A "vape," or electronic cigarette, is a device that heats up a liquid to create a vapor you inhale. Some types of vaping devices include pens, e-cigarettes (like JUUL), and hookahs. While vaping appears to be a healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes, there are still many health risks involved. Here’s everything you need to know.
Full Answer
What is vaping and how does it work?
Vaping, or vaporizing, is the process of heating up raw plant matter or extracts, without combustion. Instead of burning weed, tobacco or hash, vaping gently heats up these substances to limit the release of harmful chemicals and maximize the plant’s intended effects.
Does vape have nicotine?
Nicotine-free vaping is the same as normal vaping. However, it is removed from the e-liquid to create nicotine-free vape juice. Nicotine is one of the most addictive elements of vaping and the main reason many people still vape. So given the option, it is no surprise the users have jumped at the opportunity to carry on vaping without it.
What are the dangers of vaping?
- Prevalence of e-cigarette use. The researchers explained that their analysis outlines the significant health threats of vaping, most notably in youths.
- The long-term effects of vaping. ...
- Future research. ...
What does vape mean?
Vape What does vape mean? To inhale and exhale vapor from an e-cigarette Example "Excuse me gents, while I go vape for a bit." Related Slang Usage General Last Updated: August 12, 2015
How do cigarettes work?
Cigarettes work by burning tobacco leaves. The inhalation of the resulting smoke delivers nicotine to the user, but also 4,000-plus chemicals, including the toxic amalgamation of chemicals known as tar and other chemicals at dangerous levels.
Why are vapes called e-cigarettes?
The original name of ‘e-cigarette’ was chosen for marketing reasons as a way to let smokers know that the devices were an alternative to cigarettes, but it’s also confused a lot of people into believing that they are cigarettes.
What is an e-cigarette?
That has led to a lot of confusion, as many people hear the word “cigarette” and assume an e-cigarette is a high-tech version of a traditional tobacco product. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Electronic cigarettes were designed as a replacement for cigarettes.
What is fog made of?
In fact, the liquid is mostly propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, both of which are commonly used in food and FDA-approved medicines. The last time you went to a concert and a fog machine was used, the ‘fog’ was likely produced using propylene glycol.
What is a cigarette tube?
We all know what a cigarette is – a paper tube filled with shredded tobacco, usually with a filter at one end – but many people don’t understand exactly what it is that vapers (e-cigarette users) are inhaling from.
Is there smoke in a vaporizer?
There’s no combustion, so there’s no smoke. At the heart of any vapor product is the atomizer. This contains the coil which heats up in order to vaporize the liquid, but it needs other parts too. Almost all atomizers have a storage tank for liquid. There’s also a wick to carry liquid from the tank to the coil.
Do e-cigarettes smoke?
A small heating element inside the device turns the liquid into a vapor that is then inhaled through a mouthpiece. There’s no combustion, so there’s no smoke. At the heart of any vapor product is the atomizer.
What are the main components of an e-cigarette?
The main components. E-cigarette liquids, at the bare minimum, have three main components: flavors, sweeteners and solvents. Solvents are substances used to dissolve either nicotine or marijuana-derived compounds including THC or CBD so those ingredients can be inhaled.
What are the ingredients in e-liquid?
Sweeteners include sucralose and ethyl maltol. E-liquid flavors are wide-ranging, and can read like a wine tasting: "notes of vanilla" or "berries and herbal notes.". All of those ingredients — the solvents, the sweeteners and the flavors — are considered "generally recognized as safe" by the Food and Drug Administration.
What is the condition that a woman developed after vaping?
And a 2012 case report involved a woman who developed a condition called exogenous lipoid pneumonia after vaping for about six months. Doctors said her e-cigarette's oil-based solvents were the likely cause, and her condition improved when she quit vaping.
What are the elements that make up an aerosol?
Those metal coils can be composed of a variety of substances, including an alloy of iron, chromium and aluminum called kanthal, or a combination of nickel and chromium.
How do e-cigarettes produce aerosols?
E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating the e-liquid with metal coils. Those metal coils can be composed of a variety of substances, including an alloy of iron, chromium and aluminum called kanthal, or a combination of nickel and chromium.
What is the chemical in vanilla bean?
One recent study from Yale University found that vanillin — an extract of the vanilla bean — transforms into chemicals called acetals when aerosolized. Those chemicals, the researchers said, may be especially irritating to the lungs and cause damage when inhaled.
Does propylene glycol cause asthma?
Studies have shown that breathing in aerosolized propylene glycol may contribute to asthma.
How does vaping affect the brain?
Vaping puts nicotine into the body. Nicotine is highly addictive and can: slow brain development in kids and teens and affect memory, concentration, learning, self-control, attention, and mood. can lead to smoking cigarettes and other forms of tobacco use.
What is vaping in smoking?
What Is Vaping? Vaping is the inhaling of a vapor created by an electronic cigarette ( e-cigarette ) or other vaping device. E-cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices. They have cartridges filled with a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and chemicals.
How does nicotine addiction affect you?
Nicotine addiction leads to very strong cravings for nicotine. It can also lead to: headaches. feeling tired, cranky, angry, or depressed. trouble concentrating. trouble sleeping. hunger. restlessness. The signs of withdrawal are strongest in the first few days after stopping.
How to help a teen quit vaping?
Lend your support as your teen tries to quit. Set a good example by taking care of your own health. If you smoke or vape, make the commitment to quit. Talk to your kids about the reports of serious lung damage, and even deaths, in people who vape. Call your doctor right away if your child or teen vapes and has:
Can you use a Juul pod in school?
But many people use the Juul. This e-cigarette looks like a flash drive and can be charged in a laptop's USB port. It makes less smoke than other e-cigarettes, so some teens use them to vape at home and in school. The Juul pod's nicotine levels are the same as in a full pack of cigarettes.
Is vaping expensive?
Money: Vaping is expensive! The cost of the cartridges over time starts to add up. Instead, someone could spend that money on other things that they need or enjoy. To go against tobacco company advertising: Many e-cigarettes are made by the same companies that produce regular cigarettes.
Is e-cigarette vapor made of water?
Toxins (poisons): The vapor made from e-cigarettes is not made of water. The vapor contains harmful chemicals and very fine particles that are inhaled into the lungs and exhaled into the environment. Sports: To do their best in sports. Vaping may lead to lung inflammation (irritation). Money: Vaping is expensive!
How many chemicals are in e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic. While we don’t know exactly what chemicals are in e-cigarettes, Blaha says “there’s almost no doubt that they expose you to fewer toxic chemicals than traditional cigarettes.”
Why are e-cigarettes so popular?
First, many teens believe that vaping is less harmful than smoking. Second, e-cigarettes have a lower per-use cost than traditional cigarettes.
Is vitamin E acetate safe for vaping?
The CDC has identified vitamin E acetate as a chemical of concern among people with EVALI. Vitamin E acetate is a thickening agent often used in THC vaping products , and it was found in all lung fluid samples of EVALI patients examined by the CDC. The CDC recommends that people:
Is nicotine a substance?
Nicotine is the primary agent in both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and it is highly addictive. It causes you to crave a smoke and suffer withdrawal symptoms if you ignore the craving. Nicotine is also a toxic substance. It raises your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack.
Can you get more nicotine from an e-cigarette?
What’s worse, says Blaha, many e-cigarette users get even more nicotine than they would from a tobacco product — you can buy extra-strength cartridges, which have a higher concentration of nicotine, or you can increase the e-cigarette’s voltage to get a greater hit of the substance.
Is it good to quit smoking?
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health — smoking harms nearly every organ in your body, including your heart. Nearly one-third of deaths from heart disease are the result of smoking and secondhand smoke. You might be tempted to turn to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes, vape pens, ...
Can you use THC in a vape?
The CDC recommends that people: Do not use THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products. Avoid using informal sources, such as friends, family or online dealers to obtain a vaping device. Do not modify or add any substances to a vaping device that are not intended by the manufacturer.
What happened to vape pens?
In fact, during the more significant explosions users lost teeth or part of their jaw during the explosion. Meanwhile, others received chemical burns and lacerations.
What is a vape pen?
Initially created as an alternative to traditional cigarettes, vape pens are battery-operated devices that people use to inhale an aerosol, which typically contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals.
Why are vape pen explosions so hard to calculate?
The prevalence of vape pen explosions is hard to calculate because the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products didn't begin documenting explosions and fires until 2012.
How many cases of e-cigarettes in 2020?
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that there has been an outbreak of EVALI (or e-cigarette or vaping product associated lung injury) with nearly 3,000 cases reported as of February 2020. 1 .
Can vaping cause lung problems?
Vape Pen Use Can Lead to Lung Diseases. Aside from lung irritations like coughing and bronchitis, the use of vape pens has recently been linked to EVALI, or "e-cigarette or vaping product associated lung injury.".
Is vaping a cigarette more addictive than smoking?
Many people believe that using a vape pen is less addictive than smoking a traditional cigarette. But that is simply not true. Both vape pens and cigarettes contain nicotine, which has shown to be just as addictive as heroin and cocaine. 10 What's more, many people who vape get more nicotine than they would if they smoked a cigarette.
Is acrolein harmful to the brain?
9 Meanwhile, nicotine exposure is extremely harmful not only to the lungs, but also to the brain.
What is vape juice?
The vape juice is heated in e-cigarettes and vape rigs, and it creates an aerosol that users inhale. Vape juice comes in a variety of flavors, including candy, bubblegum and children’s cereals. Johns Hopkins cardiologist Michael Blaha, M.D., M.P.H., discusses vape flavors and other e-liquid ingredients, and how they may affect health, ...
What is Michael Blaha's approach to health?
As a cardiologist, Michael Blaha focuses on promoting healthy habits so people can prevent or reduce their risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. “For overall health,” he says, “and particularly heart health, I recommend tried and true, evidence-based approaches: Eat healthy foods, exercise, don’t smoke, and don’t get addicted to nicotine or other substances. It’s easy to get distracted by passing fads, but the main ways to stay healthy have not changed.”
What is the heating coil in e-liquid?
Even the heating coil, which allows the liquid to become an inhalable aerosol, releases new chemical substances and trace metals that go into the user’s lungs. “There are so many ingredients in e-liquids, and to date, no one is taking responsibility to account for them,” notes Blaha.
Is Blaha concerned about vaping?
But Blaha is particularly concerned about e-cigarette use and vaping among young people, and the surging incidence of vaping among kids who have never smoked. These young people are vulnerable to becoming addicted to the nicotine in vaping devices and e-cigarettes, and flavors may be making vaping more appealing to them.
Is vape juice toxic?
He explains that while there may be production standards for commercial e-cigarette companies, standards for vape shops, off-brand online vendors or “homemade” vape juice blends are less consistent. “Vape juice can contain a variety of things that could be toxic,” Blaha says.
Is it safe to eat vitamin E acetate?
“Some of the chest X-rays of patients with EVALI show signs of oily chemical irritation of the lungs. “So when it comes to inhaling vape juice, we don’t know what’s ‘safe.’.
Is vaping harmful to your lungs?
While more research may determine the overall harm from vaping, it is already clear that using “homemade” or unregulated vape juices can introduce unknown and potentially harmful substances into users’ lungs. Another main concern is the addictive nature of nicotine in vape juice or any tobacco product.