The Negative Effects of Vaping

There is growing scientific evidence showing that smoking can harm our health, in the first place the cardiovascular and respiratory system. Studies show that tobacco smoking causes nearly one in five deaths in the US every year and it’s connected to almost every type of cancer.  Smoking damages nearly every organ in the body and harms our overall health.

Quitting smoking is one of the best decisions you can make; but there is no best way to quit this harmful habit.

Most ex-smokers say that quitting smoking was one of the hardest things they ever did. Nevertheless, tobacco usage declined over the past decades in the United States, with a large number of ex-smokers turning to e-cigarettes.

What are E-cigarettes?

The consumption of vaping devices has increased significantly in recent years because of the perception that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative to tobacco smoking. Today, electronic cigarettes are the most popular smoking product, especially among young people. Studies show that adolescences have the highest increase in e-cigarettes usage.

Using an e-cigarette is usually called “vaping.” Electronic cigarettes, also known as vaping devices are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosolized mixture of small particles in the air. The liquid typically contains nicotine and other chemicals as well as different flavorings. The vapor that e-cigarettes produce looks like a tobacco smoke. However, with vaping, the user takes a puff on a device and exhales the vapor, instead of smoke.

However, there are many doubts about the safety of e-cigarettes, as recent research suggests potential negative effects of vaping.

What are the Side Effects of Vaping?

Can vaping harm your health? There are still many unknown facts about vaping. For example, the chemical components of the vapor are mostly unknown. Also, it is not clear how these chemicals affect our physical health over the long term. Correspondingly, there is growing evidence that electronic cigarettes emit considerable levels of nicotine, carbonyls, and volatile organic compounds in the air.

1. Electronic Cigarettes Lead to Nicotine Addiction

When you use an e-cigarette, the nicotine from the liquid is easily absorbed from the lungs into your bloodstream, where it stimulates the adrenal glands to release their hormones (epinephrine or adrenaline). Epinephrine then stimulates the central nervous system, increasing breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. Besides, nicotine activates the reward pathways in the brain and increases levels of the brain’s neurotransmitter called dopamine that contributes to feelings of satisfaction and pleasure. Pleasures play their part in addiction, motivating people to use nicotine over and over again, despite its negative effects on health.

1. E-cigarette Use Exposes the Lungs to Chemicals

Studies show that chemicals added to e-liquids and other chemicals produced during the heating and vaporizing process may cause lung problems. Also, the vapor is believed to contain known carcinogens and high levels of toxic metals such as cadmium that cause breathing problems and lung disease.

1. Teenagers Who Vape are More Likely to Start Smoking

Some studies have found a strong link between vaping in teens and subsequent cigarette smoking; the teens who use e-cigarettes may be at greater risk of starting smoking later on. This probability of cigarette initiation after vaping may increase even among low-risk teens.

1. E-cigarettes Affect the Brain

The teenage years are critical for brain development. Young people who use nicotine products in e-cigarettes (and other products) are at risk for long-term effects. Besides addiction, nicotine also affects the brain’s centers for attention and learning, may cause mood disorders and problems with impulse control.

Other side effects of vaping may include a cough, nosebleeds, dizziness, headache, dry or sore mouth, allergies, and other health problems.