PSA: Used Vapor From E-Cigarettes Is Harmful to Everyone, Especially Children
When you use an e-cigarette or vape, those vapors you breathe out don’t just magically disappear. Used couples are very common and harmful to the health of those around you, especially young children.
While vaping is considered somewhat healthier than smoking regular cigarettes – since you don’t coat your lungs with carcinogenic resins – this is by no means a “healthy” practice. As the surgeon general explains , the aerosol you inhale when using an e-cigarette contains harmful chemicals and ultrafine particles that you can inhale deep into your lungs. Diacetyl, benzene, nickel, tin and lead are just a few of the substances found in e-cigarette vapor. And scientists are still trying to determine the health effects of other potentially harmful chemicals in e-liquid, as well as how they react when aerosolized by extreme heat. Plus, e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive no matter how you consume it.
Now, if you want to use an electronic cigarette, it is completely up to you. This is your health and you can use or abuse it however you like. What’s problematic is e-cigarettes, and vape users don’t seem to realize that these vapors are still breathable after exhalation. Like secondhand smoke, secondhand smoke disturbs everyone around the user, even if it is less visible than traditional cigarette smoke. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that a third of adults who use e-cigarettes do not think second-hand vapors are harmful, and another 40% said their exposure caused “little” or “some” harm. children. But make no mistake, because this is not a real cigarette, there is a real danger.
In addition to the harmful chemicals already mentioned, risks to children exposed to these secondary aerosol vapors include occasional nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and decreased impulse control. Nicotine can also affect young people’s brain development by altering the way synapses form in their brains. Dr Brian King, associate director of research translation at the CDC’s Bureau of Smoking and Health, says the lack of regulation, the “novelty” of products, and the way the industry is promoting e-cigarettes as “healthier alternatives” all contribute to the confusion . But don’t fall for it; Electronic cigarettes and vapes are no different from regular old cigarettes, so take precautions when using them. They can also explode , so watch out for that too.