The Problem(s) With Vaping
Giving up smoking cigarettes is one if the best things we can do for our health, I think we can all agree on that one. We know that smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, smokers lose 13 years of their life to cigarettes (on average) and smoking kills half of those who smoke. Vaping was invented as a ‘safer’ alternative to the cigarette, a stepping stone for smokers to a smoke free life. E-cigarettes or vapes heat up a liquid solution to a high enpugh temperature so that it produces an aerosol that can be inhaled. A vape or e-cigarette is free of the 7000 cancer causing toxic chemicals of the cigarette so is undisputedly a better idea than smoking a cigarette.
So, what is the problem……?
- In 2021 John Hopkins University published research revealing thousands of chemical ingredients in vape products, most of which are not yet identified. The ones they could identify included Formaldehyde, a horribly toxic chemical, caffeine, pesticides and Acrolein (most often used as a weed killer). Inhaling any of these doesn’t seem sensible, let alone breathing in chemicals we can’t even identify.
- It turns out, smokers wanting to stop smoking are not the vape industries best customers, young people are. Vapes are inexpensive compared to cigarettes, they come in flavours such as gummy bear, bubble gum and cola and they don’t make you smell like an ashtray, so your folks wont smell it. Vape manufactures are tapping into this market with vape marketing and promotion primarily targeting teenagers, appearing on platforms such as Tick Tock, You Tube and sponsoring music festivals. Vaping was invented to make smoking safer for smokers, ironically what has happened is that people who would’ve never smoked otherwise, especially young people (perhaps the first generation to shun cigarettes) are taking up the habit. They then become hooked on nicotine and are more likely to end up smoking tobacco products.
- And let’s not forget that Nicotine is a toxic chemical, particularly harmful to developing brains, disrupting brain circuits that control attention, learning, and susceptibility to addiction. Nicotine also disrupts mood and its negative effect on anxiety and depression has been well documented.
From the 1920’s to the 1950’s, patients were prescribed cigarettes by their doctors, for everything from a cold to indigestion, even for asthma. We used to think cigarettes were safe, medicinal even. How wrong we were. The impact of vaping is yet to be fully understood and it isn’t yet properly regulated. Over the next year or so we can expect Vape legislation to be updated, impacting how and where smokers can vape. An outright ban on disposable vapes and new restrictions on vape flavours and packaging, to reduce the appeal to children. The aim is to curb youth vaping while still supporting smokers looking to quit cigarettes Stable doors and horses come to mind, let’s hope it isn’t too little too late.
If you need help stopping vaping Old Town Hypnotherapy run stop vaping and stop smoking sessions at our clinics In Swindon, Cheltenham and Marlborough, and online.