E-Cigarettes and Vaping

E-Cigarettes and Vaping:

E-cigarettes, also known as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), are a growing craze among young people, particularly teens. They go by several names, including vape pens, vapes, e-cigars, pod systems, and e-hookahs. Every fifth kid is said to consume e-cigarettes these days, with middle and high school youngsters smoking them the most frequently.

What is an E-Cigarette?:

The vaping devices work by heating a liquid solution to a temperature high enough to produce an aerosol that is inhaled. An aerosolized liquid containing nicotine and other possibly dangerous compounds is created by e-cigarettes' processes and breathed by the user. This practice is known as vaping.

The ingredients used in vapes include liquids, or e-liquids, that often comprise nicotine, flavoring, and a humectant called propylene glycol to hold moisture and produce aerosol when heated. A few of the flavorings and humectants found in e-liquids are permitted for oral consumption but not for inhalation by the Food and Drug Administration. Because of the intake in this way, the health effects are not well known.

E-cigarettes frequently contain nicotine, an addictive chemical that can be harmful to brain development. Because smoking is so seductive, quitting can be quite challenging for some people.

5 myths about vaping

The most prevalent e-cigarette myths are listed here:

The best method to stop smoking is to vape:
Nicotine is a component of vaping. Because nicotine is addictive and comes with health dangers, it cannot be considered a method for quitting smoking. A person's heart rate rises noticeably when they vape, and elevated heart rates over time can result in a number of heart-related disorders.


Vaping is Safe:
It is a common misconception that using electronic cigarettes or vapes is safe, however this is untrue. It does include a lot of dangerous chemicals (carcinogens, or agents that cause cancer), in addition to nicotine, which increases the risk of developing cancer.
Vaping is a safer alternative to tobacco products including cigarettes, hookahs, and others:
Since vaping has been popular for almost a decade, more research needs to be done to determine its long-term risks, but one thing is certain: it is not in the least bit safer than smoking or using other products that contain nicotine.


Vaping is not addictive:
This is untrue because nicotine, which is the substance in vapes that causes the euphoria (or pleasure) that leads to further vape usage, makes people believe that vaping is not addictive. and the smoker finds this to be irresistible.
Vaping does not contain Nicotine:
This is a misconception since there is a considerable amount of nicotine in vaping, and nicotine is specifically addictive and leads to its abusive consumption.

5 Facts about Vaping

Facts regarding vaping include:

E-cigarettes contain nicotine:
Nicotine is another substance found in e-cigarettes, and nicotine is known to be damaging to one's health. However, they are deceptively marketed as nicotine-free goods.


The most effective approach for quitting smoking is not e-cigarettes:
Any smoking cessation devices, particularly vapes as a smoking cessation method, have not received approval from the food and drug administration. A recent study revealed that using e-cigarettes did not result in people quitting smoking; rather, it encouraged them to keep using both regular and electronic cigarettes.
Although vaping is not as harmful as smoking, it is still not a safe practice:
According to reports, regular tobacco cigarettes have 7,000 compounds that are hazardous in nature, however vapes only have a fraction of those toxins. It is unsafe to use vapes even if they contain less toxins because even ingesting a small amount of those chemicals can have dangerous effect on a person's health.
Vaping can have negative effect on your heart and lungs:
Because nicotine, a highly addictive substance, is the main ingredient in both cigarettes and e-cigarettes, vaping can have negative effects on your heart and lungs. Because smoking is addictive, urges for it never go away, and when you try to stop, you experience withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine is a poison that raises blood pressure and releases adrenaline, which in turn causes your heartbeat to speed up and occasionally causes a heart attack.
Exacerbation of drug addiction caused by vaping:
Vapes function by heating the substance to make vapor that can be ingested by the users. With the help of this method, additional compounds besides nicotine can be dissolved in water and consumed. These include drugs like cocaine, marijuana, and painkillers. As a result, there may be drug abuse as the user may not be aware of what they are taking.

If you need medical advice or consultation about e-cigarette activity, it is best to speak with a healthcare expert or a doctor who can give personalized counsel based on your individual health issues and circumstances.

Dr. Jeenam Shah - Pulmonologist in South Mumbai runs an exclusive Respire Chest Clinic that treats all types of respiratory and allergic problems. Dr.Shah is a bronchoscopy and interventional pulmonology expert with a special interest in airway and interstitial lung disorders.