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smoking vs vaping weed
Fewer people now smoke cigarettes, but this is only because alternative forms of nicotine and tobacco delivery systems now exist. E-cigarettes have become more and more popular, especially with young people, according to a 2018 survey.
The American Heart Association (AHA) reveals that many believe that vaping is safer when compared to smoking. However, this widespread belief is far from the truth and could cause more harm than good. Evidence shows that vaping is also dangerous and it would be misleading to promote it as safe.
What are Vapes
The vaping devices are battery-operated and often look like pens, conventional cigarettes, or tech gadgets. To use, aerosol, a vapour-like substance is inhaled and then exhaled. This vapour-like substance contains flavouring, nicotine along with several chemicals.
The University of Iowa suggests that vaping was supposed to be a safer option for getting nicotine, even though studies now indicate otherwise.
Vaping and smoking are unsafe, and although the long-term effects of vaping have not been fully understood, all the evidence suggests that vaping is not a safe smoking alternative.
Why Switch to Vaping? Any Cons of Vaping?
John Hopkins Medical Institute notes that when smoking, you inhale about seven thousand chemicals whereas the number of chemicals in vaping may be less. The American Heart Association also says that vaping liquids have fewer contaminants.
Both organizations conclude that vaping may be slightly less harmful when compared to smoking. However, all organizations agree that this does not make vaping safe either. As a matter of fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discloses that there has been close to 3,000 hospitalizations resulting from vaping, in 2020, some of which eventually died.
The AHA (American Hearts Association) gives the following reasons why vaping is unsafe:
Vaping gives off lots of harmful chemicals like diacetyl, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), heavy metals ( lead, nickel, tin), and chemicals that cause cancer.
What is Nicotine?
Nicotine, contained in large amounts in e-cigarettes slows down the development of kids and adolescents, including fetuses. The liquid responsible for the vapour causes harm to children and adults alike when swallowed or allowed to come in contact with the skin. It leads to a weakening of the immune system and causes damage to the lungs.
There are indications that there may also be long-term adverse effects on the health which have not been discovered and there have been cases involving burns when recharging the vaping devices as a result of defective batteries which has led to explosions. The CDC, however, acknowledges a decline in the harm of vaping products since the removal of some harmful substances like vitamin E acetate.
According to recent research, vaping may not help smokers quit smoking, and its users will continue smoking while vaping (dual-use). This has also not been approved by the FDA as a reliable way to quit smoking and about 480,000 Americans still lose their lives every year to smoking.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the CDC speaks against the use of e-cigarettes and recommends FDA-approved methods to quit smoking, alongside talking to your doctor.
