Vaping is gaining momentum in the US as more and more people are switching to it as a safer alternative to cigarettes. Roughly 1 in every 20 Americans uses vaping devices, and 1 in 3 vapers use these devices daily. That’s a large number of people choosing to vape.
But why is vaping getting so popular, and what exactly is vaping? If you are unaware of vaping and are constantly bombarded by words like vape pens, e-cigarettes, e-liquid, and others, maybe it’s time to gain some insight.
While if it’s safe or not is a separate question, you can always gain some knowledge of the vaping world and decide whether you want to try it out. If you do plan to try vaping, you better try products and devices from a reputed Vape wholesale distributor. That way, you’ll get the assurance of quality and will cause less harm to your health.
Table of Contents
What is Vaping?
Vaping uses small, handheld devices through which you inhale a mist of nicotine and mist. It’s like smoking in its purpose but differs in its function. In vaping, the device heats tiny liquid particles rather than burning tobacco.
The technical name is the electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) which encompasses vape pens, mods, tanks, and electronic cigarettes. These devices simulate the cigarette-smoking experience using aerosolized vapor instead of smoke. They include a heating element that vaporizes a liquid, which is a mixture of propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, and flavorings, allowing the users to inhale it.
The mist from e-cigarettes is not water vapor. The mist from e-cigarettes contains nicotine particles, flavoring, and other substances suspended in the air. You inhale this mist through the mouthpiece, and the vapor goes down your throat to your lungs.
Is Vaping Safer than Smoking Cigarettes?
Vaping is often considered safer than cigarette smoking, but vaping causes health problems too. Though vaping and smoking are similar, and you inhale nicotine and other substances in both, however in vaping, you inhale an aerosol or mist, and in smoking, the combustion of tobacco forms smoke, which is then inhaled into your lungs.
Both smoking and vaping are addictive and bring potentially harmful chemicals to your body. The levels of many of these chemicals are higher when you burn tobacco than when you vape. However, the long-term damages of vaping aren’t much discussed because it hasn’t been there for so long.
What does Vaping do to Your Lungs?
A popular misconception about vaping is that you inhale water vapor along with chemicals and sweeteners. However, it’s not true. Contrary to popular belief, you are not inhaling water vapor when you vape. You actually vape aerosol, which is a mix of chemicals like nicotine, metals, and other toxic chemicals. These chemicals can cause inflammation (swelling) and irritation in your lungs. Several types of lung damage, like scarring and narrowing of the tubes, can occur from this. However, more research on vaping is necessary to understand the short and long-term effects of vaping on our health.
What does E-liquid Contain?
The liquid that vaping devices use to create the vape or mist you inhale is called e-liquid. An e-liquid or vape juice usually consists of several compounds. Though the number of chemicals is not as high as cigarettes, e-juices too contain several metals and chemicals. This is what a typical e-liquid contains:
Nicotine. The addictive and harmful substances in cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Flavoring. Each vaping device comes with its own flavor.
Propylene glycol and glycerin that used to create vapor.
Eliquids often contain some other ingredients, including:
- Chemicals that cause cancer (carcinogens), like Acetaldehyde and Formaldehyde.
- Chemicals like acrolein, diacetyl, and diethylene which are known to cause cancer.
- THC, the chemical compound in marijuana causing the high.
- Vitamin E acetate, linked to a specific lung injury called EVALI.
- Ultrafine particles that can go deep into your lungs.
- Heavy metals like tin, nickel, cadmium, and lead.
What are the Side Effects of Vaping?
Vaping is not healthy and can have a number of side effects, including:
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing
- Eye irritation
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Dry and irritated mouth and throat
What are the Benefits of Vaping?
You may have heard that vaping has certain benefits, including that it’s less harmful and helps in quitting smoking. But even if it can help you quit smoking, you can develop an addiction to vaping instead. And while the number of harmful chemicals in vapes is much fewer than in cigarettes or cigars, it still holds a number of toxic substances that can cause havoc when inhaled. In other words, vaping is of no use when you are not already smoking.People generally think that vaping is safe, but the mist you inhale can still cause health problems, including life-threatening lung diseases. While some injuries can improve with time, some diseases, like lung scarring, are permanent. Constant irritation to your lungs can even cause significant issues like asthma and COPD that don’t go away.
Conclusion
If you have gone through the article, you now have a fair knowledge of vaping. These devices are cheap; you can easily try one from a vape wholesale if you haven’t already. Overall, vaping isn’t harmless, but it’s less harmful than smoking. So, if you are already a smoker and want to try something new, you can always try vaping.
