Vapes contain nicotine, flavorings, propylene glycol (PG), and vegetable glycerin (VG), which create an aerosol with cancer-causing agents (formaldehyde, benzene), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals (nickel, lead), and lung irritants (acrolein), plus harmful compounds like diacetyl, all damaging to lungs and health. These chemicals come from the e-liquid ingredients and reactions during heating, forming ultra-fine particles that get inhaled deep into the lungs.
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.
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.
The IGet XXL Kiwi ice contained 8 distinct chemical compounds to create the Kiwi flavour: Ethyl Butanoate (fruity, pineapple), Cix-3-hexene-1-ol (green, grassy), Benzyl Alcohol (cherry, floral), Menthol (mint), Ethyl Maltol (sweet, caramel, candy), Methyl Cinnamate (cinnamon, spicy), Vanillin (vanilla) and g- ...
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.
How to Do a Lung Detox
Long-term use of electronic cigarettes, or vaping products, can significantly impair the function of the body's blood vessels, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, the use of both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes may cause an even greater risk than the use of either of these products alone.
But nicotine vaping could still damage your health. “Your lungs aren't meant to deal with the constant challenge of non-air that people are putting into them—sometimes as many as 200 puffs a day—day after day, week after week, year after year,” Eissenberg says.
An IGET Bar vape's equivalent to cigarettes varies but can range from about 200 to over 400 cigarettes because of high nicotine content (often 50mg/ml) and many puffs (3500+), with calculations suggesting one bar might equal around 230 cigarettes for heavy users, though actual absorption depends on individual vaping habits.
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.
Evidence shows that vaping is less harmful than smoking. 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.
If you want to vape indoors, and you are unsure whether it is allowed, it is always best to check first with the owner or manager of the building in question. However, in locations where you are allowed to vape indoors, it is a good idea to ask first if those around you object.
The particles you inhale while vaping can cause inflammation (swelling) and irritation in your lungs. This can lead to lung damage like scarring and narrowing of the tubes that bring air in and out of your lungs.
EVALI may cause the following symptoms:
In the long term, nicotine vaping can increase the likelihood of developing depression, anxiety and substance use disorders because of the way nicotine changes the brain's reward pathway. There is strong evidence that vaping can increase the chance of smoking cigarettes,7 as well as other substances, such as marijuana.
But vaping might actually be worse for your lungs.
Many people assumed this was a safer way to smoke. “Because of the chemical composition, vaping is similar to inhaling an acetylene welding torch,” explains Dr. Thau. “To make it more palatable, they add other chemicals.
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.
Here's what real vapers say – and it's pretty similar to the survey results above: 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.
Yes, your lungs can begin to heal from vaping as soon as you quit, with inflammation decreasing and lung function improving over weeks and months, but the extent of recovery depends on the damage; some severe, permanent scarring can occur, but quitting allows the body to start repairing damage, though some chronic issues like COPD might persist. The lungs are self-cleaning, but removing irritants like vape aerosols allows them to start repairing, with significant improvements seen in lung capacity and reduced symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath over time.
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. It is crucial to use these numbers as a guideline rather than a definitive metric.
These 10K puff devices use dual-pod technology or larger refill containers and lower ohm coils to deliver approximately 10000 puffs per pack. Leading models include the Titan X Vape Kit, IVG Pro 12, IVG Smart Max, and Elf Bar 10k dual. Each 10k vape provides 5-15 days of use from a single refill pack.
It can make you tired, stressed and anxious. It can also affect your concentration and impact your ability to learn and study. Nicotine addiction can lead to long-lasting changes in cognition (thinking), attention and memory. It can also lead to mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
People also process nicotine differently depending on their genetics. Generally, nicotine will leave your blood within 1 to 3 days after you stop using tobacco, and cotinine will be gone after 1 to 10 days. Neither nicotine nor cotinine will be detectable in your urine after 3 to 4 days of stopping tobacco products.