Not only do vaping liquids contain many suspicious components, but not all of them can be said about exactly how they will affect human health if they enter the lungs in the form of an aerosol. It just never occurred to anyone to study it. In addition, mixtures are produced by various companies, they are often counterfeited, and some vapers modify them themselves.
Dr Miranda Wyn from the University of Adelaide believes it's down to a component that was either sold to a few large manufacturers at once, or purchased by many manufacturers of cheap counterfeits. There has already been a case in the United States when a batch of counterfeit mixtures had to be seized because they contained a pesticide. But in the States, as throughout the world, regulation of e-cigarettes has struggled to keep up with the development of their market.
A study conducted in Illinois and Wisconsin also points to the counterfeit version. There they conducted in-depth interviews with 86 sick people. Most of them admitted that they used prohibited mixtures with tetrahydrocannabinol, and bought cartridges from unofficial sellers.
At the moment, the main suspects are two components of vape liquids: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, or hashish oil) and vitamin E acetate. But the evidence is still circumstantial. So far, the “suspects” have not been found to be harmful to the lungs; they were only the most common in the mixtures that the deceased smoked.
Tocopherol (vitamin E acetate) is a popular vitamin supplement that is used in a variety of products, such as skin care. But no one had ever thought about how it would behave inside the lungs? In mixtures, acetate is used as an oil base. It was he who raised the greatest doubts among experts in New York: in the compounds smoked by the victims in this state, the proportion of tocopherol was unusually high.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a derivative of cannabis. It was contained in the vapes of most victims. In addition, many respondents could have lied that it was not there (they did not want to admit to using marijuana). Apparently, this happened, because in some of the patients interviewed who denied using THC, traces of it were still found in the blood.
Particularly suspect were mixtures with THC that were packaged in cartridges counterfeited under the Dank Vapes brand. It's a popular brand that's easy to imitate: the packaging is simple and can be ordered online.
Another reason why it is so difficult to find the poisonous substance: scientists are examining already used cartridges in which there is little or no content left.
What is Vape and why is it harmful?
A vape, or electronic cigarette, is a portable electronic device that heats a liquid and produces vapor. A vape is a small inhaler containing a heating element. When drawn or turned on, it heats the solution placed in the e-cigarette. A “flavored” vapor is produced, which the smoker draws in instead of the usual cigarette smoke. Some vapes contain nicotine; other e-liquids do not.
There are several types of device:
- Vape-pans – visually resemble a cigarette and are not very different from it in size and weight.
- Vaporizers are portable - larger in size, they have a much more powerful atomizer installed, which produces a lot of vapor for a long time.
- Desktop vapes are similar in size to a hookah, are more powerful and can be used in a group.
Compared to cigarettes, vape for smoking seems much safer, but according to doctors, inhaling hot vapor, especially with nicotine, is also not very beneficial for the body.
The liquid for the inhaler usually contains 4 or 5 components. This is one of the advantages of vaping: the composition of a cigarette includes about 4,000 components, most of which remain unknown to consumers, and vape contains a minimum of additives, and their composition is more strictly controlled by the manufacturer. The exception is cheap analogues produced illegally and purchased secondhand.
The harm of vaping to the body is determined by the composition of the mixture that evaporates. It includes:
- Food-grade propylene glycol is a colorless, viscous liquid; when evaporated, it produces a lot of vapor; it is used as a solvent and is considered safe for health.
- Special glycerin is a colorless liquid, added to bind components, increase volume and generate steam.
- Distilled water – softens the taste, creates steam.
- Flavorings - there are a huge number of them. The most popular are sweet, dessert flavors: vanilla, caramel, chocolate, fruit and berries; coffee, various types of tea, menthol; tastes of alcoholic drinks.
- Nicotine - some mixtures contain nicotine additives, and the amount of harmful substances in them may be greater than in regular cigarettes.
The strength, amount of smoke and taste of the vapor depend on the proportions of these components in the mixture: the more glycerin, the thicker the vapor will be, and the higher the percentage of flavorings, the “thicker” and stronger the taste will be.
Vapes containing nicotine are considered the most harmful. The consequences of smoking vaping with nicotine can be: the development of addiction, respiratory diseases, an increased risk of developing malignant tumors.
The harm of vaping to others
When choosing a vape or cigarettes, every person should think not only about their health, but also about the people around them. The health status of passive smokers who receive a daily portion of smoke is not much better than that of those who “tar” their own cigarettes. What happens to those around you, and is it harmful to vape at home and among other people?
Compared to cigarettes, the harm to others from vape is much less - there is no combustion process, no harmful substances are released into the atmosphere, and the vapor quickly dissipates and does not enter the respiratory tract of people around the smoker.
But vaping cannot be considered completely safe for others. Thick, scented steam can be irritating, and strong odors can cause headaches and even an allergic reaction.
What happens if you inhale through your nose?
Amid constant talk about the dangers of e-cigarettes, many are wondering whether this same harm to health is offset by inhaling vaping vapor through the nose? The answer is no. In a person’s nose there is exactly the same mucous membrane that can be burned, and the nasal passages themselves somehow lead to the lungs.
By inhaling steam through the nose, a person only has the opportunity to reduce the amount of steam that enters the lungs. This is due to the fact that the path through the nose is longer, and when passing through it, part of the steam has time to settle on the mucous membrane. But what reaches its destination still carries the risk of containing carcinogens and a saturated concentration of glycerin.
The effect of vaping on the human body
The effect of vaping on the human body is compared to smoking cigarettes and hookah. But the degree of impact on the body depends on many factors - the frequency and time of smoking, the presence or absence of nicotine in the liquid, the presence of other components in it - flavors and concentrates.
For example, when smoking a vape with nicotine for 20-40 minutes, the concentration of the dangerous substance in the smoker’s body will be several times higher than the amount he would receive when smoking one cigarette.
Positive
Smoking in a steam room has both harm and benefit. The main benefit of vaping is the ability to give up much more dangerous cigarettes and gradually get rid of a bad habit.
The benefits of vaping can only be discussed in comparison with regular cigarettes; inhaling hot steam with flavorings alone cannot bring any benefit to the human body. In addition, you may develop an addiction to vaping, which will not be much easier to get rid of than from nicotine.
If previously the benefits of vaping were considered as an inhaler, today it has already been proven that there is no benefit from smoking e-cigarettes for diseases of the respiratory system. Unlike conventional inhalations, vapors of chemical substances enter the human body with steam, only aggravating respiratory failure.
Negative
When vaping, a fairly large amount of nicotine enters the body, and the vapor irritates the respiratory tract and can cause various diseases.
No less dangerous are the unknown components that are often added to mixtures by unscrupulous manufacturers. During inhalation, these substances directly enter the respiratory system and can cause poisoning of the body. Vape poisoning most often occurs when smoking a mixture with a large amount of nicotine and flavorings for a long time. Such poisoning can cause severe intoxication, allergic reactions or respiratory failure.
For pregnant women
It has not yet been definitively proven whether vaping is dangerous during pregnancy, but studies conducted on frogs and other laboratory animals have shown that inhaling vapor during pregnancy leads to the development of facial defects in the fetus. Steam consisting of a mixture of different aromas, which is obtained by mixing different additives on your own, or using combined liquids, turned out to be especially harmful.
A study of the effect of vaping on the body of pregnant women has not yet been carried out, but information obtained from animal experiments does not allow one to believe in the absolute safety of smoking e-cigarettes during pregnancy.
Even if we exclude the possible teratogenic effect of inhaling the mixture, it will definitely not be beneficial for the fetus if nicotine, various flavorings and preservatives enter the mother’s body. This increases the risk of the unborn child developing allergic reactions, bronchial asthma, developmental disorders of the nervous system and other organs.
Miscellaneous about “VAPE”
There are many questions about vaping. We answer the most popular among vapers.
Can you vape while charging?
No. A powered vape is explosive. Therefore, you should wait until it is fully charged.
Why does it explode?
An explosion can occur in the following cases:
- Using a non-original charger;
- Liquid leakage into the battery (short circuit);
- Malfunction in box mod;
- Water entering an electronic device;
- Failure to comply with safety and hygiene rules;
- Using counterfeit or cheap devices.
Why can't you vape in the cold?
The glycerin contained in the liquid freezes at sub-zero temperatures, so the device may break. Another reason is the mouthpiece is made of metal, since the sensation when vaping cold iron is unpleasant.
Consequences of vaping
It is believed that the harm from vaping is much less than from smoking regular cigarettes with nicotine, and there will be no negative health consequences from using this device. But studies by foreign scientists, including the American Lung Association, have found that after smoking e-cigarettes, respiratory failure and diseases of the bronchopulmonary system may develop. Their appearance is due to the fact that when vaping, propylene glycol and glycerin are converted into vapor, enter the human lungs and settle there, disrupting the conductivity of the pulmonary tract, causing inflammation and general oxygen starvation of the body.
Another dangerous consequence of smoking in a steam room is the risk of burns and injuries when the battery explodes. Cases of severe injuries to the face, head, chest, and lower extremities due to the explosion of a lithium-ion battery have been repeatedly recorded.
Of course, compared to regular cigarettes, vaping has many advantages: the concentration of carcinogenic substances in the resulting vapor is tens of times lower, there are no combustion products, tar and soot do not settle in the lungs. But vaping cannot be called completely safe.
A brief excursion into history
The author of the innovation is a Chinese inventor named Hong Lik. A rather sad story led to the decision to create an electronic cigarette. In his youth, Hong experienced a huge addiction to smoking. However, he decided to give up the addiction when his father suddenly passed away due to the development of lung cancer. The example made the man think seriously about his own health and attitude towards life in general. From that moment on, Hon Lik began to devote all his free time to developing a device that would allow him to win the war against tobacco addiction. The inventor achieved his goal in 2004, when the world's first electronic cigarette was presented to the public.
Contraindications
Whether vaping is beneficial or harmful, not everyone is allowed to use it at all.
Smoking is strictly not recommended:
- pregnant and lactating women;
- persons under 18 years of age;
- people suffering from bronchial asthma and other allergic diseases - if an allergy occurs to one of the components of the mixture (most often to the flavoring), the person may not have time to get help, since the allergic component enters directly into the respiratory tract and can cause asphyxia, even death.
You can use vaping with great caution in case of severe diseases of the respiratory system, since temporary respiratory failure may occur when smoking.
How does the law treat vaping?
In 2020, there is no law prohibiting vaping. Therefore, you can vape in public places. There are no fines even if vaping is used by children under 18 years of age. Sold in stores that sell tobacco products and smoking devices, as well as in online stores. The sale of vapes is not regulated by law.
The introduction of fines for vaping is planned for 2020.
The State Duma is already considering a bill regarding the introduction of a ban on vaping smoking.
If this legislative draft is adopted, vapor mixtures will be prohibited in the following public places:
- In educational institutions: schools, kindergartens, universities.
- Transport means: on an airplane, in a car, taxi, minibus, train;
- At a gas station;
- In entertainment establishments;
- Medical institutions;
- Government bodies.
Only vaping will be allowed in an apartment or on private property. Projects related to vaping in the presence of children and pregnant women are also being considered.
Recommendations for quitting vape smoking
Breaking a vaping addiction can be quite difficult.
To completely quit electronic cigarettes, it is recommended:
- switch to vapes that do not contain nicotine;
- refuse flavorings - use “tasteless” mixtures;
- do not vape - every smoking must be conscious;
- reduce the number of cigarettes “smoked” - count how many times a day you vape, and reduce this number, reducing it by 1-2 over several days;
- Spend more time in the fresh air and increase physical activity - this will help cope with fatigue and stress, which, most often, they try to “relieve” by smoking.
Even if you think that the harm of vaping is greatly exaggerated, do not forget that smoking - regular or electronic cigarettes - is, first of all, an addiction. By getting rid of it, you can not only avoid absolutely useless expenses, but also improve your psycho-emotional state.
