Table of contents:
- What does vape smoke contain?
- Is there any danger if we breathe in vape smoke?
- Fixed vape smoke is better than tobacco smoke
E-cigarettes, more popularly known as vapes, use battery power to heat and vaporize the vape liquid, which usually contains nicotine. This liquid vapor is then inhaled by the user when they press a button on their vaporizer and exhale vape smoke into the loose air. Should non-smokers worry about the potential side effects of inhaling air mixed with vape smoke, just like the dangers of inhaling tobacco smoke?
What does vape smoke contain?
Technically, vape users cannot be classified as smokers. They don't smoke, they are just "vaping." That is, they use a vaporizer as a battery-powered inhaler. Unlike burned tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes produce steam through a heating system. Meanwhile, traditional cigarettes involve burning tobacco using fire which releases toxic chemical emissions into the air. It is this toxic residue of burning, aka cigarette smoke, that has led to widespread public health policies to prohibit smoking in public spaces.
However, "Assuming that vape smoke released into the air is just water vapor is not entirely correct," said Tobias Schripp, a researcher from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany who has studied the intricacies of electronic cigarettes, reported by the Washington Post.
ALSO READ: Watch out! Vapes Can Explode in Your Face
The fluids used in most vape kits are made up of four main ingredients: propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine, flavor additives, and may include other chemicals as well. Once heated, the liquid evaporates into a smog which is inhaled like tobacco smoke before finally being released into the atmosphere.
Furthermore, Schripp explained, in addition to water vapor particles, vape smoke also transports ultra-fine nicotine particles, volatile organic pollutants, and other potentially carcinogenic hydrocarbons into the air - even in a well-ventilated room. This one fact alone can confirm that e-cigarettes are not completely pollution free.
Is there any danger if we breathe in vape smoke?
Studies and strong scientific evidence regarding the health effects of exposure to vape smoke on people who breathe it are still very limited. However, most health experts have so far speculated that exposure to pollutants from e-cigarettes might trigger health problems because the super fine particles that are transported together with smoke may be able to accumulate in the lungs. Exposure to super fine particles can worsen respiratory problems a person has, such as asthma, and constrict blood vessels which can lead to heart attacks.
Propylene glycol, for example. The use of this ingredient in several products is officially approved by the FDA. However, the method of inhalation of nicotine vapor in propylene glycol is not approved for use. Several studies have shown that heating propylene glycol changes its chemical composition, resulting in the production of small amounts of propylene oxide - a potentially hazardous carcinogen. Short-term inhalation exposure to this substance causes irritation to the eyes, throat, and airways, while long-term exposure can cause the child to develop asthma.
ALSO READ: 3 Types of Vape (E-Cigarette), Which is Better?
"Vape smoke produces mild effects on the lungs, including inflammation and protein breakdown," said Dr. Thomas Sussan, lead author and assistant scientist in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Bloomberg School.
Sussan and his teammate Dr. Shyam Bishwal found an increased susceptibility to weakened immune systems and respiratory infections in mice placed in rooms filled with vape smoke. Some of the mice exposed to vape smoke were reported to have died at the end of the study.
They suspect these detrimental effects on the immune system may be triggered by free radicals, highly reactive toxins also found in tobacco cigarette smoke and motor vehicle pollution that can cause cell death by damaging DNA and other molecules in the body's cells.
Fixed vape smoke is better than tobacco smoke
The level of exposure to toxins resulting from e-cigarettes is considered to be lower than that of traditional cigarettes. But only a few of the carcinogens in vape smoke have been identified so far, and scientists haven't been able to identify all of the particles present in this formula. Variations in product content, design and exhaust gases also indicate that some products produce less toxic exposure, while others may present a greater risk.
ALSO READ: Which is Better, Shisha or E-Cigarettes (Vape)?
In conclusion, when faced with two choices: inhaling vape smoke or tobacco smoke, experts seem to agree that your chances of health will be better if you breathe in vapor from vape smoke than from tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemicals, 60 of which are known carcinogens, while only a handful are carcinogens from vape vapor. Therefore, the overall health risk from fixed vape smoke tends to be much lower than indoor tobacco smoke exposure.
