Table of contents:
- Definition of cigarettes vs vape
- Difference between cigarette vs vape content
- Various contents of cigarettes
- Acetaldehyde
- Acetone
- Arsenic
- Acrolein
- Ammonia
- Benzene
- Cadmium
- Chromium
- Formaldehyde
- Nitrosamines
- Toluene
- Nicotine
- Tar
- Carbon monoxide
- Various contents of vape
- Nicotine
- Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
- Flavor chemicals
- Formaldehyde
- Vape vs cigarettes, which one is safer?
- Many harmful compounds are found in e-cigarettes
- So are e-cigarettes safer than regular cigarettes?
Apart from tobacco smoking, e-cigarettes have also become part of the lifestyle of young people today. Many think that e-cigarettes or e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes, which have quite obvious dangers. Many also compare cigarettes vs e-cigarettes without knowing the content and dangers of both in detail.
Definition of cigarettes vs vape
Cigarettes are tobacco that has been dried and wrapped in paper. Cigarettes contain about 600 substances in them and when burned there are more than 7,000 chemicals produced. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer and are toxic.
Meanwhile, e-cigarettes, often called vapes, were originally created in China in 2003 by a pharmacist to reduce cigarette smoke. Initially, e-cigarettes were also created with the aim of helping people quit smoking.
The vape consists of a battery, a cartridgewhich contains a liquid, and a heating element that can warm and vaporize the liquid into the air.
This product contains nicotine, an addictive substance also found in tobacco. The nicotine found in e-cigarettes is a substance that is also found in tobacco cigarettes.
Both cigarettes and e-cigarettes are both consumed by inhaling. Comparing cigarettes vs vape can be seen from the content plus the dangers of the compounds in it for health.
Difference between cigarette vs vape content
Cigarettes vs vapes are often juxtaposed to find out which one is safer or more dangerous than others. However, before knowing whether it is safe or not, you need to know the content of cigarettes vs vapes first.
Various contents of cigarettes
Cigarettes and their smoke contain various dangerous chemicals, including:
Acetaldehyde
This compound is widely used in glue and is a cancer-causing compound or carcinogen.
Acetone
Acetone is a compound commonly used to remove nail polish. However, long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
Arsenic
Arsenic is a compound found in rat poison and pesticides. This compound is usually contained in cigarette smoke.
Acrolein
Acrolein is an ingredient in tear gas. These compounds can irritate the eyes and upper respiratory tract. In addition, this substance is also a carcinogen.
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound that causes asthma and increases blood pressure. Ammonia is commonly used in cleaning agents.
Benzene
Benzene is a compound that decreases the number of red blood cells and endangers a person's reproductive organs.
Cadmium
This compound is used as a coating for stainless metals and as a material for batteries. Cadmium can damage the brain, kidneys, and liver.
Chromium
Chromium can cause lung cancer if exposed to it for too long. In addition to cigarettes, chromium is commonly used in wood treatments, wood preservatives and metal coatings.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a compound widely used in plywood, fiberboard, and particleboard. However, exposure can cause nose cancer, damage the digestive system, skin, and lungs.
Nitrosamines
Nitrosamines are compounds that can cause DNA mutations and some of them are known carcinogens.
Toluene
Toluene is a chemical that is widely used in solvents including in paints. Toluene has many detrimental effects, namely making a person dazed, memory loss, nauseous, weak, and others.
Nicotine
Nicotine is a compound that makes a person want to continue smoking again and again. Nicotine is an addictive compound in cigarettes. In the body, this compound will reach the brain within 15 seconds of being inhaled.
Apart from being in cigarettes, this compound is also found in insecticides. Nicotine is a substance that can harm the health of both mother and fetus. When comparing the levels in e-cigarettes vs cigarettes, the nicotine content in tobacco cigarettes is generally much greater.
Tar
Tar is a compound that when cigarette smoke is inhaled, 70 percent of it will remain in the lungs in the form of a brown substance. Over time, the tar that accumulates in the lungs can cause cancer.
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. Carbon monoxide is called poisonous because people can easily breathe in it without knowing it.
In addition, carbon monoxide is also very dangerous because it can reduce muscle and heart function.
Various contents of vape
Vape fluids usually contain nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, flavorings, and other chemicals. However, just like cigarettes, vape smoke or aerosols contain substances that are harmful to health.
The steam that comes out is not ordinary water vapor. However, the vapor in e-cigarettes has a variety of substances that are usually addictive and can cause lung, heart disease and cancer.
As reported by the American Cancer Society, various ingredients that are generally contained in vape and also smoke, namely:
Nicotine
Almost all e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Just like cigarettes, nicotine is so addictive that the desire to consume it is difficult to control.
Nicotine can damage the brain development of adolescents. If consumed during pregnancy, nicotine can also cause premature birth and low birth weight.
The nicotine content in e-cigarettes varies widely by product. Some are almost like tobacco cigarettes, some are lower. But what is clear, how you use e-cigarettes also affects how much nicotine is consumed.
People who use e-cigarettes are also at risk of becoming addicted. This is because the high-tension tube on the vape can pass large amounts of nicotine into the body.
Unfortunately, according to a study published by the Truth Initiative, only about 37 percent of teens and adults know that e-cigarettes contain nicotine.
Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Volatile organic compounds are volatile organic compounds for example propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is a substance that is usually used to produce mist on the stage.
To some extent, VOCs can cause eye, nose, lung and throat irritation. In addition, VOCs can also cause headaches, nausea, and have the potential to damage the liver, kidneys and nervous system.
Flavor chemicals
There are many studies showing that vape flavors contain a chemical called diacetyl. Diacetyl is a compound that is often associated with serious lung disease, namely bronchiolitis obliterans or lung popcorn.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a cancer-causing substance that can form when vape fluids are too hot. This compound is commonly used in plywood, fiberboard, and article boards. These compounds are at risk of causing nose cancer, damaging the digestive system, skin and lungs.
However, it is difficult to know for sure what chemicals are in e-cigarettes. The reason is that most products often do not include all the substances in them.
Vape vs cigarettes, which one is safer?
The main difference between e-cigarettes vs traditional cigarettes is the tobacco. Only traditional cigarettes contain tobacco, e-cigarettes generally do not. However, this does not mean that this is a measure that cigarettes are more dangerous and e-cigarettes are safer.
This is because tobacco is not the only cause of cancer and other serious diseases. There are lots of ingredients in e-cigarettes and cigarettes that have negative effects on health.
Traditional cigarettes contain a list of chemicals that have been shown to be harmful and e-cigarettes have some of the same chemicals. Therefore, the dangers of e-cigarettes or e-cigarettes still exist and are worth worrying about.
Lung cancer, emphysema, heart disease, and other serious illnesses generally develop after a person has been smoking cigarettes for years.
Meanwhile, based on a report from the Centers for Disease for Control and Prevention, found evidence that e-cigarettes can cause seizures and serious lung damage after only one year of consuming them or maybe less. This evidence was obtained from about 200 patients who were hospitalized due to pulmonary damage due to vaping.
Many harmful compounds are found in e-cigarettes
Since 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM United States) has shown that e-cigarettes contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals.
Other evidence also shows that there are several vape products that contain formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a chemical known to cause cancer in humans. In some brands, the content of this compound exceeds the maximum recommended for humans.
In 2017, research published in Public Library of Science Journal also shows that levels of benzene are present in the vapors of some vape brands.
According to dr. Nauki Kunugita, a researcher from the National Institute of Public Health in Japan, in one e-cigarette was found to be 10 times the level of carcinogens compared to a regular cigarette.
Tjandra Yoga Aditama, Head of the Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) of the Ministry of Health explained in a press release that the nicotine solution found in e-cigarettes has different compositions and in general there are 4 types of mixtures. However all types of mixtures contain nicotine, propylene glycol.
Not only the cigarettes are dangerous, the inhaled vapors can cause asthma attacks, shortness of breath, and coughs. These cigarettes are also dangerous for sufferers of pneumonia, heart failure, disorientation, seizures, hypotension, and burns caused by exploding e-cigarettes in the mouth.
So are e-cigarettes safer than regular cigarettes?
Until now, there are no facts that prove that the harm or impact of e-cigarettes is lower than smoking. As reported by cnnindonesia.com, various studies have conducted research on e-cigarettes and the results of these studies are:
- This e-cigarette is claimed to contain harmful substances such as Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines (TSNA), Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and carbon monoxide.
- Long-term use of e-cigarettes can significantly increase plasma nicotine levels after five minutes of use.
- These cigarettes also significantly increase plasma carbon monoxide levels and pulse rates which can be detrimental to health.
- It has an acute effect on the lungs as in tobacco cigarettes, in which exhaled air nitric oxide levels decrease significantly and airway resistance increases significantly.
In fact, the dangers of e-cigarettes or e-cigarettes can also encourage a smoking culture in children. This statement is as explained by Jessica, study leader from the University of Southern California, United States.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned all countries in the world to prohibit children, pregnant women, and women of reproductive age from smoking e-cigarettes.
Therefore, e-cigarettes or tobacco cigarettes both have dangers that cannot be ignored. It would be much better if you stay away from e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes for better health.