Vaping or e-cigarettes – are they safe to use?

Vaping or e-cigarettes

Walking around NYC with a friend, who was here on vacation, he noticed a shop which advertised “Vaping”. “What’s vaping?”, he asked. As the manufacturer and marketer of the EZ-Quit artificial cigarette, I was able to answer. Mind you, the first time I came across the term, I wasn’t really sure. The short answer is the use of e-cigarettes. Where the word came from is in how an electronic cigarette works. This unit heats a liquid to generate an aerosol, commonly called a “vapor” which that the user inhales. Vapor thus results in the vaping action, or vaping for short.

While on this topic let’s have a look at e-cigarettes. By the way, these are also sometimes called vapor cigarettes. We note that e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco. They use cartridges filled with nicotine and other chemicals. The liquid chemicals turn into a vapor or steam (when heated) that is thus inhaled.

E-cigarette manufacturers note that the majority of toxic chemicals found in tobacco smoke are absent in the e-cigarette aerosol/vapor. Those present are mostly below 1% of the corresponding levels in tobacco smoke. 

We also note that the aerosol/vapor can contain toxic substances and even traces of heavy metals not found in tobacco smoke may be present at concentrations permissible by OSH (Occupational safety and health) standards. However, these chemical concentrations may exceed the stricter public safety limits.

I submit that this is the reason use of e-cigarettes is not allowed in many public areas, especially those that are enclosed. They are also banned for use in public transportation like buses, planes, trains, etc.

E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Some being rather large, like a big cigar, if I may use the comparison. But, with metallic or plastic parts, the exude a high tech look.

As a way to quit smoking, e-cigarettes have made an impression on users, a principal reason. Other reasons people use e-cigarettes are: they believe this to be healthier than smoking cigarettes, as a form of recreation, to get around smoke-free laws, they are cheaper than cigarettes and so on.

Another interesting note is that younger people who may not have tried real cigarettes can use this as stepping stone to actual smoke cigarettes. Thus, as suggested by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, some young people who have tried an e-cigarette have never smoked tobacco and vaping can be a starting point for nicotine use.

An interesting aside to the above points is that the emergence of e-cigarettes has given cannabis smokers a new method of inhaling cannabinoids. E-cigarettes, also known as vape pens, cartridges and pens, differ from traditional marijuana cigarettes in several respects. It is assumed that vaporizing cannabinoids at lower temperatures is safer because it produces smaller amounts of toxic substances than the hot combustion of a marijuana cigarette.

Recreational cannabis users can discreetly “vape” deodorized cannabis extracts with minimal annoyance to the people around them and less chance of detection, known as “stealth vaping”.

And, remember EZ-Quit cigarettes do not contain nicotine or other chemicals. Only 100% natural materials, with a great taste of mint. They are safe to use and can be used in enclosed public spaces. And, they let you hold on to a cigarette like you would a real cigarette, which you can bring to your mouth and drag on just like you would a cigarette. And, all that without the harmful content. Our artificial cigarettes are really a better choice to e-cigarettes, when you think about it.

Until our next post.

XXX