Revisions in vaping laws have given rise to many questions pertaining to the safety of the vaping practice. Is vaping safe? Is it truly an alternative to smoking? Is it addictive and many more such questions? Let us understand the basics of vaping in order to get answers to these piercing questions.

Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes or vaporizers, are battery-powered devices that mimic the action of smoking. E-cigarettes contain a liquid-filled cartridge.

The liquid gets heated with the help of an atomizer. A heated filament in the atomizer vaporizes the liquid to produce a gas. The gas condenses with water in the atmosphere to form an inhalable aerosol.

The liquid, also known as e-liquid, e-fluid, e-juice, or vape juice is composed of water, nicotine, flavorings, and a propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG) base (or sometimes a mixture of PG and VG).

The process of using such e-cigarettes is referred to as vaping.

Is Vaping Safe?

A 2019 study by the British Heart Foundation suggests that vaping may be less harmful to one’s blood vessels than smoking cigarettes1. The study was conducted on 114 people all of whom had smoked at least 15 cigarettes a day for at least two years. Within just one month of switching tobacco for electronic cigarettes, measures of the subjects’ blood vessel health, including blood pressure and stiffness of their arteries, had begun to show improvement. This shows that vaping may be less harmful to one’s blood vessels than smoking cigarettes.

Although, less harmful does not translate to completely safe.

It is evident due to multiple studies that vaping contains significantly fewer harmful chemicals. However, there is a lack of data pointing towards the long-term impact of the chemicals on heart health and other general aspects of health.

Experts are against the use of e-cigarettes and vaping by people who do not smoke, already. Although, vaping has also been recognized as a useful tool to help people quit smoking completely.

Many smokers with a heart condition have attempted to quit in the past and failed. Experts say, in such a case, an electronic cigarette makes quitting smoking a lot easier. Further down the line, though, it is important for people with a heart condition to quit vaping too.

Supporters believe that responsible marketing and regulation are needed to ensure the appropriate use, which will help spread the positive impact of vaping far and beyond. A report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention further highlights the need for appropriate regulations2. According to their report, as of mid-January 2020, more than 2,600 people were hospitalized for e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury or related deaths. The majority of the cases were seen in people who admitted to having used illegal, unregulated vaping products, such as illicit vaping fluids containing THC, a derivative of cannabis, and vitamin E acetate.

In conclusion, those using vaping to quit smoking should only consume regulated products. Individuals e-cigarettes as a quitting tool should reduce the nicotine they vape and then stop when they feel the time is right. It is important for such individuals to recognize their own pace and act judiciously.

Some experts have even gone on to claim that to really feel the benefits of using an e-cigarette, one must stop smoking cigarettes completely. Once an individual quits smoking, the health benefits of smoking cessation are readily apparent. The risk of having a stroke or a heart attack begins to go down within a few hours, while the risk of getting cancer also begins to go down. Furthermore, symptoms of cough and sputum also begin to improve.