Vaping vs smoking: Is vaping really safer? In recent years vaping has quickly become a popular alternative to smoking, especially among college students. Often described as being safe or safer compared to smoking, many believe or assume there are fewer harmful additives compared to cigarettes. While there may be some truth to this, less risk is not the same as no risk. For example, some e-cigarettes may be easier on your lungs, but continue to pose a risk to your brain.

Here we will look at the differences between vaping vs smoking, the long term effects of vaping and smoking and which may be less harmful.

Differences Between Vaping and Smoking

Method: The most obvious difference with vaping vs smoking is how a user takes in the product. With traditional cigarettes, tobacco is burned and inhaled into the lungs. Comparatively, vaping involves heating a liquid that typically includes nicotine. This heat creates an aerosol spray which a user inhales.

Effect on Lungs: While these methods are different, nicotine and other chemicals are still taken into the lungs with both. An aerosol spray is less harmful, but the nicotine is also still addictive and there is a risk of a serious lung injury known as EVALI which we will discuss further.

Contents: Traditional cigarettes contain over 7,000 chemicals, many of which are known to cause harm to the lungs, heart and other organs. Vaping liquid typically contains water, propylene glycol, nicotine and flavorings. While vaping liquid’s known ingredient list is shorter, the contents are not well regulated. Moreover, while propylene glycol is generally considered safe for human consumption, there is limited data on its effects when inhaled.

Nicotine Level: One of the reasons that vaping is considered safer is that the level of nicotine can be lowered as needed. While traditional cigarettes have a set amount of nicotine, e-cigarette liquid can be purchased with different amounts. This is what makes vaping useful in helping smokers to quit as they can slowly reduce their intake.

Which is Better: Smoking or Vaping?

Neither vaping nor smoking are good for your health, however, vaping does have one notable use. Vaping should, ideally, only be used by smokers who are attempting to quit. In this scenario, vaping is less harmful than smoking and can gradually ease nicotine addiction. It should not be used long term in place of smoking or in addition to smoking.

If you are not currently a smoker, vaping is not a safe alternative. It can still lead to harmful health effects and addiction. If this occurs, you may find yourself going through withdrawals if you attempt to quit vaping.

Symptoms of Nicotine/Vaping Withdrawal Include but are not limited to:

Anxiety and sadness
Tiredness
Inability to focus
Headaches
Insomnia
Increased appetite/weight gain

Will Vaping Help Me Avoid Regular Cigarettes?

Current research shows that non-smokers who take up vaping are more likely to try other forms of tobacco. Again, the nicotine in vaping liquid is addictive the same way nicotine in a cigarette is addictive. If someone forms an addiction due to vaping, they may crave the increased nicotine levels available in regular cigarettes.

The Rise of EVALI: The Lung Disease Targeting Young People

E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-associated Lung Injury (EVALI) is a lung disease that can affect users of any age but is most common in users under the age of 25. This condition is still relatively new and difficult to diagnose as it is similar to other conditions. Symptoms of EVALI include:

Coughing up blood
Unintentional weight loss
Abdominal pain and diarrhea
Chest pain and shortness of breath
Headache and dizziness
Fever and chills
Dry cough and vomiting

Reducing Your Risk of Developing EVALI

While all vaping has associated risks, many of the most serious and fatal injuries have occurred in users who vaped with black market liquid, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and/or modified vaping pens.

Vitamin E Acetate is sometimes added to certain vaping liquids, especially THC-containing formulas. Vitamin E is typically considered safe for ingestion but may be part of the cause of this issue when inhaled.

To help minimize your risk of developing this disease, use only approved e-cigarettes and e-cigarette liquids. Avoid using any kind of modified e-cigarette or using liquids that come from informal sources like friends, acquaintances or online e-liquid dealers.

Treatment and Diagnosis of EVALI

EVALI can be difficult to diagnose as its symptoms are similar to other diseases. It is also a new phenomenon that has only developed in the past few years. Therefore, doctors and scientists are continuing to study the causes, treatment and long term effects.

An x-ray is usually needed and your medical history is examined. Antibiotics are often administered to help combat pneumonia symptoms that are also typically present. Steroids are also used. While most patients will start to improve with these treatments, some will relapse and about 25% will require supplemental oxygen. Those who relapsed often continued to have abnormalities on their lungs. Because of this and the newness of the disease, it is difficult to say what the long term effects will be for sufferers of EVALI.

Long Term Effects of Vaping and Smoking

The chemicals in vaping liquid and traditional cigarettes can both cause harm to your heart, brain, lung and other organs. This can lead to cognitive issues, heart disease, some cancers, breathing issues and more.

Effect on Developing Brains of Teens and Young Adults: Young adults, one of the largest segments of vape users, are at particular risk of long term effects of vaping. Nicotine in vaping liquid can impact the development of a young user’s brain permanently. Long term effects of nicotine on the brain can include but are not limited to:

Mood disorders
Impulse control issues
Difficulty focusing
Lowered attention span
Poor memory retention
Addiction: anyone can become addicted to nicotine, but young adults under the age of 25 may have greater problems breaking this addiction. This is because until the age of 25 your brain is still growing and making connections as you learn. Skills learned during this time in one’s life are easier to retain. The downside to this is that addiction is a kind of learning. Addicting yourself to nicotine at a young age will make quitting more difficult and leave you at greater risk for increased nicotine use and the other long term effects mentioned here.

Risk of the Unknown

Perhaps the most compelling reason to abstain from vaping is that we cannot confirm that it is safe. We cannot even confirm definitively that it is safer than smoking regular cigarettes in the long term because consumers have only had access to e-cigarettes since 2003. With some diseases requiring decades to form, it is not possible to rule out certain long term effects. Moreover, since e-cigarettes and e-cigarette liquid are not highly regulated, the results will likely vary greatly between users.

Final Thoughts on Vaping Vs Smoking

Both vaping and smoking can have serious adverse health effects. While vaping may have benefits in helping users to quit smoking, it is still not a “safe” alternative. In short, if you do not vape already, do not start, and if you do vape, seek help for quitting.

At BCML, we are here to help you manage your total health. If you are experiencing symptoms of EVALI or would like support in quitting vaping or smoking, our experienced and caring team is here for you. Call 416-929-1900 to schedule a consultation today.