You’re not the only person who is thinking about quitting smoking. Nearly 73% say they want quit smoking. Quitting smoking, which can cause damage to nearly all of your organs including the heart, is one thing you can do for yourself. About one-third (33%) of all heart attacks are caused by secondhand or smoking.
As an option to quitting smoking, you may consider switching to electronic cigarettes. What is the best way to quit smoking cigarettes and vaping? Can ecigarettes help you quit smoking permanently? Michael Blaha M.D. is director of clinical and research at the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease. Blaha shares his health information regarding vaping.
1: Even though vaping is less harmful that smoking, it’s still not safer.
E-cigarettes use nicotine (extracted from the tobacco) and flavorings to produce an aerosol, which you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain nearly 7,000 chemicals, many that are toxic. Blaha claims that although we don’t know all the chemicals contained in ecigarettes exactly, it is almost certain that they expose you less to toxic chemicals than traditional cigarettes.
The vaping epidemic has caused a number of lung injuries, and even death. On Jan. 21, 2020 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 60 deaths in victims of vaping or vaping-product use associated lung injury (EVALI).
“These cases most commonly affect people who modify their vaping device or use black market modified E-liquids. Blaha explained that this is especially true for vaping products which contain tetrahydrocannabinol.
Vitamin E acetate was identified by the CDC to be a chemical of concern in people with EVALI. Vitamin E acetate (a thickening agent used in THC vaping product) was found in all EVALI patients whose lung fluids were examined by CDC.
The CDC recommends:
- You should not vape or use e-cigarettes with THC.
- Avoid informal sources like friends, family, and online retailers to purchase a vaping apparatus.
- Do not modify or include substances in a vaping device for which it is not intended.
2: Research shows that vaping is bad news for your heart health and lung function
Nicotine, the primary component of both regular cigarettes (and e-cigarettes), is addictive. If you do not comply with the craving, you may feel a strong urge to smoke. Toxic substances include nicotine. It increases your blood pressure and stimulates your adrenaline. This will increase your chances of getting a coronary.
Is vaping dangerous? There are many unknowns regarding vaping. For example, what chemicals make up the vapour and how long they can affect your health. Blaha states, “People must understand that ecigarettes can be dangerous to their health.” “Emerging data suggests links to chronic lung disease , asthma , as well as associations between dual smoking of e cigarettes and smoking with coronary disease. You are potentially exposing yourself and your health to many chemicals that we don’t fully understand.
3: Traditional cigarettes are as addictive as electronic cigarettes
Both regular cigarettes and electronic cigarettes contain nicotine. Studies suggest that this substance may be as addictive and addictive as heroin and cocaine. Blaha adds that ecigarette smokers often get more nicotine than they would get from regular cigarettes. Blaha says you can also buy extra strength cartridges to get a higher dose of nicotine.