Could vaping be more dangerous than we realized?

The buzz word around the smoking industry for the last few years has been vaping.  Vaping proves to be one of the fastest growing industries in the nation, taking a large bite out of the cigarette market share.  Unfortunately, the science behind vaping is still up in the air on a lot of issues, mostly concerned around health.  One thing is clear, e-cigarettes are healthier than smoking, hands down.  However, vaping may be more dangerous than first thought, here’s why.

First and foremost, the most harmful thing about vaping is the nicotine portion.  Nicotine is a proven addictive chemical that can wreak havoc on the human body.  Brands like Ruthless e juice have nicotine vape juice.  Worse, is that the addiction works in an insidious way that causes you to want more the longer you go without it.  The withdrawal effects are severe, from weight gain, jitters, and increased agitation.  The health effects of long term use are well documented.

The science here is already solid, so no need to go much further.  The worst part about the nicotine is the increase in use amongst young teens and adults.  Nicotine can stunt growth and become habit forming.  Vaping can also lead to nicotine poisoning due to the nature of the vaping mods and how they deliver nicotine to the system.  While this may not make it more inherently dangerous to the individual, it does go to show how quickly this trend has grown and the potential impact it can make to the next generation.

On the vaguer side of science, the jury is out to show evidence one way or another.  Unfortunately, with the fledgling industry being so new, the long term effects simply are not known.  Also, depending on the resources that you use, science articles can be found to support both sides of the argument.  Some of the side effects that vaping may lead to include irritated lungs, popcorn lung, heart issues, cardiovascular stress, and seizures.  So essentially, a few less side effects than most modern medicine pills advertised on television.

Joking aside, the two major concerns are heart health and lung health.   Getting to the nitty gritty science, claims show that microscopic particles that the e-cigarettes produce have been linked to high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.   Vaping increases the concentration of those particles in the blood stream and can make the heart work harder.  The same goes for the lungs, but that is evident anytime you are breathing in something other than air.  The worry with the lungs comes from linking nicotine to the development of COPD.

The absolute bottom line here is that if you do not smoke cigarettes, stay away from vaping.  Nicotine is a habit forming substance that has proven detrimental health issues.  If you are a teen or young adult, this is not something you want to be attached to for the next fifty or so years.  The caveat to vaping comes from the fact that it is healthier than smoking.  In that case, go for it, otherwise do not take the health risks.