Vaping Vs Smoking: Is Vaping Safe?
What Are the Differences Between Smoking & Vaping?
In vaping, people inhale and exhale a vapour-like substance using an e-cigarette. The e-cigarette heats the liquid to release a vapor, which can then be inhaled by the user. Smoking on the other hand involves inhaling burnt tobacco.
The liquid in an e-cigarette can contain various substances like propylene glycol, nicotine, flavorings, and some other substances.
Traditional cigarettes contain chemicals that have been proven to be harmful, and over 4000 chemicals are present. One key difference to note is that the nicotine level contained in a traditional cigarette is fixed, but for an e-cigarette, the vaper can decide by either adding nicotine themselves, or purchasing different strength e-juice.
Also, the amount of nicotine you get into your body depends on how powerful your e-cigarette is, as well as how high the nicotine strength is. It is the nicotine contained in cigarettes and e-cigarettes that make the substances so addictive.
Unlike smoking, e-cigarettes do not produce tobacco smoke. They do not include the dangerous contaminants found in traditional cigarettes. E-cigarette has been promoted in some quarters as a better alternative to smoking and is believed to help people who want to quit traditional smoking. In the UK, vaping is considered 95% safer than smoking.
Battery operated devices are used in vaping. They come in many forms and can look like pens or sleek tech gadgets. Some look like highlighter pens or flash drives, which makes them easily concealable. Vaping has the similar hand-to-mouth effect smoking provides, giving users the placebo of traditional smoking. Also, they contain many varieties of flavours.
Vaping & Smoking Costs
In recent times, e-cigarettes are getting more publicity Just as cigarettes used to be. Manufacturers of different brands of e-cigarettes spend more to advertise their products and get more popularity for their brands. In terms of cost, smoking is considered more expensive than vaping.
It is said that twenty cigarettes per day can sum up to £5,000 annually. Meanwhile, vaping cost are around £500 annually. This implies smoking is 90% more expensive than vaping.
Vaping & Smoking, Laws & Regulations
Various states in the US have been given the power to pass laws restricting the sales and use of e-cigarettes. This is in a bid to ensure its use is not abused, and also, they are not being sold to minors. For instance, in 2016 the FDA made a rule to regulate e-cigarettes, which would ban the sales of e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18 and would require all e-cigarettes that entered into the market after February 15, 2007, go through a “premarket review”. This is a process the FDA uses to determine whether potentially risky products are safe.
Likewise, in the UK we have the TPD (Tobacco Products Directive), which has similar restrictions on the sale and use of vape liquids.
Vaping & Smoking Potential Issues
Vaping has not been considered illegal by any country in the world even though there are concerns among medical practitioners about the health risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes. For instance, experts have warned for decades about the potential dangers of inhaling tobacco smoke from cigarettes, and pipes. They believe there is a tendency to get high from vaping than from smoking.
Currently, e-cigarettes are being recognised by many American states including Washington D.C. as having medicinal properties that can help in dealing with a range of health conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, chronic pain, and more.
There are some known risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes, and users need to be aware of them. The known risks are highlighted below:
Explosion & Havoc
It has been recorded that e-cigarettes have resulted in explosions in the past. The British Medical Journal collected data on cases of e-cigarette explosions. They found that there were around 2035 burn injuries and e-cigarette explosions in the US. An author of the study stated that it was likely higher in number, as such incidents are not well tracked.
The report also stated that e-cigarettes, commonly powered by a lithium-ion battery, could overheat to the point of catching fire or exploding, a phenomenon known as 2thermal runway2. So, extra precautions must be taken by the users of e-cigarettes to ensure they does not result in any domestic havocs.
Chest Pains
This could be as a result of the flavours present in e-cigarettes such as cinnamon flavoured juice, which can contain chemicals called cinnamaldehyde, that some e-cigarette users claim has caused them to experience chest pain. The solution to this is to switch to another flavour.
Nausea
Nausea is common to all substances that contain nicotine. Also, a particular e-juice in your e-cigarette may contribute to this. A user can cut back on the use of e-juice to solve this problem. More research is needed to confirm if the use of e-cigarettes are harmful to DNA.
Anxiety
Being anxious is a common mental health condition associated with vaping. Anxiety increases your heart rate and makes you feel more uneasy with every puff of smoke, due to the nicotine content.
Allergy
Around 4% of the world population is said to be allergic to Propylene Glycol (PG). This is issue is generally resolved by vaping higher Vegetable Glycerine (VG) e-liquid.
Canker Sores
Canker sores are the little blisters that occur inside the mouth. They can be caused by stress, mouth injury, or acidic food. Canker sores in vaping are caused by the mouthpiece, and not any e-liquid present in the e-cigarette. A user should always ensure the mouthpiece is kept clean before and after use, to avoid canker sores.
Caffeine Sensitivity
This occurs in most people that are switching from smoking to vaping. The sensitivity can result in anxiety and mood swings. If you experience this, it is advisable to stay away from coffee intake until you are sure that you are no more sensitive to it.
Vapers also need to be aware of the side effects associated with the use of nicotine generally. This side effect may include vomiting, abdominal pain, and eye irritation.
Conclusion
It is known that the human body reacts to any new substances introduced to it. It is only later after mastering the usage of such substance that the body begins to get used to it.
General opinion expresses about the use of nicotine is that it is safer to use, and much less harmful to the body than smoking. Also, with necessary care and precautions, users can overcome the risks associated with vaping.
The gravity of health risks associated with vaping in the longer term are still unclear, and more research is still needed to ascertain the effect of vaping on DNA damage.
If as a user of e-cigarettes, you experience anything out of the ordinary, you should seek medical attention.
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