5 Vaping Facts That You Might Not Know.
Although vaping may seem less dangerous than smoking, it presents a whole array of other risks.
An e-cigarette, also known as a vape as stated by the CDC, is an electronic device in which users breathe out harmful chemicals, substances, and a vapor-like liquid. Over the past few years, many smokers have transitioned to vaping. However, many non-smokers have also joined the vaping epidemic, and they may be unaware of the potential risks and side-effects.
Here are 5 facts about vaping that you might not know:
1. Vape still contains nicotine
If you’ve been vaping for quite some time, then this one may come as a shock: e-cigarettes often contain nicotine, according to Truth Initiative. That’s right – despite the common belief that vapes do not contain harmful substances, many of them actually contain the same harmful chemical found in regular cigarettes.
What is more worrying is that some brands that advertise their e-cigarettes to contain no nicotine actually contain small amounts of the harmful substance. Why is this important? For starters, nicotine is highly addictive, dangerous, and the health consequences have been linked to cancer, heart issues, various dental problems, and other issues.
2. Vaping is harmful to your heart and lungs
Vaping is also harmful to your heart and lungs, just like smoking. As mentioned by Johns Hopkins Medicine, the nicotine found in an e-cigarette causes your blood pressure and adrenaline to spike. The result? An increased risk of a heart attack and other heart-related problems.
Going forward from this, as the research surrounding vaping is so premature, the real side effects of vaping and the chemicals contained within the vape are still unknown.
3. Your brain development and function is affected
If damage to your heart and lungs is not enough, vaping also affects your brain development and function, as stated by Kids Health. For example, someone who vapes may find it more difficult to concentrate.
However, more notably, children and adolescents who vape may slow their brain development. This may result in rapid mood changes and the inability to control your impulses as an adult.
Scary, right?
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4. Vaping can lead to future tobacco use
Vaping during a young age, generally teens, increases the likelihood of those individuals to smoke tobacco in adulthood, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The negative health effects associated with vaping will carry out, or even worsen, in the future if tobacco use begins. The best practice is to cut out the habit before it turns into an uncontrollable issue.
5. Addiction can be formed
Vape detectors are becoming more and more popular in schools and similar environments. These small devices can be placed in areas that are difficult to monitor, such as bathrooms and locker rooms.
The vape detector can sense when a user is smoking or vaping, sending an immediate, location-specific alert to a member of staff or school official.
This intervention is becoming widespread in an attempt to protect the health of children, and further ward off vaping for good.
The Bottom Line
Over the last few years, the number of vape users has skyrocketed. Although e-cigarettes were supposed to be a “healthier” alternative to smoking, it turns out that effects and consequences may be just as harsh.
What’s worse is the lack of research – who knows, vaping may one day be more harmful than traditional cigarettes.