Are you wondering if you could quit smoking? You are one of 70% of smokers who have the same feeling. If you made up your mind to quit smoking, it is the best thing you did to save your health. Smoking is harmful to your body in many ways. Smoking and secondhand smoke are responsible for one-third of deaths due to heart disease.
You might want to switch to e-cigarette to make it easier to leave cigarettes, and finally, leave smoking once for all. Is vaping a safer bet as compared to tobacco cigarettes? Is it the only way to quit smoking?
1. Vaping is not 100% Safe
E-cigarettes create heated aerosol from nicotine, flavors, and other chemicals to inhale. On the other side, tobacco-based cigarettes have over 7000 toxic chemicals. One thing you don’t know exactly what ingredients companies add in their e-liquid. Though not all, there are a few toxic chemicals that you are exposed to.
Vaping is also behind increasing cases of deaths and the outbreak of lung diseases. In January 2020, over 60 deaths were confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which included patients with EVALI (E-Cigarette or Vaping Associated Lung Injury).
People who use modified e-liquids or modify vaping devices are more vulnerable. They mostly use THC-based vaping products. According to the CDC, people with EVALI are affected by a chemical named “vitamin E acetate”. This thickening fluid is widely used in tetrahydrocannabinol based products. The researchers have collected samples of lung fluid from all EVALI patients and found this chemical.
Here are some of the CDC guidelines about vaping –
- People shouldn’t use vaping products or e-cigarette which contain THC
- Don’t use unauthorized sources to buy a vaping device like online dealers, family, or friends.
- Don’t mix or modify any substance that is not recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Both Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes are Addictive
Nicotine is a common substance found in both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Hence, there are chances that it is as addictive as any other drug. Even worse, vaping delivers even more nicotine than cigarettes. There are some extra-strength cartridges available that contain a higher volume of nicotine. There are also options to raise the e-cig voltage for a better hit.
3. E-Cigarettes don’t do anything to help quit smoking
You may be shocked to know that because we all used to think that e-cigarettes are smoking cessation tools. It is because of marketing tricks that most companies play by claiming that e-cigs help you leave smoking. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved e-cigarettes as an alternative to traditional cigarettes. According to a recent study, people who start using e-cigarettes in an attempt to quit smoking end up smoking both cigarettes and e-cigarettes. This way, the CDC advises people to refer to other smoking cessation tools that are approved by the FDA.
4. Vaping is harmful to your Lungs and Heart – Research
Nicotine is a common and highly addictive ingredient used in both e-liquid and traditional cigarettes. It makes you suffer withdrawal symptoms and increases your urge to smoke. Nicotine increases your adrenaline, blood pressure, and also heart rate. Hence, this toxic chemical can even lead to a heart attack.
There are still many things we don’t know about vaping. For example, we don’t know what chemical manufacturers use to produce e-liquid and how your health can be affected in the long term. You should keep in mind that e-cigarettes can be harmful to your health. E-cigarettes are also associated with asthma and chronic lung disease and the use of smoking and e-cigarettes with heart disease in recent data. If you use e-cigarettes, you expose yourself to different types of chemicals that may be dangerous and that we don’t know yet.
Bottom Line
Ask your doctor about the tools and programs you can consider to quit smoking that is safe and best suited to your health. The sooner you leave smoking, the faster your body can heal and recover itself.
