile nervous system.

On top of that, studies have shown that while dabbing is considered a “cleaner” high, the truth is that dabbing actually releases a slew of carcinogens (cancer-causing toxins). These include benzene and methacrolein. 

Ultimately, many people engage in dabbing thinking that they’re avoiding the lung damage that comes with traditional smoking. But with the butane, benzene, methacrolein, and numerous other toxins involved, dabbing can actually be just as harmful (if not more so) than smoking normally. 

Yes again!

This one might come as a bit of a shock to many. After all, marijuana is a harmless drug, right? And no one has ever officially died from ingesting too much THC (except for one woman). 

But the truth is that taking in too much THC quicker than your body can process it can cause some very real and very detrimental side effects. 

Some of the most common side effects according to the CDC include: 

• Extreme confusion
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Panic
• Fast heart rate
• Delusions or hallucinations
• Increased blood pressure
• Severe nausea or vomiting

As you can see, there aren’t any directly life-threatening symptoms listed above. 

However, it’s important to remember that these symptoms can also increase the chances of fatalities indirectly. Driving, operating heavy machinery, and even walking the streets when overdosing on marijuana can all put the body in danger of physical harm. 

On top of that, the side effects of marijuana overuse can also be especially distressing. According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), there were nearly a quarter of a million ER visits in 2011 caused by marijuana alone. 

And on top of that, marijuana ER visits are actually on the rise. From 2004 to 2011, the number of ER admissions involving THC alone rose by a whopping 43%. This may be due to the fact that more concentrated THC products (like dabs) are becoming more widely abused. 

Overdosing on THC then, may not be fatal. But it’s certainly an unpleasant experience. 

Several of the methods used to create dabs are relatively safe. The water hash method, rosin, and CO2 for instance don't leave behind any solvents or chemicals. And with the right equipment, they can be performed without many risks. 

However, the safer methods are also typically more difficult as well. And that fact alone usually means that most people creating dabs will resort to the butane method, which can be highly dangerous.

Part of the danger comes from the fact that butane is highly flammable. And without proper safety precautions, this can lead to deadly explosions. 

For instance, there have been cases where butane was being used to create BHO (butane hash oil). And even though the people creating the dabs didn’t know it, a lot of that butane actually escaped the piping used to create the drug and leaked into the air. After that, all it takes is a small spark or the lighting of a match to explode. Even static electricity can ignite it!

The danger, then, is similar to the explosive potential of methamphetamine labs.

Just have a look below to see how devastating these explosions can be. 

Combining THC with narcotic pain medications or cough medicines can cause serious problems involving depression of the central nervous system. The most severe cases of these problems can lead to:

• Respiratory depression
• Coma
• Death

These conditions can become even more severe when other depressants or alcohol are involved as well. 

Some opioids in particular to watch out for include

• Alfentanil
• Buprenorphine
• Butorphanol
• Codeine
• Dezocine
• Fentanyl
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Levomethadyl Acetate
• Levorphanol
• Meperidine
• Methadone
• Morphine
• Morphine liposomal
• Nalbuphine
• Oxycodone
• Oxymorphone
• Pentazocine
• Remifentanil
• Sufentanil
• Tapentadol
• Tramadol 

Some benzodiazepines (used for treating anxiety and depression) can have distressing side effects. And when they’re used alongside dabs or other marijuana products, the side effects can be even more severe. 

One of the most notable is a state called hypomania. This is when the nervous system is thrown out of balance, causing slightly manic symptoms such as:

• Irritability
• Excitedness
• Jitteriness
• Nervousness

It’s also worth noting that some benzodiazepines can also increase the sedative effects of marijuana. It’s never advisable, then, to use these two drugs together. 

There are a few other drug interactions with THC, marijuana, and dabs to be aware of. The most important are listed below. 

• Theophylline – This medication is used to prevent and treat wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest agitation. People lung diseases like asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema take it to help open the air passages in their lungs. Using dabs can decrease the effectiveness of this drug – especially dangerous due to the seriousness of the condition it treats. 
• Antabuse – More technically known as disulfiram, Antabuse is an anti-addiction medication for alcoholism that’s designed to stop people from turning back to drinking during their recovery. But when it's combined with dabs or marijuana, it can also cause a variety of uncomfortable symptoms. Some of the most common include irritability, agitation, and trouble sleeping. 
• Warfarin – Warfarin is a medication specifically used to prevent blood clots from forming or getting larger. People who have an irregular heartbeat, prosthetic heart valves, or are recovering from a heart attack are usually prescribed this medication. Marijuana increases the effectiveness of the drug, which can lead to bruising more easily and bleeding.

There are plenty of ways that addiction can ruin your life. And part of that comes from the fact that addiction affects nearly every aspect of who you are. Your body, your mind, your relationships, your goals, your abilities, and even the way you perceive the world around you are all impacted by an addiction. 

So before you brush off a dab addiction as not being that bad, have a look at the list of ways an addiction can ruin your life below. 

• It can cause you to fail out of school or lose your job. 
• It can create serious health problems like pneumonia or cancer. 
• It can lead to difficulties with self-control
• It can slow down thinking and fog up your mind
• It can actually lead to using other drugs
• It can alienate you from friends and family
• It can make it harder to enjoy activities you used to enjoy

Despite what many people believe, marijuana can in fact cause withdrawal symptoms when someone stops taking it abruptly. And since dabs are a concentrated form of marijuana, these withdrawal symptoms are typically far more intense than the leaf form. 

According to NIDA, some of these withdrawal symptoms may include:

• Irritability
• Difficulty sleeping
• Decreased appetite
• Restlessness
• Cravings for marijuana
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain

These symptoms can also end up lasting quite a bit longer than other withdrawal syndromes. In fact, users trying to overcome their dabs addiction can experience these symptoms for around two weeks after quitting. 

While most dabs or marijuana addicts will experience a dramatic reduction in withdrawal symptoms two weeks after quitting, some may still have lingering physical and psychological problems long after. And for some, these problems may last for weeks, months, or even years after quitting. 

This is what’s known as Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, or PAWS. It’s characterized by persistent uncomfortable symptoms that last longer than the typical withdrawal period. 

Many times these symptoms

And as you can imagine, this can make maintaining sobriety 

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), some of the possible symptoms of protracted withdrawal include: 

• Anxiety
• Sleep difficulties
• Problems with short-term memory
• Persistent fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
• Alcohol or drug cravings
• Impaired executive control
• Anhedonia
• Difficulty focusing on tasks
• Dysphoria or depression
• Irritability
• Unexplained physical complaints
• Reduced interest in sex

It’s important to remember that not everyone will go through PAWS. And today, much more research needs to be done on which factors influence this unique syndrome. 

But what is clear is that the guidance and expertise of a professional treatment center can make PAWS much more bearable and less likely to lead to relapse. There are a few things that professional treatment centers can do to help, including:

• Educating clients about PAWS and helping them develop realistic attitudes for recovery
• Celebrating each accomplishment
• Assessing for co-occurring disorders like depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders
• Asking about and monitoring sleep problems
• Advising clients to be active
• Advising clients to be patient
• Prescribing specific medications to control lingering symptoms
• Encouraging clients to join mutual support groups
• Including interventions to help clients strengthen executive control functions
• Monitoring clients for symptoms during continuing care 

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if someone you are close to is struggling with a substance abuse problem. And part of this difficulty comes from the fact that many times, the people around an addict tend to enable their addictive behaviors. 

Have a look at this quick quiz to see if you’re guilty of enabling. 

In any case, there are a few things you can look for to tell if your loved one is going through a dab abuse problem or even a full-blown addiction. 

Dabbing Paraphernalia:

• Modified pipes or bongs used for dabbing – called “dab rigs”
• Dab “nails” – this is where the wax/oil is heated up and turned into a vapor
• Torches – used to heat up the nail and vaporize the wax
• “Dabbers” – long, pointy tools (look like a dentist’s tools) that are used to scoop the wax and place it in on the hot rig where it’s vaporized 
• Sticky/oily rags or mats – placed under the rig during use to catch hot oil splattering
• E-cigarettes used for vaporizing the oils 
• Coffee filters – can be used in creating dabs 

Using Other Names for Dabs: 

• 710 (the word “OIL” flipped and spelled backwards)
• Wax
• Ear wax
• Honey oil
• Budder
• Butane hash oil
• Butane honey oil (BHO)
• Shatter
• Dabs (dabbing)
• Black glass
• Errl

Showing Signs of Dab Intoxication:  

• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Lack of coordination
• Nervousness or paranoia
• Social withdrawal
• Forgetfulness
• Laziness/sleepiness
• Hallucinations
• Talking more than usual
• Smelling like smoke or perfume/cologne
• Chewing gum or using mints more than usual 

Behavioral Changes:  

• Becoming secretive about behaviors or whereabouts
• Stealing money or objects to fund their drug habit
• Inability to fulfill old obligations anymore (school, work, chores, family requests)
• Hanging around with a new crowd of friends
• Trouble with the law (assaults, arrests, being caught with drugs, etc.) 

You can also take a short online family member addiction quiz or reach out to a qualified addiction specialist for an expert’s opinion as well. 

While it can be hard to tell whether or not the people closest to you are addicted, it’s even harder to admit that you’re the one with the problem. 

That’s because denial is incredibly common among substance abusers and addicts. 

In fact, one national study found that it might be even more pervasive than most people believe. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), there were 17.7 million Americans that met the criteria for needing treatment for a substance use disorder but never received it. And 16.9 million (95.5%) of those people didn’t think they had a problem. 

When you’re addicted, you can’t trust your own judgment about whether you’re actually struggling with a substance abuse problem. And with dabs, it’s no different. 

That’s why it’s so important to look at your behaviors objectively. And there are a few ways to do that. 

• Take a Short Online Quiz – Without a doubt, one of the quickest and easiest ways to get a general idea of your addiction is by taking a short online addiction quiz. It only takes a few minutes to complete, and it can be a vital first step towards long-term recovery. 
• Use NIDA’s Self-Assessment Tools – The self-assessment tools provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are used by clinical professional to help identify an addiction problem. And there are plenty to choose from here too. So whether you only have a few minutes or are looking to dive a little bit deeper into your problem, this collection has the right tool for you. 
• Have a Look At the DSM-V Guidelines – The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) is the official handbook used by practicing physicians and psychiatrists to diagnose mental problems including addiction. It involves 11 scenarios that may indicate a clinical substance use disorder. Matching two or three of these scenarios is considered to indicate a “mild” disorder, four or five is “moderate,” and six or more is considered “severe.” 
• Talk to An Addiction Professional – Last but not least, you can also reach out to an addiction professional to get an assessment from a knowledgeable expert. Going this route offers by far the most personalized option as you can always ask questions, get real-life advice you can apply today, and receive treatment suggestions that are catered to your specific situation. Many times these calls are obligation-free, no cost, and only take about 20 minutes to complete. 

Detoxification is the very first phase of most professional programs. And for some, it can be the most difficult to get through. That’s because this stage deals exclusively with the stage of withdrawal. 

Withdrawal is when the body is forced to readjust to functioning normally without the help of an addictive substance. And though this stage is necessary, it can also be incredibly uncomfortable as well. 

The dabs withdrawal syndrome can be easier to bear than other addictive drugs like heroin or benzodiazepines. But that doesn’t mean it’s a picnic either. As we saw earlier, dabs withdrawal can involve uncomfortable symptoms like: 

• Irritability
• Difficulty sleeping
• Decreased appetite
• Restlessness
• Cravings for marijuana
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain

A professional program helps treat these symptoms to make the process far easier to get through. They can also prevent and treat any complications that might pop up along the way too. 

This stage of recovery comes directly after dab detoxification. And while detox is more concerned with the body side of addiction, rehabilitation is more focused on the mind. 

Using one-on-one counseling, group talk sessions, and behavioral therapies, dab rehabilitation will help users replace their compulsive drug-seeking and self-destructive behaviors with healthier life strategies. 

There are a variety of different rehabilitation programs, but the three most common are inpatient, outpatient, and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). 

After graduating from an addiction treatment program, the struggle with cravings and powerful triggers isn’t over. And for many, the period following professional treatment is when the real struggle begins. 

Part of this struggle comes from the fact that recovering addicts in this phase often don’t get the same level of support that they’ve grown accustomed to in a professional program. And ultimately, that leads them to lose motivation, give in to temptation, and sometimes go through a full-blown relapse. 

Aftercare programs are designed to provide much-needed ongoing support after a professional program. Many recovering addicts attend these programs years and even decades after quitting. And in addition to keeping them motivated to stay sober, they also connect recovering addicts with others in similar situations, thus expanding their social support network.