Is vaping bad for your health? There are many facts which are not established about vaping, including what chemicals make up the vapor and how they affect the physical health of users over the long term.
Recently, electronic cigarettes otherwise known as e-cigarettes, or vape pens, are being prescribed to smokers as an easy way to transition from traditional cigarettes to not smoking at all. But the question is, does it also not pose other lingering effects?
E-cigarettes uses heat nicotine which is extracted from tobacco, flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale as against the traditional method of taking in regular tobacco cigarette; which is speculated to contain about 7,000 toxic chemicals.
While major scientists do not know exactly what chemicals are in e-cigarettes, some suggests that “There’s almost no doubt that vaping exposes you to fewer toxic chemicals than smoking traditional cigarettes.” Now the question is, is vaping not a risk factor?
Similarities between vaping and smoking?
Nicotine; a primary agent in regular cigarettes has been named as a constituent of e-cigarettes. This compound is highly addictive and it causes you to crave a smoke and suffer withdrawal symptoms if you ignore the craving.
Nicotine is a toxic substance. It could raise your blood pressure and spike your adrenaline levels which results in increases in your heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack.
What is the new side effect of vaping?
Vaping has resulted in a whole new appalling condition which scientists say is temporary and may dissipate when users either stop using or cut down on e-cigarette use.
Although they cannot substantiate their speculations as there isn’t much published scientific information about the condition, some say, it is evidence Vape Tongue is just one of the many negative side effects of using electronic cigarettes.
Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford Medicine, Founder and Executive Director of the university’s Vaping Information, Solutions, and Interventions Toolkit, told Healthline that she was only familiar with the condition through social media, but that she wasn’t aware of any scientific literature on the condition.
What is Vape Tongue?
“Vape tongue” or “vaper’s tongue” is a condition associated with e-cigarette use that causes individuals to lose their sense of taste. Thus, reduced sense of taste is the primary symptom of “vape tongue” and this could lead to a complete loss of sense of taste; a condition medically termed as ageusia.
Sufferers of vape tongue are generally unable to detect a full range of flavors; while flavors that are experienced can be bland or muted. The severity of loss of taste associated with e-cigarette use can vary in severity depending on the user’s genetics and the frequency of usage.
Want to quit smoking?
There’s a strong link between smoking and cardiovascular disease, and between smoking and cancer. But the sooner you quit, the quicker your body can rebound and repair itself. Talk to your doctor about which smoking cessation program or tools would be best for you but do not opt for e-cigarettes as they are not any better.