Vapings has become more and more popular over the years. People consider it the “healthy” and “safe” smoking. Well, the reality is that inhaling all that smoke is not that safe and can have a bad effect on your health!
Vaping is actually smoking an e-cigarette. These cigarettes are filled with liquid known s e-liquid, that creates the flavor. The e-cigarettes are powered by a rechargeable battery that activates the heating system and then turn the liquid into vapor. A person then inhales the smoke through the mouthpiece. E-cigarettes come in many different forms and have many different names. Although the FDA classifies e-cigarettes as tobacco products, they don’t contain any tobacco.
E-Liquid Vapor and Its Dangers
When you hear the word “vapor”, you think of water, but that’s far from the case. That vapor produced by the e-cigarette contains a lot of components that are not good for your body.
Here are some of those components:
- Nicotine
Nicotine is a substance found in cigarettes which makes cigarettes addictive. E-cigarettes contain a lot less nicotine but still can be just a addictive. Nicotine is really harmful, especially to the mental development of teenagers. - Glycol or Glycerin
Many chemicals are added to the e-liquid in order to make the vapor look thick and smog-like. E-cigarettes contain glycol or glycerin, or both! They can cause lung irritation which can eventually lead to coughing and infections. - Volatile Organic Compounds
VOCs or Bolatile Organic Compounds can cause a lot of health issues.They can irritate your eyes, throat, nose and even cause nervous system damage. It can sometimes cause liver and kidney disease, headaches and nausea. - Benzoic Acid
Benzoic acid is added in order to preserve the products. Unfortunately, this compound can cause serious health issues such as asthma and hyperactivity. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, skin and eye irritation, abdominal pain and throat problems. - Formaldehyde
We all know how dangerous is inhaling formaldehyde. This compound is not found in the e-liquid, but when a vape pen becomes overheated, it releases it. Formaldehyde can increase the risk of cancer. - Heavy metals
Some e-liquids contain heavy metals. Heavy metals can cause lung cancer and liver disease.
The Flip Side
Some of the findings concerning the e-cigarettes have been taken out of context. There are a lot of connecting these cigarettes with lung cancer, but the reality is that vaping doesn’t lead to increased lung cancer risk. Most people use vaping to quit smoking, a method that has proven to be successful for many.
Vaping vs Smoking
Vaping isn’t a healthy habit since it contains many chemical compounds that re not good for the body.
On the other hand, it’s a good option for people who want to quit tobacco. Here’s why:
- E-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco, which causes lung cancer
- Vaping can help smokers quit cigarettes
- Inhaling the smoke from someone’s e-cigarette is not dangerous
So the question remains: Is vaping dangerous? Although there are not enough researches, vaping is less dangerous than smoking. Despite this fact, vaping isn’t healthy also so avoid it if you can!