You’ve been trying to quit smoking for a while now but you’re not having any luck. You go online and find out that vaping is the new thing that people are talking about. Some say it’s a healthier choice because it doesn’t have the same side effects as cigarettes do. It may also sound like a good idea because it is cheaper than cigarettes in the long run and doesn’t seem to have the same drawbacks as quitting cold turkey. However, you’re not sure whether this is actually the right choice. Is vaping actually bad for you?
Yes, vaping is bad for you. While many people believe that vaping e-cigarettes is a safer alternative compared to smoking tobacco cigarettes, the reality is that vaping also has associated health risks.
In this blog post, we will discuss the different reasons why vaping can have negative effects on your health and overall wellbeing.
1. Vaping products still contain nicotine
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that can reduce your ability to focus and make you more irritable. It also increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. There is a common misconception that vaping products do not have nicotine, however, this is not true.
The first reason why vaping is bad for you is because when you vape, you’re not entirely getting rid of nicotine. Vaping may be an alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes but it still does not get rid of nicotine which is harmful.
Despite the lower level of nicotine in vaping products, a long-term user will still consume more nicotine along with other chemicals and can consequently increase their risk to many health conditions.
2. Vaping can be addictive too
If you’re considering vaping because you don’t want to get addicted to the habit of smoking, then you’re in for some bad news. Vaping is actually addictive too. Because vaping products also contain nicotine, it can trigger addictive behaviors.
But you don’t really need to be an expert in the field of neuroscience to know that nicotine is addictive. Yet many people are taken by surprise when they find out just how addictive vaping products can be too. In a 2019 study, e-cigarettes were even found to be more addictive than traditional cigarettes especially in young adults.
3. Vaping can affect the developing brain of teens
Vaping has been gaining popularity at an alarming rate especially among the younger population. According to the CDC, 19.6% of high school students and almost 5% of middle school students use e-cigarettes.
Parents should be concerned because many studies have shown that vaping is linked to problems in the development of the young brain. Some studies have found that vaping is associated with the same cognitive problems as smoking traditional cigarettes. Other studies have even shown that teens who vape can find it tougher to focus on tasks and are less able to control their emotions.
4. Vaping products may contain unknown chemicals that may cause health risks
Many teens take on vaping due to peer pressure and the attractive flavors. Many are not aware that vaping is dangerous and products can contain unknown chemicals that could be harmful to their health. Even though vaping might seem harmless at first glance, there are many risks involved with it as well.
Because vaping is a relatively new trend, the extent of the negative effects that these chemicals could cause are still undetermined. However, there are already studies that link vaping with lung problems and even cancer.
5. Vaping can be a gateway to other drugs
You might think that vaping is harmless because vaping products contain only a smaller amount of nicotine. But do you know that if it becomes a habit, then it can actually be a gateway to using more harmful substances especially for teens and young adults? Some experts warn that teens can eventually graduate from vaping and turn to tobacco cigarettes or worse, vape other illegal narcotics.
Vaping devices are now being used to vape other substances such as cannabis. Many people now use a dab pen, which is similar to a vaping device, to consume dab weed – a concentrated form of marijuana. There are other users who experiment by trying to vape other recreational drugs. This practice is alarming because it can make dangerous drugs already more dangerous. When a user starts vaping recreational drugs, this could lead to a substance abuse problem.
If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, help is available.
Contact Morningside Recovery by Lighthouse today.
