Vaping – A Healthy Alternative Or A Deathtrap?

Mark Twain once said “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.”

Smoking is not an easy habit to get rid of. While some are able to quit at one go, for others, it can take years.

On the other hand, there are some who are never able to quit, and others who sadly don’t even want to quit.

No matter which category you fit into, if you are reading this, chances are that you have taken it upon yourself to finally quit smoking. Kudos to you for taking care of your health!

If you are relying on vapes to slowly transition from this habit, it’s best to give this article a read before you become too dependent on the habit!

What are Vapes?

It is essentially a device from which you can inhale nicotine. The vaping liquid inside is inhaled in its vaporized form, and can be nicotine-free as well.

Also referred to as an electronic cigarette (or e-cigarette), vapes contain a battery and an atomizer along with a container. You fill up the container with your preferred flavour and turn it on to inhale.

As for the flavours, they can be found in any shop that sells vape. There are usually a variety of flavours that users can choose from. Some of the most preferred flavours include watermelon ice, strawberry, mango, peach, etc.

Difference between Vapes and Cigarettes

Popularly known as e-cigarettes, vapes are an easy substitute for cigarettes. Lots of people opt for vaping when they want to quit smoking tobacco. This is because tobacco smoke produces tar and carbon monoxide which is extremely dangerous for all the organs of the body.

Although nicotine is present in both variants, vapes contain slightly lower amounts of nicotine when compared to tobacco cigarettes. The only difference being that you smoke cigarettes through combustion and vapes through vaporization.

However, you will definitely find some non-nicotine vape juices in the market. And, a handful of people who want to quit smoking tend to go with the ones without nicotine, thinking they are not feeding into the urge to consume their nicotine addiction.

Yet, we cannot 100% say that there won’t be any side effects in the long run.

Why is Vaping Harmful?

Nicotine or not, vaping is sought as a less harmful alternative for cigarettes. But it doesn’t mean that vaping is still not injurious to health. Let’s try to comprehend why:

Less Harmful but Not Entirely Safe

The results from various research studies are true. Vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes. However, it is not entirely safe. Although the levels of nicotine are comparatively less, vaping is still harmful to the body.

This is because it contains harmful chemicals like carcinogens and diethylene glycol. These two chemicals are especially harmful to teenagers who vape.

E-Cigarette Battery Explosions

Even though it rarely happens, e-cigarette battery explosions have still made headlines in the news due to the traumatic deaths of a few teenagers. These explosions are completely unpredictable and you may never know when you are being sold a vape pen with a faulty battery.

Problems with Oral Health

The basic reason as to why vaping initiates oral health issues is because it causes dry mouth syndrome. The best way to avoid this would be to drink water but more often than not, people forget to do that.

Vaping also causes tooth decay due to the vaping aerosol present in the mouth after inhaling. Lastly, it might also promote gum disease as it slowly destroys the bones which join the jaw and the teeth.

Therefore, if you vape on a regular basis, expect oral health issues like cavities, loss of bone, gum diseases and bad breath!

Nicotine Addiction

We know that the whole point of switching to a vape pen was to cut down on the nicotine intake. However, you can still get addicted to nicotine while vaping. Various studies indicate that when teenagers vape regularly (even with non-nicotine vape juices), they are more likely to walk into nicotine addiction.

Did you know that nicotine is responsible for causing disruption in swift decision making, short attention span, faulty planning and judgment? It also has a negative impact on the heart as it constricts arteries, increases blood pressure, making people more prone to heart attacks.

Lung Injuries

As per statistics, more and more people are showing up with lung diseases every day due to vaping. Vaping can lead to excessive breathing difficulties causing people to become breathless. It is also associated with episodes of coughing-fits which is extremely painful for people to deal with without proper treatment.

Studies have shown that it can give rise to chronic lung diseases like asthma.

Unknown Health Risks

If you did not already know, vaping can cause more unknown health risks as it is still a relatively new technology with various research in progress. Especially, concerning long-term effects.

Undermines Your Physical Prowess

If you are a sportsperson, then you should be aware that since vaping causes lung diseases, it can prevent you from performing to the best of your abilities in the field. This is why sportsmen are generally advised to not take up the habit of smoking.

How Can You Quit Vaping?

Here’s how you can take active steps to quit vaping:

Think About the Motivation

Different people have different reasons for wanting to give up nicotine addiction. And it is not a bridge that can be crossed easily. This is why it is essential to think of reasons why you want to quit vaping.

For instance, it might be because of your deteriorating health, wanting a healthy lifestyle, saving up money, protecting friends and family from secondhand smoking, etc.

Nicotine Alternatives

Also known as nicotine replacement therapy, people who vape can substitute their craving with nicotine alternatives like lozenges, nicotine patches, inhalers, chewing gum and sprays.

Although it may not be able to give you proper relief, it is still better than doing nothing about those temptations which are followed by frustration and agitated behaviour.

Identify the Triggers

Triggers work differently for everybody. For example, if your friends are always smoking around you, you will end smoking out of peer pressure and make it an automatic trigger for you. Other triggers could be associated with negative feelings which you can take control of by seeing a therapist or journaling.

Conclusion

Know that you will have relapses. Yes, some of the people around you might have been able to give it up at one go. However, most people have a hard time dealing with withdrawal symptoms of vaping. This is why you should always expect setbacks if you are trying to quit vaping. Another trick could be to slowly cut down on it rather than quitting it at one go, which is always a lot more difficult!

Photo by Chiara Summer on Unsplash