Vaping is a fairly new hobby that many people are taking up, and it’s one of the newest ways to quit smoking. But there are still a few myths that surround the act of vaping, and these can cause some people to stop vaping or avoid it altogether from the start.
Below are a few untrue rumours about vaping that should be put to rest.
Vaping is as Dangerous as Smoking
There’s a myth surrounding vaping that states that it’s as dangerous and as deadly as smoking, but this simply isn’t true. In fact, it’s very far from the truth.
There’s a reason why so many people choose to quit smoking, and that is to save their health. After all, many people die all over the world every year as a result of ailments, such as cancer, that are caused directly by smoking cigarettes and inhaling all of their toxins. Vaping is one of the ways that many people today are able to completely kick their smoking habit, and it also happens to be one of the healthier ways to quit.
The majority of the thousands of toxins and chemicals found in regular cigarettes aren’t found in e-cig vapour. Several studies have already proven this fact. And those chemicals that have been detected in e-cig vapour are only found in trace amounts, which means they aren’t in amounts that would be considered harmful. In other words, though these trace amounts are detectable, they’re too small to measure and too small to cause an adverse impact upon the human body, which is exposed to a variety of toxins on a daily basis, no matter what.
Nicotine Can Cause Cancer
Another common myth is that nicotine causes cancer. But the truth is that nicotine itself is only about as dangerous as caffeine. So it isn’t the nicotine that’s doing harm to your body when you smoke; instead, it’s the act of combustion and all of the toxic chemicals that are produced and inhaled when you smoke a cigarette.
All of the preservatives in the tobacco of a cigarette, as well as the tar, will do damage to your body, as will the second-hand smoke inhaled by those around you. The tar alone contains thousands of chemicals, 70 of which are known carcinogens.
E-cigs don’t contain tobacco, don’t combust or burn, and don’t contain tar or produce the myriad toxins that are produced by cigarettes. They contain nicotine, which is naturally occurring and even found in some vegetables, but the nicotine itself—though addictive—won’t make you sick.
E-Cigs Contain Anti-Freeze
Anti-freeze is used in automobiles, so it isn’t something that you’d want to ingest. But there’s no truth behind the myth that e-cigs contain anti-freeze. So how did people come up with the idea that electronic cigarettes contain anti-freeze?
Some e-liquids contain propylene glycol, which is also sometimes found in anti-freeze. But this ingredient is deemed safe for consumption by the FDA and the EU. In fact, propylene glycol is added to anti-freeze to make it less harmful in the event that it’s ingested.
Second-Hand Vapour is as Dangerous as Second-Hand Smoke
People are already aware that second-hand smoke is just as dangerous as smoking. But many people are confused and also think that second-hand vapour produced by electronic cigarettes is just as harmful. This isn’t true.
Inhalation Toxicology is a peer-reviewed journal whose focus is respiratory research. A study was published in which researchers compared pollutant concentrations found in e-cig vapour and regular cigarette smoke. The results proved that there’s no real risk involved with being exposed to second-hand e-cig vapour. The same can’t be said of the toxins found in second-hand cigarette smoke.
If You Vape, You’ll End Up Smoking Cigarettes
Sometimes one habit leads to another. For example, many believe that smoking marijuana will lead to the use of other, more dangerous, drugs. Others believe that vaping leads to smoking cigarettes. While the former sentiment may be true for some people, the latter is simply false.
First off, it’s important to note that different individuals start smoking for different reasons. Many children and young adults end up smoking because of peer pressure. Others may smoke because their parents smoke. And still others may smoke because they’re stressed. These factors influence them more than flavours and advertisements promoting smoking. Thankfully, in the UK, retailers aren’t allowed to sell e-cig products to those under the age of 18. This can prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine.
The truth is that, most of the time, smoking actually leads to vaping. Many smokers who are having difficulty quitting, especially if they enjoy the act of smoking, find that e-cigs are a great way to get their nicotine fix, reduce their dependency on nicotine over time, and “smoke” in a much healthier way that doesn’t harm their bodies or the health of others.
