While people often think that vaping is safer than smoking, the mist you breathe in has dangerous chemicals. These include nicotine (the addictive drug found in cigarettes), propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine and flavoring. When heated, they produce chemicals such as formaldehyde, acrolein and diacetyl. E-cigarettes also contain heavy metals like nickel, tin and lead. And the vaping devices can explode, causing serious injuries and burns.
Nicotine
Nicotine is an addictive chemical and is the main ingredient in e-cigarettes. It is also in many other vaping products, such as hookahs and cigars. Nicotine negatively impacts the brain, especially in young people, making it harder for them to focus and learn new things. It affects how they build stronger connections, or synapses, between brain cells. Youth may turn to vaping to help them cope with stress or anxiety, and this can create a cycle of nicotine dependence and addiction. Although the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are not yet well understood, research studies performed to date indicate vaping is not a safe or healthy alternative to smoking.
Furthermore, there is a need to study the relationship between vaping and cancer risk. Since the smoke contains harmful chemicals like acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, as well as heavy metals like nickel, tin, and lead, It can also include ultrafine particles that can get deep into the lungs. These particles can cause inflammation and swelling of the lungs and make breathing difficult, even for nonsmokers. E-cigarette vapor can also reduce blood flow to the lungs, causing them to work less efficiently. This can make exercising harder and even make participating in sports or activities dangerous.
In addition, e-cigarette use can increase the risk of developing lung diseases like bronchiolitis obliterans or popcorn lung. It can also worsen asthma symptoms. This is because it can change the structure of the lungs, narrowing the tiny passageways that bring air in and out.
E-Liquids
The liquid in e-cigarettes (called e-liquids or E-liquids) that’s heated to produce the vapor is a cocktail of chemicals. Most contain nicotine, a known stimulant that can cause a variety of problems, including irritability, jitters, anxiety and trouble with concentration. It also causes heart rate spikes, raises blood pressure and increases adrenaline, which can increase the risk of a heart attack. The rest of the ingredients in e-liquids need to be better understood. These concoctions usually include a mix of flavorings, aromatic additives and either THC, the psychotropic ingredient in marijuana or nicotine.
While these chemicals are considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration when consumed as a liquid, they’re not so when heated and turned into vapor inhaled into the lungs. One chemical at the center of a current FDA investigation is vitamin E acetate, used as a thickening agent in many e-liquid products. It’s been found in the lungs of people who developed a severe lung problem known as EVALI, or vaping use-associated lung injury.
E-liquids also often contain diacetyl, a food flavoring that’s been linked to an increased risk of lung disease and heart disease. Other proven toxins include formaldehyde, acrolein and metallic nanoparticles. There’s not enough long-term data to know if using vaping devices has the same impact on a person’s lung health as smoking cigarettes. Still, there are signs that it can change lung structure and lead to inflammation, oxidative stress and DNA damage.
Vaping Devices
A growing number of people are vaping. Although long-term effects on lung health aren’t fully understood, research does show that the vapor from e-cigarettes exposes people to toxic chemicals and substances in addition to nicotine. The chemicals in e-cigarette vapor include nicotine (which can harm the brain during adolescence and beyond), harmful additives like acetaldehyde, diacetyl and formaldehyde, and carcinogens, along with heavy metals including nickel, tin and lead. The vapor also contains fine particles that can reach deep into the lungs.
These particles can cause coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. It can make it hard to play sports or exercise and may even lead to the development of asthma. Studies are finding that e-cigarettes negatively affect the communities of healthy bacteria in the mouth, which can lead to gum disease and tooth decay.
Additionally, adolescent use of e-cigarettes increases the likelihood that someone will smoke traditional cigarettes later in life. There is also concern that the toxins in e-cigarette waste products, such as disposable vapes, pods or cartridges, and battery chargers, can be released into the environment. These wastes can leach contaminants, such as lithium, metals, and microplastics, into water, soil, air and other places where they are found. Basic recycling processes for these products release several toxicants and metals, which can impact human health.
Secondhand Exposure
The aerosol mist produced by e-cigarettes contains chemicals that can pollute indoor air. This secondhand exposure can be dangerous for people with respiratory conditions, including asthma. It can also increase the risk of bacterial infections in children and pregnant women. In addition, exposure to secondhand vaping may contribute to brain damage in teenagers and young adults, and it can lead to a variety of other illicit substance use. The vapor from e-cigarettes can contain nicotine, harmful chemicals and heavy metals.
Researchers have found that the smoke can contain up to 20 times the amount of nicotine found in a single cigarette. It can also contain volatile organic compounds, such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. It can also contain flavorings, such as diacetyl, linked to a severe lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung). It can also include methylamines, which have been associated with seizures and neurological symptoms. It may also be contaminated with pollutants, such as vitamin E acetate.
Many people believe that e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes, but it is important to understand the risks. These devices can cause lung problems, including scarring, and damage the heart and liver. They can also make existing respiratory problems, such as asthma, worse.
