What Is Vaping?
E-cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices. They have cartridges filled with a liquid that contains flavorings, nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and other chemicals. The liquid is heated to produce an aerosol that the user inhales. Thus, using e-cigarettes is referred to as vaping. The flavoring may be natural, artificial, or organic. Over 80 chemicals such as metallic nanoparticles and formaldehyde are present in the e-liquid.
People get addicted to vaping easily. The addiction varies from person to person, depending on the usage and duration. Some types of vaping devices include pens, e-cigarettes, and hookahs.
What Are E-cigarettes, Vapes, and Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) Products?
Vapes, vape pens, hookah pens, vaporizers, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs), e- pipes, e-cigars, and mods are some tobacco products to describe electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).
Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are designed to be reused with changing reusable parts or disposable after one use. These are manufactured to look like conventional combusted cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. Some are similar to pens or flash drives. Some are larger devices such as mods or tank systems, which bear little, and these do not resemble cigarettes. The parts of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) include:
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E-liquids.
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Cartridges.
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A glass or plastic vial container of e-liquid.
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Atomizers are part of the ENDS that converts e-liquid into vapor for inhalation.
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Certain batteries.
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Digital display.
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Cartomizers and clearomizers are similar to atomizers and deliver e-liquid in vapor form.
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Flavorings.
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Drip tips or mouthpieces.
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Tank systems.
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Programmable software.
How Does Vaping Work?
In many e-cigarettes, the puffing activates the battery-powered heating device, vaporizing the liquid in the cartridge. Then, the person inhales the vapor or aerosol (called vaping).
Among the varieties of e-cigarettes, the most commonly used is Juul. It looks like a flash drive that can be charged using the laptop's USB (universal serial bus) port. It makes less smoke than other e-cigarettes, so some teens are using this kind of vape at home or school. The nicotine powder in Juul is packed to the same level of nicotine in one complete pack of cigarettes.
How Does Vaping Affect the Brain?
When a person vapes, the nicotine from the e-cigarette is directly absorbed from the lungs into the bloodstream. After entering the bloodstream, nicotine affects the adrenal gland and stimulates the gland to secrete epinephrine (adrenaline). The adrenaline, in turn, stimulates the central nervous system and increases blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate. In addition to this, nicotine activates the brain's reward circuits and increases the levels of a chemical messenger called dopamine, which enhances rewarding behavior. The pleasure caused by nicotine induces an individual to get addicted and motivates them to use it repeatedly regardless of the risk to health and well-being.
What Are the Health Effects of Vaping? Is It Safer Than Smoking Tobacco Cigarettes?
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Vaping devices may be less harmful than traditional cigarettes to people who switched vaping to regular smoking. Nicotine is an addictive drug that puts vapers at risk for addiction to other drugs. Also, the contents, like other chemicals and nicotine, irritate the lungs and cause various effects.
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The vapor contains more toxic chemicals and carcinogens, potentially resulting in carcinogenic conditions.
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Certain cigarettes of similar brands consist of high metal levels like nickel and chromium when heating coils of a vaporizing device. It also contains traces of cadmium, which causes breathing problems and related diseases.
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Due to the inhalation of certain vaping oils into the lungs, cases of lung illness and death have occurred.
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Young people are at a higher risk of getting addicted to these products. The continued usage of nicotine leads to addiction and makes other drugs such as Methamphetamine and Cocaine more pleasurable to a teen's developing brain.
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It affects the brain circuits controlling focus, concentration, attention, and learning in young people. In addition to this, mood disorders and problems with impulse control.
What Are the Causes of Death Due to Vaping?
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According to reports from the Food and drug administration (FDA) and the Centers for disease control and Prevention (CDC), vaping products contain traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces high sensations. It is available in oils, tinctures, edibles, capsules, etc.
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In some patients, the report shows traces of a mixture of both nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol and in some shows only the nicotine content.
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Another possible contributing substance causing death in vaping is the presence of a thickening agent -vitamin E acetate.
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It is recommended that people should not use any vaping products containing vitamin E acetate or Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
How Are Teens Affected Due to Vaping?
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Due to their easy availability, vaping devices are more common among teens and are the most common forms of nicotine products used among youth in the United States. Unfortunately, some teens are unaware of the nicotine ingredients and assume that pods contain only flavoring.
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Since it is easy to hide from school and parents, often disguised as flash drives, advertisements, and more e-liquid flavors easily attract teens and get them into addiction.
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It serves as an introductory product for teens and preteens to use other nicotine products, which increases the cause of early lung disease and premature death.
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In addition, reports suggest that students using e-cigarettes in high school are at a greater risk of smoking cigarettes. But the students who smoked cigarettes were no more likely to replace them with e-cigarettes.
Can Vaping Help to Quit Smoking?
People believe that e-cigarettes may help lower nicotine cravings in those who are trying to quit smoking. But there is no conclusive or proven evidence of the effectiveness of vaping for long-term smoking cessation. The Food and drug administration has approved seven safe quit aids that can be used as directed. However, the safety of e-cigarettes is still under evaluation. Therefore, more research is needed to determine if vaping nicotine can be as effective as smoking cessation aids already approved by the Food and drug administration (FDA).
Conclusion:
The continuous usage of vapes and their effects can result in life-threatening conditions and even death. Teen smoking might begin innocently, but it can lead to long-term problems. Thus, proper awareness and knowledge of these products can help to avoid getting hooked and health risks. Avoiding smoking and nicotine products is one of the best things that teens can do for a lifetime of good health.
