Young adults are coming up with new, potentially deadly ways of increasing the effects of illicit drugs. One way they do this is by smoking in relatively airtight spaces. The idea behind this is to enjoy some privacy while smoking and, of course, to get “high” faster through secondhand smoking. So, in this article, we will explore the art of hotboxing and the dangers of hotboxing for young adults.
The term “hotboxing” refers to smoking in a tiny, enclosed place with no windows or other sources of fresh air. In addition to cars, basements, attics, restrooms, tents, and practically any other enclosed location have been identified as suited for this activity. The exhaled smoke accumulates during the activity and spreads over the enclosed space. Consequently, smokers in the hotbox are exposed to secondhand smoke from other smokers and their own, amplifying the effects of the substance in question.
Hotboxing is a popular way for drug users to increase their bliss. It is equivalent to consuming twice as much marijuana smoke as normal since you breathe smoke from your smoking device and smoke in the air.
Because they have easy access to a car, teenagers and young adults often carry out hotboxing inside a car to smoke marijuana. Young people are especially susceptible to the idea that marijuana is safe. The legalization of marijuana in several states has further bolstered this stance.
Because it is so easy to build up confined areas, young adults often resort to hotboxing as a fun way to spend time together. And the potency of the high it brings may be another reason for its growing popularity among young adults.
Partying may seem pleasant and harmless when you gather with your buddies in a compact place, light up some smoke, and revel in the head high it brings. On the other hand, hotboxing may have long-term harmful impacts on your physical and emotional health.
Many individuals feel marijuana is perfectly natural and risk-free; thus, they are unaware of the possible dangers of hotboxing. The physical structure of a marijuana hotboxing space might create a potentially hazardous scenario. The lack of air in a closed setting, such as a car, intensifies marijuana’s euphoric effects. This might result in unpleasant reactions as well as other unforeseen effects. Hotboxing is dangerous for several reasons, including the following:
Some individuals often hotbox while driving, while others quickly return to their car afterward. Generally, driving under the influence of marijuana is risky. Smoking cannabis decreases cognitive capacities such as response speed, attention, depth perception, peripheral vision, motor control, and decision-making—all of which are important for safe driving. Therefore, hotboxing in a car may impair a person’s driving ability and increase the risk of a car accident or death.
When confined in an enclosed space, people rapidly exhaust the area’s oxygen supply and replace it with the carbon dioxide (CO2) they generate. In the same way, if the enclosed space where you’re hotboxing isn’t properly ventilated, the oxygen levels in the air may fall below normal, and the carbon dioxide (CO2) levels may increase. This causes hypercapnia, which is characterized by an excessively high quantity of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the patient’s blood. In its most severe forms, hypercapnia may be deadly.
Seizures, collapse, coma, and even death may result from hypercapnia. As a result, you should restrict the amount of time you spend hotboxing and take regular breaks, such as opening a window or leaving the room. Hotboxing may produce fatigue, dizziness, and lightheadedness. This sensation may easily be confused with a feeling of being high, which makes it even more dangerous.
Secondhand smoking refers to inhaling the tobacco smoke produced by the active smoking of others. Hotboxing marijuana generates a smokey atmosphere in which people continually inhale the smoke from others in the enclosed space. And being exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke poses substantial health risks. This is because marijuana smoke contains high amounts of chemicals, including tar. Some of these chemicals include:
There is evidence that “hotboxing” (as the practice is often known) may increase the risk of acquiring lung cancer. Marijuana smoke contains toxic compounds such as ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and nitrosamines. The lungs are especially exposed to these substances’ corrosive effects.
Furthermore, smoking marijuana may cause long-term respiratory difficulties. The intensity of these symptoms will rise as the smoke gets more concentrated during hotboxing. If you have a history of any form of health concern, you should avoid hotboxing.
Marijuana’s sedative and analgesic effects may make smokers feel tired and confused. Certain people may experience greater dizziness and disorientation, which may be harmful. Hotboxing also has the potential to enhance one’s rate of smoke inhalation significantly. As a result, the likelihood of having these negative symptoms increases. Hotboxing may induce significantly more dizziness and nausea than smoking does.
Hotboxing has been linked to several heart problems. Regular marijuana users are more prone to cardiovascular issues such as heart attacks and strokes. People who use marijuana in more conventional forms, such as joints or pipes, put their health in danger. This is because of the large number of smoke particles ingested.
Hotboxing is significantly dangerous since controlling how much smoke is ingested is difficult. People who smoke their drugs using pipes or joints inhale twice as much smoke as those who use vaporizers. Breathing smoke increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke in direct proportion to the amount of smoke inhaled.
Using a hotbox to smoke marijuana may increase your chances of becoming addicted to marijuana. Since marijuana is obtained from a natural plant, it is easy for people to assume that it is harmless. However, marijuana contains TetraHydroCannabinol, a potent chemical that can distort the mind’s workings. Hotboxers are in danger of serious side effects and long-term health concerns if they indulge in hotboxing regularly. Marijuana users may have short-term effects such as reduced cognition, confusion, dizziness, and hallucinations after only one session.
There is a link between a shortage of oxygen and the potency of the high that cannabis users get from hotboxing. Individuals who engage in hotboxing have a high chance of becoming addicted. However, addiction is just one of the major health risks that hotboxing poses.
At California Prime Recovery, we understand the possible consequences of hotboxing. The good news is that addiction therapy is widely accessible to support those who are suffering from marijuana addiction. We support anybody battling substance misuse in getting clean and developing the skills they will need to remain clean. Contact us today to learn about how we can help at 866-208-2390