Vaping is the use of an e-cigarette, short for electronic cigarette. E-cigarettes are devices that vaporize a liquid mixture of ingredients, delivering them to a user’s lungs upon inhaling. The word vaping refers to the vapors that the user inhales and puffs out. E-cigarette manufacturers promote vaping as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. However, e-cigarettes expose users to dangerous chemicals. E-cigarette companies have also been criticized for aggressively marketing addictive products to teenagers.
Some e-cigarettes look like plastic versions of regular cigarettes. Others resemble pipes, pens, or other objects and may be called vaporizers. An e-cigarette may include a rechargeable battery and replaceable liquid-filled cartridges for repeated use.
E-cigarettes do not burn. They instead make use of a liquid mixture of ingredients that may include nicotine, THC, CBD oils, flavorings, and other chemicals. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is a chemical substance in marijuana that produces a mind-altering effect on the user. CBD (cannabidiol) oils are also chemicals found in marijuana, but they are not mind altering. Inside the e-cigarette, a tiny electric heater vaporizes the liquid mixture, turning it into an aerosol (fine mist). A user inhales the aerosol. The nicotine or other active ingredients rapidly absorb through the lungs and move through the blood to the brain and the rest of the body.
E-cigarettes expose vapers to dangerous chemicals. Particles like those in e-cigarette aerosols can inflame the lungs and have been linked with heart and lung diseases and cancer. In addition, nicotine itself is a dangerous drug that is extremely addictive, especially to adolescents. Cartridges in e-cigarettes can contain a higher concentration of addictive chemicals like nicotine than do cigarettes.
Much is known about the negative health effects of smoking cigarettes. E-cigarettes, on the other hand, are relatively new, and thus less long-term health data is available on vaping. Vapers may be exposed to fewer harmful chemicals compared with cigarette smokers. But the dangers of inhaling many of the chemicals found in vape liquids are not fully understood. According to the Centers for Disease Control, vape liquids may contain cancer-causing chemicals, volatile organic (carbon-based) compounds, and even traces of heavy metals such as lead and nickel. Vape flavorings known to be safe for eating or drinking may not be safe to inhale. Children and other young people have been poisoned by drinking or breathing vape liquids or by absorbing them through the skin or eyes. Vape liquids are not always clearly labeled, and vape users may be unaware that the products contain addictive nicotine. Young people who vape may be more likely to become cigarette smokers.
E-cigarette vapor increases the activity of blood platelets, which cause blood to clot. It also reduces the ability of blood vessels to dilate (expand) and contract to adjust blood flow. These changes contribute to artery blockages, which can cause heart attack or stroke.
When an e-cigarette user exhales, dangerous substances in vapor can also affect nearby people. With cigarette smoking, this effect is called secondhand smoke, and its effects are well understood. Less is known about the secondhand effects of exhaled vapors.
In 2019 and 2020, an outbreak of lung injuries caused by vaping emerged in the United States. Over 2,800 people sustained serious damage to their lungs, and at least 68 people died. The condition was named EVALI (short for e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury). Researchers determined that an ingredient called vitamin E acetate probably caused EVALI. In Canada and in some U.S. states, the ingredient is banned from use in certain vape products.
In 2020, the United States banned the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes. The ban was introduced to prevent teenagers from becoming addicted to nicotine. Flavored e-cigarettes had become particularly popular with middle schoolers and high schoolers. Despite the ban, millions of teenagers continued to use flavored e-cigarettes.
