Vaping is considered less harmful than smoking because it exposes users to fewer toxic chemicals, but it's not safe, delivering addictive nicotine and potentially harmful substances like heavy metals, volatile compounds, and flavouring chemicals linked to lung injury (EVALI). While smoking involves burning tobacco with thousands of toxins, vaping's risks involve nicotine addiction, lung damage from aerosol particles, and unknown long-term effects, with the best option for health being to avoid both.
Many studies show that vaping is far less harmful than smoking. This is because e-cigarettes don't contain cancer-causing tobacco, and most of the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes are not in e-cigarettes. Some potentially harmful chemicals have been found in e-cigarettes.
Scientists have estimated that using vaping products exclusively is about 95% less likely to result in death from tobacco use compared to smoking cigarettes. 95% less likely to result in death from a tobacco-related disease compared to smoking cigarettes.
There's no exact number, but roughly 10-15 vape puffs can equal one cigarette, though this varies greatly; it could be as few as 4 puffs with high-nicotine liquid or up to 50 puffs with weaker liquid, depending on puff duration, device power (pod vs. mod), and e-liquid strength (like 5% vs. 12mg/mL). A single cigarette delivers about 1-2 mg of nicotine, while a vape's nicotine delivery changes significantly with user style and device settings.
Conclusions. In conclusion, despite vaping being marketed as safer and healthier smoking alternative and a smoking cessation technique, vaping has been found to cause similar effects as smoking on lung function and cardiovascular function.
Vaping has been linked to greater risk of chronic lung diseases like asthma or chronic bronchitis, as well as heart problems including heart failure, and continuing to vape after an EVALI diagnosis may cause permanent scarring in your lungs. Vaping may also lower some measures of lung function over time.
Heavy vaping can be harmful to health, so it's important to practice moderation. Vapers should aim to keep their puff count within a safe range. Studies suggest that approximately 140 puffs per day are safe for most vapers.
However, the lungs may heal quicker without any exposure to inhaled chemicals, and the FDA has not approved vaping as an effective smoking cessation treatment. Quitting through approved treatments such as NRT gum or patches will help support the lungs' healing process without putting them at risk.
100-200 puffs/day: this is typical for users of 20mg nic salts, generally using about 2ml of juice per day. 300-500 puffs: moderate usage, with some users noting higher counts on long days or at weekends.
What Is Considered Heavy Vaping? While there is no definite metric to determine heavy vaping, using more than 10 mL of e-liquid or refilling multiple times a day is typically considered heavy vaping. However, the vapers used can add nuance.
Five negative effects of vaping include nicotine addiction, serious lung damage (like EVALI or "popcorn lung"), increased risk of heart problems, exposure to cancer-causing chemicals, and harm to adolescent brain development, leading to issues with learning, mood, and memory. Vaping also causes immediate issues like coughing, shortness of breath, nausea, and even explosions/burns from faulty devices.
The American Heart Association recommends proven methods to successfully quit smoking. Many people think vaping is less harmful than smoking. While it's true that e-cigarette aerosol doesn't include all the contaminants in tobacco smoke, it still isn't safe.
Vaping exposes users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. Switching to vaping reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke.
"Nicotine poisoning occurs when nicotine begins to exhibit more dire toxic effects on an individual." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that 50 to 60 milligrams of nicotine is a deadly dose for an adult who weighs about 150 pounds.
Researchers at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science and Moores Cancer Center at University of California San Diego have found that, among smokers in the United States, e-cigarette use does not increase smoking cessation and is actually associated with reduced tobacco abstinence.
Vape In Moderation. Nicotine can be addictive. As such, the key is not to let yourself vape too frequently. If you can vape only once a day or even just occasionally, you can stay as safe as possible.
There's no exact number, but roughly 10-15 vape puffs can equal one cigarette, though this varies greatly; it could be as few as 4 puffs with high-nicotine liquid or up to 50 puffs with weaker liquid, depending on puff duration, device power (pod vs. mod), and e-liquid strength (like 5% vs. 12mg/mL). A single cigarette delivers about 1-2 mg of nicotine, while a vape's nicotine delivery changes significantly with user style and device settings.
How can I vape without getting addicted to nicotine? Choose nicotine-free e-liquids exclusively, establish strict usage limits, and maintain awareness of your vaping patterns. Set specific times for vaping and avoid using it as a coping mechanism for stress or emotional situations.
Cycling through multiple 600-puff disposable vapes a day, for example, can lead to heightened nicotine levels and potential health risks. Keeping the number of puffs you draw under 600 per day is a good rule of thumb.
Vapes with nicotine can be as addictive as cigarettes, which doesn't do anything to help you quit. In fact, some e-cigarettes can deliver even more addictive nicotine, making it even harder to give them up.
The most popular illegal brands are IGET, HQD and Gunpod. These products generally have shoddy construction, are mislabelled (to get through Customs) and do not have safety warnings or an ingredient list. None meet Australian TGO 110 standards but they are still likely to be far safer than smoking.
There is significant emerging evidence of the impact of vaping on oral tissues. The main one is xerostomia or dry mouth which leads to taste changes as well as increased risk of tooth decay, tooth erosion (acid damage), tooth sensitivity, and gum disease.
Yes, lungs can begin to heal and show significant improvement after 7 years of vaping once you quit, with inflammation decreasing and lung function improving, but the extent of recovery depends on the damage; the sooner you stop, the better the chance for healing, though extensive, long-term damage might be permanent, emphasizing the need to quit for the best possible outcome and consulting a doctor for persistent issues.
Gradually reduce your nicotine levels.
A high-quality vape will give you much more flexibility in your choices of vape liquid. One of the biggest benefits of that flexibility is the opportunity to buy liquids of varying nicotine concentrations, and gradually wean off the nicotine.
What are the signs and symptoms of nicotine poisoning?