The supposed safety of electronic cigarettes has led to them being considered almost a medicine. This is fundamentally wrong: vaping can be regarded as an alternative method of quitting cigarettes, but even a nicotine-free liquid is unlikely to benefit the body. Today, remarkable debates are flaring up on the topic “vaping vs tobacco”, “which is more harmful” and similar ones, but conclusions should be drawn based on the facts.
The harm of regular cigarettes
For most people, a cigarette is paper with tobacco and a filter. While smoking, a person inhales the smoke that comes from burning tobacco. It contains nicotine and more than 250 chemical compounds. None of them are beneficial, but each is harmful. Nicotine is considered the most dangerous, it is the one that causes addiction, and there is an opinion that it is stronger than drug addiction. Nicotine affects the brain and produces euphoria and relief in the smoker, which helps relieve stress or tension. It is these feelings that make a smoker pick up a cigarette again and again.
Nicotine is not the only dangerous substance; there are also tars and carcinogens. They contribute to the development of diseases and intensify existing ones. Even understanding the danger of such an effect on the body, a smoker cannot simply give up cigarettes. When experiencing real withdrawal, he seeks the pleasant sensations that tobacco smoke gives him. Taking care of your health or not is the choice of every person, but do not forget about the dangers of passive smoking.
Important! One cigarette contains 1 mg of nicotine, a pack is 20 mg, and the lethal dose for humans is 60 mg.
Smoking causes fatal diseases
Consequences for the body from a vaporizer.
At first, sellers advertised their product as a substitute for traditional tobacco products for those who wanted to get rid of their smoking addiction. At the same time, they modestly kept silent about the health risks of vaping with nicotine.
A smoker can indeed forget about classic tobacco, but the addiction does not go away; it transforms into an addiction to the modern analogue. Imaginary safety contributes to the formation of a craving for a vaporizer.
The presence of nicotine in any quantity equates vaping in its negative effects to conventional tobacco products and causes the same harm to humans. It has been proven that carcinogens and toxins accumulate and affect the body at the cellular level. Over time, vaping users increase the risk of developing diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
The steam released when smoking solutions are heated, constantly irritating the mucous membranes, provokes allergic and inflammatory reactions. A smoker develops a cough, runny nose, rash and inflammation of the mucous membranes; in severe cases, anaphylactic shock and even death are possible.
We should not forget about the dangers of vaping with nicotine in terms of passive smoking and the possibility of an electronic cigarette exploding. People close to the smoker are exposed to the same negative effects of the aerosol as he himself.
There have been many cases recorded around the world where this device exploded in the mouth. If the victim survives this, he will face a long period of surgical treatment and rehabilitation.
How does an electronic cigarette work?
Unlike a regular cigarette, its electronic version does not emit smoke. Instead, the smoker inhales vapor, which either does not contain nicotine at all, or there is a minimal amount of it. It is because of the steam that this kind of smoking is called “vaping,” which translated from English means “to soar.”
Electronic cigarettes have already become widespread, and many smokers have switched to them instead of using real tobacco. Electronic tubes may have different designs, but their general operating principle is the same: there is a coil with a steam generator, a battery, a mouthpiece, a clear or a drip tip.
Electronic cigarette device
A liquid with a complex composition is poured into the device. It contains distilled water, propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavorings. For old smokers who have been addicted to nicotine for a long time, there are separate formulations with a small amount of it.
At first glance, it seems that an electronic cigarette is less harmful, but debate about how much safer vaping is does not subside, because there are pleasure stimulants here too.
Electronic cigarettes are divided into several types depending on their nicotine content:
- strong – from 1.6 to 1.95%;
- light – from 0.95 to 1.5%;
- ultra-light – no more than 0.95%.
It is easy to notice that even in strong vapes the percentage of nicotine is much lower than in a traditional cigarette, however, even a minimal amount can be addictive. This means that you can completely get rid of addiction only with a composition in which nicotine is completely absent.
Smoking and chemicals
The smoking process involves burning tobacco, which contains thousands of chemicals. More than 20 of them have a strong connection with the occurrence of cancer. We can always refer to each of the 20+ chemicals under the same name "carcinogens" because trying to list 20+ substances takes a lot of time.
Here are just a few of the chemicals that we can consider carcinogens:
- Nicotine is an addictive chemical that gives the user the desire to want more. When people say they are addicted to smoking, they are addicted to nicotine.
- Hydrogen cyanide.
- Formaldehyde.
- Arsenic.
- Ammonium.
- Benzene.
- Carbon monoxide.
- Nitrosamines.
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
As mentioned above, many of the chemicals are linked to several leading diseases, including cancer, heart disease and lung disease.
Most of the elements listed above are not present in the cigarette itself. The combustion of tobacco leaves triggers a process of chemical reactions, which in turn creates smoke full of the previously mentioned carcinogens.
What's in a vape can be harmful?
Any electron tube operates on a special liquid that contains the substances listed above. Glycerin and propylene glycol form an aerosol, which is what the smoker inhales. In this case, the second substance causes irritation of the mucous membrane, which is reminiscent of the process of smoking a regular cigarette. Water is needed to dissolve the flavor.
Vape liquid components
Glycerol
Glycerin itself is safe, even when inhaled, but in a vape it heats up, which is accompanied by the release of acrolein. In turn, it is toxic and can poison the body. Meanwhile, its release occurs only when glycerol is overheated. This occurs if the device is operated continuously for more than 15 minutes or if a low-quality tube is used. If you do not overheat the pipe, that is, do not smoke for more than 15 minutes in a row and buy the device from trusted manufacturers, then acrolein is not dangerous - it simply does not have time to form.
Propylene glycol
Propylene glycol is a food additive identified as E1520. It is used in food production as a substance that retains moisture and allows the product to be stored for a long time. There is no need to talk about the dangers of distilled water - it is safe.
Flavors
Thus, almost all substances are safe under the conditions of production and use of the vape, but it is worth remembering the presence of flavorings. They can have harmful effects. There are no standards for their use, as well as controls for the production of vape liquid. This means that unscrupulous manufacturers can use flavorings containing acetylene and diacetyl in the liquid. These are toxic substances. Their high concentration can provoke bronchial diseases, which are extremely difficult to treat.
Important! You can understand that these substances are in the composition - the steam will have a taste of sweet cream. Another sign that the liquid is harmful is coloring. If it is not colorless, then it contains toxic titanium dioxide.
In addition, various aerosols may contain formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, nitrosonicotine and other chemical compounds. All of them are harmful and can cause poisoning.
Vaping or smoking – which is more harmful?
Considering that e-cigarettes have only recently gained widespread popularity, it is not surprising that in-depth research on the dangers of vaping has not yet been conducted. The results of long-term use of modern models have also not been established.
The only thing you can rely on is the certification of the Ministry of Health, which has not yet recognized vaping as safe for humans.
Based on the facts, the composition of the smoking liquid does not contain toxins and poisons, of course, if it is a licensed product manufactured in accordance with technical standards and safety requirements. There are many counterfeits of fashionable devices; their composition is much worse and may include an excessive (unspecified) proportion of nicotine or other components that are dangerous to humans.
Non-smoking users are advised to avoid vaping, as even nicotine-free liquids may actually contain a small proportion of the alkaloid. In a healthy body, nicotine is produced naturally. If it comes from outside, this process is suspended and addiction quickly develops.
Blends that indicate nicotine content will inevitably be addictive.
Doctors' opinions on what is more harmful - cigarettes or vaping
Savelyev Dmitry Sergeevich, therapist, Ufa
Research on vaping claims that in the short term they are safe - in any case, much less harmful than cigarettes. Unfortunately, many people misinterpret this and decide that e-vaporizers do not pose a health risk at all. I explain to my patients that with constant use of vaping, the respiratory tract and mucous membranes of the mouth still suffer. It’s just that the toxins that enter the body are different and in lower concentrations.
Gorchenko Tamara Vladimirovna, pulmonologist, Svirsk
I often come across young patients who believe that vaping is a completely safe device. I try to explain that when using electronic cigarettes, the harm is still considerable, and it is better not to get carried away with them. But at the same time, there are certainly benefits for former smokers. Vapes help them give up tobacco and at least reduce the harm to their health.
Will vaping help you quit smoking?
When choosing which is better: an electronic cigarette or a regular one, people are often guided by the idea of fighting smoking. Yes, you can quit smoking by vaping, but it will require a focused regimen or even a plan. There is a lot of debate about which is actually more harmful: vaping or cigarettes.
Let's consider the advantages of this method of combating a bad habit.
- There is no need to buy a whole pack of cigarettes or smoke an entire cigarette. During periods of increased need for nicotine, when giving up regular cigarettes, a smoker only needs a couple of puffs of a vape.
- Weaning from tobacco smoke. Using a vape, a person becomes weaned from the smell of tobacco, after which it becomes unpleasant and the user may not return to smoking regular cigarettes.
- Cleansing the body of harmful components contained in tobacco products.
There are some disadvantages against such a non-standard method.
- It is impossible to adequately estimate nicotine consumption, because a vape can be smoked until it runs out of mixture. A regular cigarette runs out after 10 puffs; using a vape, you will at least have to count them.
- Side effects from substances contained in the smoking mixture of an electronic cigarette cannot be ruled out.
- Long-term smokers are not always able to completely switch to vaping; as a result, a person smokes both regular and electronic cigarettes, increasing their daily nicotine consumption.
- Vaping is not subject to smoking bans at work, at home, or in other places. In fact, nothing will prevent a person from smoking once again, although certain prohibitions have a deterrent effect.
Is vaping harmful or not?
Many people are turning to vaping to quit smoking. After all, every second advertisement dedicated to electronic cigarettes talks about the incredible benefits for smokers. There are no nasty tars emitted from a vape like there are when smoking. We gradually reduce the dosage and quit smoking completely. But not many people succeed. Is vaping harmful and how does it affect the body?
Every year, sales of vapes are only increasing and more and more young people are becoming addicted to nicotine. It turns out that vaping may help a motivated adult quit smoking, but for others it will help them start or worsen the situation.
Many are also concerned that e-cigarettes, considered safer, are attracting teenagers. Their use by middle and high school students has increased from 6% to 20% in three years (2021 data). Is vaping without nicotine harmful? Yes, and here's why.
Main components
The main components of the aerosol are propylene glycol and glycerin. These seem to be two harmless substances, but when heated, the first can turn into propylene oxide, which, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, is carcinogenic to humans.
A carcinogen is a substance that promotes the development of malignant tumors.
Nicotine
Liquids contain nicotine, which increases the risk of many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Nicotine also contributes to the emergence and development of cancer.
It was experimentally established that the nicotine concentration in the analyzes of people who exchanged regular cigarettes for electronic ones does not change. Either the math is bad and it’s difficult to calculate the dose, or the body can’t be fooled and as the dosage decreases, the person begins to smoke more.
The main disadvantage of vaping is the difficulty of controlling the dosage. A replacement vape cartridge has the same harmful effects as a pack of cigarettes, so when using it, you need to look at your watch to control the dosage. I already wrote above that some devices allow you to increase the amount of steam, which aggravates the situation.
Many people do not realize how much nicotine they are putting into their bodies and how quickly they are doing it. A toxic concentration of nicotine of 50 g is achieved very quickly, so I repeat, you need to monitor the time you use the vape in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.
In addition, nicotine in a vape is absorbed faster and better. When you smoke a cigarette, nicotine reaches the brain within 7 seconds. When vaping, nicotine reaches the brain in 2 seconds.
Due to improper use, cases of nicotine poisoning have become more frequent. After all, many people think that it smells nice, the clouds of steam are beautiful, but the rest is nonsense.
Symptoms of liquid nicotine poisoning:
- vomit;
- diarrhea;
- cardiopalmus;
- labored breathing;
- headache.
There are also liquids without nicotine, but with a set of other toxic substances. Besides, whether they contain nicotine or not, no one actually checks. Neither cartridges nor the devices themselves are subject to mandatory certification. So, only the manufacturers know what exactly the device is stuffed with.
Since vapes appeared not so long ago, their effects on the body have not been fully studied to date. So the health consequences can be unpredictable.
Flavors
In 2021, scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York decided to test the hypothesis that electronic cigarettes that do not contain nicotine would be less harmful and analyzed in detail the flavors included in their composition.
It turned out that flavorings are also toxic. For example, they contain diacetyl and acetylpropionyl, both toxic chemicals. Diacetyl adds flavor. Inhaling it leads to scarring of the lungs or popcorn lung disease.
The disease got its name after hundreds of people who worked in popcorn production suffered permanent lung damage.
This is an example of how the lack of control over the composition of electronic cigarettes can lead to serious consequences. The most dangerous scents are those that are sweet and oily, such as vanilla and cinnamon.
Acrolein
Some electronic cigarettes contain acrolein in the vape liquid. This unsaturated aldehyde is toxic and is used primarily as a weed control agent. It can be formed when glycerin is heated, and can provoke chronic lung diseases.
And also do not forget that the electronic device is explosive. There are many similar cases, here is an example of one of them.
Remember, vaping is not that safe! And even if it does not contain nicotine, it still contains elements hazardous to health.
What to choose
Comparing the harmfulness of vaping and cigarettes, the conclusions are not clear-cut. Evidence indicates that tobacco products are more harmful than the electronic version from a physical point of view. But vaping does not solve the key problem - it does not eradicate addiction to nicotine; moreover, smoking electronic cigarettes can develop addiction . Psychologically, vaping also carries a certain danger: its use blurs the clear line between a bad habit and relatively safe entertainment.
Based on the above, it is easy to conclude: both types of cigarettes are unsafe. However, the content of harmful substances in vaping is significantly lower than in smoke from regular tobacco. This means that it is better to smoke an electronic pipe. In addition, you can minimize the negative impact of vaping by choosing a device from a trusted manufacturer and buying expensive and high-quality mixtures without dyes and flavors as refills.
What is safer - vaping or IQOS?
It is difficult to compare the harm from IQOS and vaping due to a lack of research. An IQOS is a smoking device that heats tobacco and thus produces smoke. The main health studies of this type of e-cigarette come from device manufacturing companies, so their veracity is questionable.
One of the few independent studies has shown similar damage to the lungs from all three types of smoking: cigarettes, IQOS and vaping are very toxic to cells. Tissue damage leads to disturbances in lung function. The pulmonologist who led the experiment says that smoking vaping or IQOS can lead to obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, asthma or lung cancer.
