It won’t be an exaggeration to say that smoking has been one of the greatest challenges to public health in modern history. Even with the steady decline in the use of tobacco in America, cigarettes are still responsible for about half a million deaths each year. What this means is that smoking has led to the death of ten times the number of Americans than all the wars the country has fought.
It, therefore, suffices to say that it is more deadly than alcohol, HIV, illegal drugs and vehicle crashes. Cigarettes can have lasting damage on the human body which is the main reason people have been discouraged from smoking tobacco.
Is Vaping Better Than Smoking Cigarettes?
This is one question that may not be easy to answer owing to several reasons. However, based on available data, vaping has proven to be a safer option when compared with smoking cigarettes. It is however worthy of note that the major difference between them both is in how the tobacco is converted to an inhalable product. Cigarettes derive most of their harmful features from its combustion. When tobacco is set on fire, thousands of chemicals are ignited which can cause damage to your system..
What Is Vaping?
There are several types of e-cigarettes such as tans, vape pens, and the very popular JUUL that looks like a flash drive thus making it easy to conceal. One thing they all, however, have in common is that they are battery powered when you include a liquid that contains the nicotine, as well as flavorings and some other chemicals, the heat changes the liquid into vapor.
This process is where the name vaping is coined; the vapor is then inhaled straight into your lungs.
How Do E-Cigarettes Work?
The mechanism upon which e-cigarettes work is such that it heats a liquid which is known as e-juice and then transforms it to vapor. E-cigarette users inhale the vapor into their lungs.
Do E-Cigarettes Contain Nicotine Within Them?
It is noteworthy to state that the e-liquid that is in most vapes contains nicotine which is the same drug contained in normal cigars, cigarettes, and hookah.. However, nicotine levels are not the same as the different types of electronic cigarettes. Also, some of the time, the product labels do not indicate the real concentration of nicotine.
The brand known as JUUL is known to contain a higher volume of nicotine for each puff when compared with other types of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. As a result of this, both JUUL and JULL related products can be even more addictive than the other types of e-cigarettes. Some reports indicate that children may become a bit addicted to nicotine by simply using JUULS.
What Is The Vapor Contained In An E-Cigarette?
Even though the term vapor may appear to be quite harmless, the aerosol that emanates from the e-cigarette can be quite harmful. E-cigarette vapor can contain certain substances that may prove to be destructive to lung tissue, addictive, can even lead to heart disease, lung disease as well as cancer.
You must recognize that all JUULs and majority of e-cigarettes have different levels of nicotine content. There is also evidence that this nicotine goes a long way in causing damage to the mental development of teenagers. Also, if it is used during pregnancy, the nicotine may lead to low birth weight in babies, premature births, and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
Aside from nicotine, e-vapor and e-cigarettes have propylene glycol as well as vegetable glycerin. These are substances that are used for the creation of theatrical fog which has been proven to increase the risk of damage tothe lungs, as well as airway irritation.
Furthermore, e-cigarettes and vapor are known to contain certain substances and chemicals as outlined below.
1. Flavoring chemicals
Some of the flavorings are known to have higher toxicity when compared with others. The studies carried out have indicated that these flavors are known to contain various levels of a certain chemical known as diacetyl which is connected to a certain lung disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans.
2. Volatile Organic compounds (VOCs)
At some levels, VOCs are known to lead to nose, eye and throat irritation as well as nausea and headaches. It has also been shown to lead to damaged kidney, liver and the nervous system.
3. Formaldehyde
This is a substance reputed to lead to cancer and may form when the e-liquid becomes overheated. It could also arise when not enough liquid is getting to the heating element.
It should be noted that currently, the FDA does not require the manufacturers of e-cigarettes to stop using potentially harmful substances. Also, it is quite difficult to determine exactly the content of these e-cigarettes because most of the products do not outline the harmful substances that are contained within. Also, some of these products are usually incorrectly labeled.
It is vital to point out that the CDC has indicated that e-cigarette products are modified and may have rather dangerous substances from sources unknown.
What Are The Health Effects Associated With Using E-Cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are still quite new in the market; hence a whole lot of research is still required over an extensive period to ascertain the long term effects. Even though the long term effects of e-cigarettes are currently not clear, there have been reports recently of serious lung issues with people that make use of vaping devices. Some of these symptoms include:
Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting
Trouble breathing, cough, and chest pain
Fever, fatigue, and weight loss
There have been cases where hospitalization has been required and several people have died from such conditions. One teenager required a lung transplant to survive. It is however not clear how widespread such cases are or if the causes are the same. There are dozens of vaping devices out there in the market, and there is an even greater number of chemicals that can be used with them.
As it stands, the issues emanating from vaping can have more harmful effects than e-cigarettes due to the unknown chemicals and less regulation for vaping products. The American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA are trying to see what else these cases may have in common. E-cigarettes can be very helpful in helping people wean off cigarettes by gradually reducing the nicotine content.
What Is The Useful Information Regarding The Use Of E-Cigarettes By Youths?
It is imperative to note that no youth including high schoolers and middle schoolers should make use of e-cigarettes or even tobacco for that matter. You should have it at the back of your mind that most e-cigarettes and JUULs contain very addictive nicotine. Nicotine is more addictive than heroin. There is also clear evidence that using nicotine causesgreat harm to the mental development of teenagers.
Studies have indicated that there is a strong link between the use of vaping and the eventual use of cigarettes and tobacco-based products. Making use of e-cigarettes may play a role in a teenager or kid desiring to go for more dangerous tobacco-based products.
Records show that JUUL now holds the unique reputation of being the most sought after cigarette product among young people. Teenagers and youths are known to use them in classrooms and restrooms. The FDA is the regulatory authority charged with regulating every tobacco-based product such as e-cigarettes and is making efforts on other options intending to block access of youths to the e-cigarettes.
Does Vaping Lead To Cancer?
Research is still being carried out to ascertain the health effects of these e-cigarettes when they are used over an extensive period. You must note that e-cigarette vapor has some cancer-causing chemicals even though in quite lower quantities when compared with smoke from a cigarette.
Is It Possible For E-Cigarettes To Explode?
Reports have surfaced about e-cigarettes exploding and leading to injuries. The explosions are usually a result of battery faults or a situation where the batteries weren’t handled properly..
Can Exposure To Secondhand E-Cigarette Aerosol Dangerous?
Even though e-cigarettes do not emit smoke like tobacco-based cigarettes, they do predispose people to secondhand vapor which may contain certain harmful substances. As it stands, research indicates that exposure to secondhand vapor exposure is most likely to have less harm than inhaling secondhand smoke..
These smoke-free policies at businesses, schools, and other organizations should be designed in such a way as to handle e-cigarettes as well. This should go a long way in assisting non-users from being exposed to harmful chemicals.
Can Vaping Assist People To Quit Smoking?
They are currently not approved as aids to help people quit smoking. The reason for this is that research findings have not been clear. Some studies have indicated that e-cigarettes are quite helpful for addicted adults who are not pregnant. Other studies have also shown that e-cigarettes are not as effective as nicotine replacement therapies like gums, patches, and lozenges.
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Conclusion
Is vaping better than smoking cigarettes? We believe this article has answered your questions. However, it should be noted that they both have their associated risks and as such care is to be taken when consuming them. Vaping appears to be gaining traction in the market and so also are the associated risks.
References
https://www.healthline.com/health/is-vaping-bad-for-you
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a28788699/is-vaping-bad-for-health/
