e-Cigs Are Not Safe
Just before COVID, I was at my favorite restaurant and several people were vaping next to us, so we asked to be moved. The manager blew it off as water vapor but that's a myth many people mistakenly believe.
Unfortunately, vaping is the prevalent tobacco use for young people today, mostly because it's marketed as healthier than smoking. But that does not mean it's safe. E-cigarettes deliver nicotine to the lungs by battery powered heating of the vaping solution.
Sure, this avoids the burning of tobacco leaves that emit carcinogens, but vaping has its own set of toxic chemicals. Among them are carbonyls, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, nitrosamines, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and glycols. The flavored vaping cartridges produce even more chemicals and they're the most popular with users.
So, while there is no second-hand smoke in the traditional sense, there is exhaled vapor and those chemicals contaminate surfaces and people. New studies suggest the word 'vapor' is misleading because it's perceived as harmless.
Vaping is a growing public health concern precisely because people are unaware of the health risks. We need to ensure that they know the vapor is not just water. They're toxicants plus they can be addictive.
We need to educate people to not start this habit or to kick it and place their health first. It's not a fad that's worth your health.
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