You may have seen it before: the vast amounts of vapor leaving a person’s mouth after taking a breath of something. Sure, you may be reminded of a dragon blowing smoke, but vaping, as it is called, doesn’t involve fire. Vaping, also known as e-cigarettes, is a flameless device that emulates tobacco smoke by having the user inhale an aerosol product. When it comes to smoking regular cigarettes, we have been warned of their dangers to our health. But what about vaping?
Truthfully, vaping is only beginning to be regulated, and even then not much is know about its health risks. However, we do know what is inside the aerosol vapor:
- Vegetable glycerin
- Propylene glycol
- Nicotine
- Flavoring Agents: TONS
- Other compounds
At least one familiar ingredient is on that list: nicotine. When adolescents smoke, it can harm their still-developing brain. That’s just one thing nicotine does to hurt a person. Other ingredients in this list are also used for things you certainly wouldn’t consider putting in your body, such as propylene glycol (used in brake and hydraulic fluids, among other things). Other compounds found in e-cigarettes include lead, nickel, arsenic, and much more. Unless you’re an allomancer, putting these substances into your body simply isn’t a good thing to do.
There is strong evidence that vaping is dangerous and can adversely affect a person’s lungs and overall wellbeing, including with life-threatening illnesses. Be aware of sings in your children–or yourself–of nicotine addiction:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Frustration
- Anger
- Increased hunger
- Difficulty sleeping
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
If you see these signs in yourself or your children, get help. Vaping can be just as dangerous to your health as regular cigarettes–possibly more so. At Pulmonary Associates of Richmond, we care about how you breathe, and we’re here to help in whatever way we can. If you need to see us, please visit us online and schedule an appointment with us today!