Vaping is a way of consuming nicotine, marijuana, tasty clouds through material/liquid vaporization. Also vapes alow producing flavorful nicotine-free clouds.
It has been around for a long time now, and people once thought that it was a safe, risk-free alternative to tobacco products. People are beginning to doubt that vaping is healthy now that new research has debunked these claims.
Vaping might be an alternative to smoking, but scientists have learned that it still harms a person’s health. Among some of the risks is a higher likelihood of developing heart and circulatory problems, developing lung disease, and the increased likelihood of suffering emotional problems.
Statistics and Facts about Vaping
The results of several studies have led more people to believe that vaping is not a safe alternative to smoking. Data presented to the American College of Cardiology showed that e-cigarette users were 56 percent more likely to have a heart attack and 30 percent more likely to have a stroke than non-users.
Other health problems like coronary artery disease and other circulatory issues were also much higher amongst vapers. This data also supports the assertion that vaping might also correlate with emotional issues. It was found out that vapers are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than people who do not vape.
Diacetyl and pentanedione are additives commonly found in e-juice that are used to increase its flavor. Diacetyl is known to cause a severe lung disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans or “popcorn lung.” This disease can cause debilitating symptoms such as dry cough and shortness of breath.
According to the results of studies released by Harvard University, the combination of diacetyl and pentanedione were found in 90 percent of the e-cigarette flavors they tested and that they can impair the functioning of cilia in the airways.
Vaping is not only bad for the circulatory system and airways, but it also has a negative effect on oral health. A 2018 study concluded that e-cigarette aerosols have the same impact on the teeth as do sugary foods and drinks, and thereby they increase the risk of tooth decay. Other studies have found that vaping increases the chances of having inflamed gums, dry mouth, and cell death, all of which are linked to a host of periodontal diseases.
It is also important to note that many e-juices are infused with nicotine. Many people believe nicotine itself is harmless, but this is not true. Research has found that it has a negative effect on cardiovascular and respiratory health, as well as the renal and reproductive systems.
Is Vaping without Nicotine Safe?
Vaping nicotine-free e-juice has several adverse effects on the body. Firstly, two of the ingredients inside of it, propylene glycol and glycerol, can irritate a person’s airways.
Another result of vaping nicotine-free vape juice is an inflammatory immune response in the lungs, throat, and other parts of the body.
Also, a 2018 study discovered that the additives in e-juice cause heart damage that results in poor cardiovascular health and diabetes. People who think their health in unthreatened by nicotine-free e-juice need to think again.
What Are the Risks of Vaping?
There are several other health risks people should be aware of when they pick up vaping that are not limited to the aforementioned study results.
Nicotine Addiction
E-cigarettes are just as addictive as cigarettes because they contain nicotine. Dr. Michael Joseph Blaha of John Hopkins Medical University stated that e-cigarettes often have even more nicotine than cigarettes.
Susceptibility to Drug Addiction in Teens
Because nicotine affects teenagers’ brains the same way marijuana and other drugs do, it increases their chances of becoming addicted to illegal drugs. One study reported that teenagers who used vapes later began experimenting with marijuana, too.
Risk Groups
Teenagers are highly susceptible to vaping because of marketing techniques by vaping companies that target young people. Also, they think that e-cigarettes are a completely safe alternative to traditional cigarettes and tobacco products.
The truth is, though, vaping devices, especially those containing nicotine, have several severe effects on the health of teens, such as impairing their brain development and making them susceptible to drug addiction later in life.
The mentally ill are another demographic that should be wary of vaping. A recent study found that people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to have mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and impulsive traits.
Another group of people that suffer adverse health effects from vaping is people who smoke and vape. Scientists at the University of Central Florida led by Dr. Stanton Glantz concluded that people who vape and smoke are five times more likely to have a heart attack than people who only vape.
Asthmatics also must avoid vaping. A study conducted on 54 people in 2017 determined that asthmatics experience severe irritation in their airways that increases their breathing difficulties, and it takes them even longer to recover than it does for people without this disease. Vaping also increases the severity of the symptoms of asthma, especially in young people, causing them to miss valuable instruction time in school.
Accidents
Vapes are susceptible to exploding if they are not used correctly. The situation with exploding e-cigarettes become so bad in the United States Navy that they have been banned fleet-wide.
This new rule applies to sailors, marines, Military Sealift Command personnel, and visiting family and friends.
The Navy has recorded 31 explosions caused vape batteries, several of which resulted in severe periodontal injuries and first and second-degree burns to sailors. Two of the explosions caused so much damage that damage control teams had to be deployed to control the fires they started.
How to Avoid the Dangers of Vaping
The best way to avoid the dangers associated with vaping is not vape. Those who do vape and are concerned about the side effects of vaping should consume moderately, or even quit. People who still want to vape, but want to minimize the chances of developing an illness can do several things to mitigate the risks:
- Do not charge a vape with a charging cable with which it was not intended to be used. It was stated in the Navy Times that 80 percent of accidents with vapes were caused by people charging their devices incorrectly.
- Read the ingredients printed on the label. Avoid vaping with e-juice that uses diacetyl as an ingredient, as it can cause lung damage.
- People who do not want to become addicted to nicotine can buy e-juice that has zero nicotine.
- Avoid smoking and vaping, as this significantly increases a person’s risk of having a heart attack.
The Differences between Vaping vs. Smoking
Smoking conventional cigarettes is very harmful, as it causes strokes, heart disease, and lung cancer, and it is a contributing factor to other diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.
According to the Royal College of Physicians, vaping is a useful tool and resource for people who want to quit smoking and recommend them for improving public health in England. But, that does not mean that it is a healthy alternative to smoking.
The Differences Between Vaping vs. Smoking Cannabis
Smoking marijuana comes with its health risks, as well. Regularly taking THC into the body can lead to the development of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, the symptoms of which are nausea and vomiting. THC also has a poor effect on people who are bipolar or have schizophrenia. Since vaping causes health problems, too, someone who chooses to vape instead of smoke weed is merely exchanging one set of health risks for another.
What else should I know about the side effects of vaping?
Just as second-hand smoke is harmful to non-smokers, second hand vaping puts non-vapers at risk, too. The same toxic ingredients in e-juice that are inhaled are then exhaled, and bystanders wind up inhaling things like diacetyl, copper, and propylene glycol. Second hand vaping can also cause non-vapers to suffer irritation to their lungs.
Vaping can also be dangerous for pets. Pets that accidentally swallow nicotine can become dangerously ill, and they can have diarrhea, become agitated, and their heart rates can increase above normal. In more severe cases, animals have been known to have seizures, go into comas, or die. These poisonings usually happened because their owners were not attentive to their devices, leaving them in places where animals could get at them.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is still a lot more research that needs to be done to determine how safe or unsafe vaping is. As a result, the knowledge of everyday people about these devices is severely lacking, and they have a lot of questions about the effects they have on their health.
Is vaping safe when pregnant?
Parents expecting a child must consult a doctor whether to vape or not because doing so will have several ill effects on the pregnancy.
Many parents smoke before the mother gets pregnant, and some of them vape instead as a means of smoking cessation.
Nicotine causes severe brain damage to unborn babies. Even nicotine-free e-juice is harmful because of the ingredients. It is vital to the health of the child that fathers and mothers seek other smoking cessation alternatives.
Is vaping safe when there is COPD?
COPD occurs when the lungs lose their elasticity, resulting in those suffering from it the inability to fully exhale.
This disease is associated with many of the effects of vaping, including lung inflammation and tissue damage. For these reasons, people with COPD must discontinue vaping. It is vital to help people quit who have COPD.
Are peek insulator RDAs safe?
Any vaping device has damaging effects on a person’s health, no matter if it is a peek insulator RDA or a pod mod. Regardless of how the e-juice is being vaped, the vaper is still inhaling nicotine, diacetyl, and other addictive and harmful ingredients.
How safe is vaping compared to chewing tobacco?
The health risks of chewing tobacco are well known, and they include several periodontal cancers, gum disease, calcium deposits, and nicotine addiction.
Vaping can cause periodontal problems too, such as inflamed gums, tooth decay, and cavities. It is not known whether vaping can cause mouth or throat cancer. People who want to quit using chewing tobacco can try using vapes to quit.
Which CBD oil is safe for vaping?
It is believed that CBD can be used to treat arthritis, mental disorders, and cancer, but it has several side effects that will undoubtedly make people wanting to use it for recreational purposes think twice before buying it.
Common side effects of using it are fatigue, indigestion, changes in appetite, and fluctuations in weight. A more severe impact of using CBD is liver damage because it interferes with this organ’s ability to filter out harmful toxins entering the body.
Even though some CBD products recently was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating some ailments, it is not known whether it is effective for treating emotional disorders, arthritis, and the other health problems it is purported to alleviate.
Also, while it has been approved by the FDA, some states still have laws against it. People considering using CBD oil must consult with a doctor before using it and know the law in their jurisdiction.
What temperature is safe for vaping in celsius?
Vapers should not vape above 455°F. Staying under this temperature does not mean a person is avoiding the health risks associated with vaping. Regardless of how hot or cool the aerosol is, a vaper is still inhaling ingredients that are used to make e-juice, as well as the highly addictive nicotine.
Final Thoughts about Vaping’s Health Effects
There is still too little information out there to decide as to whether vaping is safer than smoking, but the evidence gathered by the Centers for Disease Control, the American Heart Association, and other public health organizations suggests that vaping has several negative effects on health and quality of life.
People who vape often suffer from non-life threatening side effects like dry mouth and skin and excessive thirst, irritability if they have gone without vaping, and several other short term effects.
There are also side effects that will severely affect a person’s quality of life, including periodontal problems, diseases that affect the lungs, and nicotine addiction.
The only sure way of healthy living and avoiding the negative short and long term health effects of vaping are to quit. Those who do not want to stop can mitigate the risks by charging their devices correctly, reading the ingredients on the label, and avoiding smoking while vaping. These tips can help, but they are no guarantee that a person can prevent the long term consequences of vaping.
If you have suffered from the ill effects of vaping, please let us know by leaving a comment below. Having tips on how to quit vaping? Feel free to share it in comments.
