For those of you who don’t know, vapes are battery-powered devices that have cartridges filled with liquid that you can smoke like a cigarette. The liquid contains flavorings, chemicals, and nicotine.

The liquid in the cartridges consists of vegetable glycerin-based products with nicotine and flavor added. Since there is no burning of tobacco, vaping is incorrectly considered safer than cigarettes. The smoke that you inhale is often mistaken to be water vapor, but it is actually an aerosol with fine particles containing toxin chemicals.

The most recent and popular vaping product these days is JUUL – a small device that looks like a USB flash drive. It is especially popular in high school students because it is very easy to hide.

A growing body of evidence suggests that one pod of JUUL contains the same amount of nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes. Until recently, it’s popularity was undeniable however, its image was quickly shattered when several prominent health advocates advised against using it due to its severe side effects especially amongst the younger generation.

Effects of Vaping

  • Vaping slows brain development in teenagers and youngsters because their brains are still developing and long-term use of e-cigarettes can lead to addiction and mood disorders.
  • It can act as a gateway to using other harmful substances and products that use tobacco.
  • The aerosol contains harmful chemicals and byproducts that can be detrimental to a young adult’s health.

Long-term Effects of Vaping

  • Vaping while pregnant can lead to low birth weight
  • Heart attack or stroke
  • Respiratory problems
  • Lung injuries
  • Fertility issues
  • Dependence in the long term
  • Lack of concentration
  • Inability to control impulses

Understanding the Withdrawals

It is should be noted that nicotine addiction leads to various withdrawals that can harm the daily functioning of your life. So, if you’ve taken up vaping and are thinking of quitting – beware of the following symptoms.

  • Trouble concentrating
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Hunger
  • Restlessness
  • Feeling anxious or depressed
  • Having mood swings such as feeling angry or irritable
  • Headaches

There is a staunch link between smoking, be it traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes, and various cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Nicotine is the main stimulant in all tobacco-based products and is highly toxic for the heart and lungs. It spikes your blood pressure and adrenaline, leading to an increase in heart rate, which could cause a heart attack.

There are many chemical components in the liquid used for vaping that are unknown, and health professionals are still studying their impact on the body. Smokers who want to make a transition from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes to decrease their nicotine intake might benefit from it in the short-term, but the studies suggest that smokers usually end up smoking both instead of kicking the habit altogether.

Although vaping may help people curb the habit of smoking cigarettes, it has not been approved by FDA and it suggested that the sooner you quit the better it is for your body.