1 Vaping isn't as harmful than smoking, but smoking cigarettes isn't completely safe.
E-cigarettes can heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco) or flavorings along with other chemicals to produce an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7000 chemicals, some of that are harmful. While we don't know exactly which chemicals are in electronic cigarettes, Blaha says "There's almost no doubt that vaping exposes you to fewer toxic chemicals than smoking traditional cigarettes."
There is an increase in lung injuries and deaths that are associated vaping. In February of 2020, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified 2,807 cases of e-cigarette or vaping-related airway injury (EVALI) and at least 68 deaths related to this disease.
"These cases are believed to touch those who alter their devices for vaping or who use the black market for e-liquids that have been modified. This is particularly the case with vaping products that have THC," explains Blaha.
The CDC has identified vitamin E Acetate as an ingredient of concern in people suffering from EVALI. Vitamin E Acetate is a substance that thickens the vapor used in THC vape products. it was discovered in all samples of lung fluid of patients with EVALI examined in the CDC.
The CDC is recommending that people:
Do not use e cigarettes that contain THC or vaping products.
Do not use informal sources such as relatives, friends or online dealers to purchase Vaping equipment.
Do not alter or add any substances in a vaping device which is not permitted by the manufacturer.
The research conducted by The Johns Hopkins University on vape ingredients released in October 2021 discovered thousands of chemicals components in vape merchandise some of which are not yet identified. The team was able to detect were several potentially harmful chemicals, including caffeine. three chemical compounds that were not previously discovered in electronic cigarettes such as pesticides, as well as two flavorings suspected of having poisoning and irritation to the respiratory tract.
2: Research suggests vaping is not good for your heart and lungs.
Nicotine is one of the major ingredients in regular cigarettes and electronic cigarettes, and it is highly addictive. It induces craving for an cigarette and then suffer withdrawal symptoms if you ignore the urge. Nicotine is considered to be a toxic substance. It raises your blood pressure and elevates your adrenaline levels. This increases the rate of your heart and increases the chance of suffering a heart attack.
Can vaping be harmful to you? There's a lot of unanswered questions related to vaping, such as the chemicals that create the vapor and the effects they have on your health over the long haul. "People need to understand that e-cigarettes are potentially dangerous to your health," says Blaha. "Emerging evidence suggests that they may be linked to lung diseases that are chronic and asthma, as well as connection between smoking e-cigarettes and cardiovascular disease. You're exposed to various chemicals that we're not fully understanding as well as ones that aren't unsafe."
Electronic cigarettes are just equally addictive and addictive like traditional ones.
The e-cigarettes and the regular cigarettes contain nicotine, and research suggests that it may be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Furthermore, says Blaha that e-cigarette users obtain more nicotine than they would in a combustible tobacco product: Users can purchase extra-strong cartridges that have a higher concentration of nicotine, or boost the e-cigarette's voltage to get a greater hit of the substance.
Electronic cigarettes aren't the most effective smoking method for quitting.
Though they've been advertised as a method to help smokers quit smoking, e-cigarettes haven't been granted Food and Drug Administration approval as devices for quitting smoking. A recent study has found many people who wanted to make use of e-cigarettes as a way to stop their nicotine addiction ended up making use of traditional cigarettes as well as e-cigarettes.
As a result of the EVALI outbreak In light of the EVALI outbreak, the CDC suggests people who utilize electronic cigarettes to help quit smoking to evaluate the potential risks and benefits and first consider use of alternative smoking cessation methods that are FDA-approved.
5: A new generation is addicted to nicotine.
With young people, e-cigarettes particularly the disposable ones is more popular than any regular tobacco products. From the National Youth Tobacco Survey, more than 2 million U.S. middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in 2021. In addition, more than 8 out of 10 teens using flavored e-cigarettes.
According to Blaha There are three motives why electronic cigarettes are particularly appealing to teenagers. Many teens believe that vaping is not as harmful as smoking. Additionally, e-cigarettes come with a lower price per-use than traditional cigarettes. Then, the younger and older generations find the lack of smoke attractive. Without a smell, e-cigarettes remove some of the stigmas associated with smoking cigarettes.
"What I find most concerning about the rise of vaping is that people who would've never smoked otherwise, especially youth, are taking up the habit," Blaha says. Blaha. "It's something to change from smoking cigarettes to vaping. It's another to begin using nicotine with vaping. Being addicted to nicotine usually leads to using traditional tobacco products in the future."
Research from the CDC confirms that vaping among young people has decreased since the year 2020. Parents who have children under their parents' supervision during the COVID-19 pandemic could cause this trend.
Young people are prone to changing their preferences frequently and, if they are surveyed, might not think of making use of disposable items like "puff bars" as vaping. The same CDC research report finds that disposable vaping use has grown by 1,000 percent among high schoolers and 400% among middle school students from 2019 onwards.
Vaping and the COVID-19 Pandemic
At the time the coronavirus pandemic appeared, Blaha saysthat the research shows that the number of people who e-cigarettes sold decreased in part due to people spending more time in their homes, avoiding stores as well as public areas.
However, Blaha finds a trend which alarms him: the increasing rate in daily use of e-cigarettes by everyone vape vape users. "The number of people who vape daily was 1 in 5, but the number is now growing quite a lot, which is worrying because this implies a higher risk of developing nicotine addiction. I'm keeping an eye on that."
What Is Vaping? Everything You Need To Know
How Does Vape Work?
Vaping gadgets can vary in shape, size , and size and. They create an aerosol from heating up a liquid that can be made up of flavors and other chemicals that help make vaping less harsh (initially at least) then smoking. This liquid can deliver nicotine, marijuana, or another drug to the user through a mouthpiece that is inhaled into the lungs . It is then released through the mouth or nose.
Vaping Health and Safety Risks
While these products generally contain a liquid that contains around one-third of the nicotine that is found in cigarettes--for instance, a JUULpod containing 5% strength is intended to replace a full pack of cigarettes in the strength of nicotine, vaping consumers still face the risk of health and safety.
Nicotine, a stimulant which may harm the developing brain (which continues to grow until the age of 25 age), is found in numerous electronic cigarettes, though not all of them are listed on the label, according to a recent CDC study.
The consumption of nicotine within the developing adolescent brains could harm the parts which control:
Learning
Mood
Attention
Controlling impulses
Nicotine use affects how the synapses--connections between brain cells--are formed. In adolescence, regular use can make it more likely for subsequent addiction to cigarettes as well as other drugs.
Other than nicotine smoking liquid, vaping fluid and vapors can contain harmful components, such as
Cancer-causing chemicals
Metals with heavy heft, such lead, tin, or nickel
Flavorings like diacetyl which is a chemical that has been linked to lung disease
Volatile organic compounds
Ultra-fine particles are those that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
Scientists are still actively learning about the negative effects that vaping can have, particularly in relation to Vitamin E Acetate, an ingredient in many vaping liq
