Health Implications of Vaping: Risks and Benefits Explained

You use a handheld electronic device to inhale mist (“vapor”) into your lungs when vaping. An e-cigarette, vape pen, or other electronics are nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). This heats a liquid with nicotine, flavoring, propylene glycol, and other additives into an aerosol. 

You then inhale this aerosol through a mouthpiece. The health implications of vaping are severe. JUUL pod or Vaping device can cause breathing issues, organ damage, addiction, and other health problems.

In this guide, you will learn the details of the health implications of vaping. So, keep reading!

What is Vaping?

Vaping uses a small handheld device like e-cigarettes, vape pens, or mods to inhale a mist containing nicotine and flavoring, called e-liquid. It is similar to smoking. But instead of burning tobacco, vaping heats liquid particles.

How Does Vaping Work?

Vaping works by heating liquid in a device so you can inhale it. The e-cigarette or vape pen heats the liquid to create an aerosol, which is not water vapor. 

This mist has nicotine, flavoring, and other substances suspended in the air. You breathe these particles through a mouthpiece, drawing them into your throat and lungs.

What are E-Cigarettes (Vape Pens)?

An electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, heats liquid nicotine and flavoring for you to inhale. Different types include vapes, vape pens, sticks, e-hookahs, hookah sticks, mods, and personal vaporizers (PVs). These are all called electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

Most e-cigarettes have:

• A cartridge, tank, or MYLE pod to hold the liquid, which can be refilled.
• A heating element to turn the liquid into an aerosol, often called “vapor.”
• A power or control button, with some activated by sensors when you inhale.
• A mouthpiece to inhale the aerosol.

Health Implications of Vaping – Detailed Guide

Vaping has several risks, including lung and organ damage, breathing problems, and addiction. Many people think vaping is safer than smoking, but it isn’t without harm.

Problems Vaping Causes Include

• Asthma: You can develop asthma and other lung issues due to vaping. It can also worsen existing asthma.
• Lung Scarring: Diacetyl, a chemical in some flavorings, can cause bronchiolitis obliterans or “popcorn lung,” leading to permanent lung scarring.
• Organ Damage: Nicotine and other substances in e-liquids can harm your heart and brain. Nicotine can impair brain development, raise blood pressure, and narrow arteries.
• EVALI: EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury) is a serious lung condition from vaping. It causes severe lung damage and symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. EVALI can be fatal.
• Addiction: Nicotine is highly addictive and alters your brain, making you crave more. You might find it hard to quit vaping, even if it harms your health. Even e-liquids labeled nicotine-free often contain small amounts of nicotine.
• Cigarette Smoking: Many who start vaping eventually switch to smoking cigarettes, which have more harmful chemicals.
• Second-Hand Exposure: While vaping doesn’t produce smoke, it exposes others to nicotine and other chemicals.
• Explosions: Batteries in vaping devices can explode, causing severe injuries and burns.

Conclusion

You might see vaping as a lesser evil compared to smoking cigarettes. However, much about the health implications of vaping is still unknown. Reporting potential health problems from vaping to the FDA helps us learn more.

Until more information is available, reconsider vaping. Federal and state authorities advise avoiding all vaping until more is known. If you choose to vape, avoid e-cigarettes bought from the street.