Recently, WHO cautioned against the use of E-cigarettes by calling it “highly addcitive”. This brings us to question why e-cigarettes are harmful for us. This article will delve put e-cigarettes into checks and balances.
What are e-cigarettes?
Vape pens, vapor cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and e-cigs are other names for electronic cigarettes. They might resemble standard pens, USB flash devices, or cigarettes. They are either rechargeable or battery-operated. There is no tobacco burn with e-cigarettes. Rather, they are equipped with liquid-filled cartridges. This liquid becomes heated and produces steam that you breathe in.
Vaping may seem like a better option than smoking cigarettes since you inhale steam instead of smoke. The beverage does, however, include dangerous ingredients that have not yet received enough research. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component of marijuana, nicotine, cannabinoid (CBD) oils—CBD is another substance produced from marijuana—and other chemicals can be among them.
The argument between vaping and smoking
E-cigarettes have a high nicotine content, which is known to retard the growth of children’s and teenagers’ brains. Both adults and children should not drink, inhale, or get the liquid that produces the vapor on their skin. Dangerous substances that are inhaled during vaping include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, diacetyl, and chemicals that cause cancer. As vaping gains popularity, smoking could once again become accepted.
By early 2020, there had been almost 2,800 hospitalizations or fatalities overall, with 68 of those deaths being linked to vaping, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source. The CDC does admit, though, that fewer people are experiencing the negative effects of vaping after vitamin E acetate and other dangerous substances were removed from vaping products. Smoking is a common method for administering psychoactive chemicals, as the active substances in plant leaves vaporize and can be airborne into the respiratory tract. These substances, including nicotine, stimulate the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain. Other active substances inhaled via smoking include tetrahydrocannabinol, morphine, and cocaine. In some cultures, smoking is used as part of rituals to induce trance-like states, potentially leading to spiritual enlightenment.
Effects of smoking and vaping over time
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (CDC) and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAMA) have provided evidence that e-cigarettes are likely to be far less harmful than combustible tobacco products. However, the risk of serious adverse events is still low, and daily use of e-cigarettes is associated with an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Common but less serious adverse effects include abdominal pain, headache, blurry vision, throat and mouth irritation, vomiting, nausea, and coughing. Nicotine is addictive and harmful to fetuses, children, and young people. E-cigarettes produce similar levels of particulates to tobacco cigarettes.
Whereas, Cigarette smoke can harm the intestines and increase the risk of colitis, an inflammation of the colon resembling Crohn’s disease. Researchers identified a specific white blood cell and inflammatory protein responsible for this effect in mice exposed to cigarette smoke. The study published in Frontiers in Immunology could help develop new treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and increase awareness among smokers of their risk for colitis. Previous research shows that smoking significantly increases the risk of Crohn’s disease, but the mechanism by which cigarette smoke affects the gastrointestinal system remains unknown.
Inhaling Dangerous Chemicals Can Lead to Permanent Lung Damage and Lung Illness
E-cigarettes contain toxic ingredients like propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which can cause cell damage. The more ingredients in an e-liquid, the greater the toxicity. E-cigarettes also produce harmful chemicals like acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde, which can cause lung and cardiovascular diseases. Acrolein, a herbicide, can cause acute lung injury, COPD, asthma, and lung cancer. The U.S. Surgeon General and the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine have warned about the risks of inhaling secondhand e-cigarette emissions.
The Drug Administration has found that secondhand emissions contain heavy metals, nicotine, ultrafine particles, and volatile organic compounds, which are linked to lung disease. The FDA has not found any e-cigarettes safe and effective for helping smokers quit. To quit, smokers should contact 1-800-QUIT NOW or consult a doctor for proven methods and FDA-approved treatments and counseling.
