Vaping offers several therapeutic and psychological benefits, and experts believe it is much safer than traditional cigarettes. While considering the benefits of e-cigarettes use, it is also critical to know about the health risks.
Are you aware that there may be some health risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes? We shall highlight some of these potential health risks.
Most of these benefits are still being researched, but it is best to keep an open mind about the safety risk associated with vaping.
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What Are Electronic Cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are electronic devices simulating the smoking of tobacco. It offers a feeling of tobacco smoking and may be useful for individuals trying to quit their tobacco smoking habit and start a new adventure with vaping devices.
E-cigarettes have different components, including a tank or cartridge, a battery, and an atomizer. While smoking produces smoke, electronic cigarettes produce vapor inhaled by users.
E-cigarettes come in various designs, sizes, colors, and shapes. Some e-cigarettes may resemble your regular cigarette, pipes, or cigars. Other ones are designed as pens, USB flash drives, and several common items.
Different names refer to e-cigarettes, including vape pens, tank systems, hookahs, e-cigs, vapes, mods, etc. Vaping is a term that describes e-cigarette use.
How Does an E-cigarettes Work?
Electronic Cigarettes work by creating aerosol for inhalation. To achieve this, the e-cigarette battery heats a liquid to produce an aerosol you inhale during vaping. The liquids in e-cigarettes may be referred to as vape liquid, vape juice, e-juice, or e-liquid.
The vape juice has different components, including terpenes, THC, CBD, flavonoids, etc. The cannabis strain and concentration of THC in the vape juice may influence its effect. The aerosol produced by the atomizer is inhaled into the lungs.
What is The Safety or Health risk Associated With E-cigarettes Use?
Over the years, health experts have carried out several studies to determine the potential risk of e-cigarette use on the body. Although most of these potential safety risks are in their research phase, they are worthy of note so they can guide you through your vaping journey.
- Lung Cancer and Other Symptoms
Lung Cancer is one of the potential health risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes may contain THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) or nicotine. These compounds may pose safety concerns to your lungs.
E-liquids also contain several other metallic and chemical constituents which may affect your lung health. Such harmful metals and chemicals include lead, tin, diacetyl, flavorings, etc.
It may pose breathing difficulty, cause nausea, fever, chest pain, constant coughing, and several other symptoms. Research is ongoing about the possibility of e-cigarettes causing lung cancer.
However, studies show that short-term nicotine effects may include restlessness, sleep difficulties, and other symptoms.
- Heart Issues
Nicotine in E-cigarettes may cause heart-related issues. Experts believe that nicotine may be responsible for increased blood pressure, leading to a rise in adrenaline levels.
Increased adrenaline levels may cause your heart rate to increase and make you susceptible to a heart attack. More research is still being carried out in this area to establish more facts on the effect of e-cigarettes on heart health.
Clinical experts also believe that there is a greater risk of developing blood circulation and coronary artery diseases.
- Damage To The Brain
The presence of nicotine in e-cigarettes may be harmful to the brain parts responsible for controlling impulse, attention, learning, and mood. Studies show that nicotine may also affect the formation of synapses connecting your brain cells.
Further research is ongoing on the presence of lead in the vapor produced by vape devices, including e-cigarettes. Medical experts opined that vapor containing lead might cause damage to brain cells.
Stem cells injury caused by lead inhalation may also reduce brain cells functionality. It is also believed that damage to stem cells may hasten the process of aging. It may also expose the brain to different forms of neurodegenerative diseases.
- Gum/Mouth Diseases
Do you know that a common indicator of your overall body wellness is your mouth? Taking care of your mouth should be a priority in your daily health routine. Research shows that the use of e-cigarettes may destroy some healthy mouth bacteria.
Destruction of tissues and healthy bacteria in your mouth isn’t a good way to care for your oral cavity. It may also cause several other oral-related issues.
Some Key Health Facts About E-cigarettes
Are you planning on quitting traditional tobacco smoking? E-cigarettes may be a viable and less harmful alternative. However, some potential health risks are associated with e-cigarettes, and we have mentioned a few of them. Let’s find out some key health facts about e-cigarettes.
- A University of North Carolina study showed that e-cigarettes contain two primary constituents, including vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol.
These ingredients may be toxic to your brain cells. E-cigarettes with a higher concentration of these two ingredients are likely to be more toxic and harmful.
- Some e-cigarettes manufacturers use herbicides such as acrolein to eliminate weeds from the hemp plant.
Acrolein may be responsible for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute lung injury. Acrolein present in e-cigarettes may also lead to lung cancer and asthma.
- Secondary inhalation of e-cigarettes may also be harmful, according to research. Secondary inhalation occurs when someone exhales the e-cigarette vapor close to you.
- E-cigarettes flavorings, including diacetyl, may be linked to acute lung disease. There are other heavy metals and volatile organic compounds like nickel, lead, tin, and benzene that may be present in E-cigarette flavorings and are also capable of causing harm to users.
- Young people who utilize e-cigarettes may be more susceptible to traditional cigarette smoking in the future.
