While we all know that smoking is hazardous to your health, many former smokers, as well as those just starting out, have turned to the new craze of vaping. With no actual smoke being inhaled, it has been touted as safer and the better choice, but is it?
This belief that vaping is healthier than smoking is pretty well based on advertising. Advertisers aren’t interested in your health. They are only interested in making their clients, the Vape companies, happy and getting them sales.
The majority of the side effects seem to be mild and somewhat temporary, they may include:
- A cough
- Dehydration
- A sore Throat
- A headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Stomach Ache
- Asthma
While vaping may be less hazardous to your health, don’t be fooled by slick ad campaigns or friends unqualified opinions. They may be a positive step towards becoming a non-smoker but they aren’t a perfect replacement. Only quitting is.
Our lungs are not made to handle chemicals of any kind. We are intended to breathe in air only. So any chemicals inhaled do have an effect. Though Vaporizers do not contain many of the contaminants found in traditional cigarettes they do still contain nicotine and other chemical compounds such as acrolein, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, crotonaldehyde and propylene oxide. These are all toxic known carcinogens. They belong to a class of chemicals known as VOC’s (volatile organic compounds).
Acrolein – Inhaled acrolein is highly toxic. Acrolein is irritating to the upper respiratory tract even at low concentrations.
Acrylamide – A neurotoxin – Toxic effects are both central and peripheral. It can cause drowsiness, ataxia, and hallucinations.
Acrylonitrile – A poison that can cause irregular breathing, limb weakness, dizziness and impaired judgment, cyanosis, nausea, convulsions, and fainting.
Crotonaldehyde – is highly flammable and breathing it in can cause irritation and inflammation of the respiratory tract and mucous membranes. Delayed pulmonary edema may occur after inhalation.
Propylene oxide – According to the CDC propylene oxide is a direct-acting carcinogen.
Long-term effects are not known as there has not been enough time to fully conduct studies. The only totally safe way to smoke is to choose not to vape or smoke at all, but studies so far do show that vaping is less harmful than cigarettes.
It is important to know what you are inhaling so that you can make a fully informed choice about
your own health.
Check back for more health information!
Chiropractor & Nutritionist in Fort Myers, FL.
Chiropractic care is a safe, alternative treatment when applied appropriately. Chiropractic treatments help in dealing with the symptoms of many conditions. Are you going to wait for your symptoms to be felt, or are you going to prevent them before they start?
Dr. Jason B. Kaster, a chiropractor, and nutritionist in Fort Myers can help you and your family achieve their optimal health.