I used a PAX for a couple of years, when I decided I should transition away from smoking, aside from the occasional shared joint or blunt with friends (obviously not anymore in the post-Covid age). After a while though, I found it was taking as much (and maybe more) of a toll on my throat and lungs than smoking was, so my PAX is gathering dust somewhere now.
At least anecdotally, I don't know anyone else who's had the same experience, though. And no question they're really convenient and portable. These days, pretty much any inhaling I do of weed is done with a dab rig, which doesn't seem to give me any issues.
I do the same thing as your friend. Make a batch of weed butter, and then bake my own edibles. My grandma’s old double-chocolate chip recipe has become my go-to, and kind of my calling card among friends.
Those homemade edibles are probably about 95% of my THC consumption these days, since I had the same thought as you, and thought that I'd cut my lungs out of the equation as much as possible.