Vaping is a hot topic right now, at the top of people’s lists of controversial conversations. Some researchers believe there is a risk with vaping that is greater than cigarettes. Nicotine addiction is very challenging and damages a person’s health long term. It can lead to cardiovascular issues, lung damage, and overall health problems. Now people are seeing young adults and others come down with serious, life-threatening illnesses. In some cases, they are losing their lives. Not much is known about what is in vaping devices or what is causing the reaction. Find out why vaping comes with extreme risks and what to do about a loved one who might have an addiction to nicotine.
Where it All Began
Vaping is the process of inhaling aerosols through something called an e-cigarette device. When they first came to the United States in 2006, this was viewed as an alternative to smoking. There was not supposed to be more harm caused to a person because of vaping. After all, e-cigarettes did not contain traditional chemicals found in cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes is harmful to a person’s health, so some people are confounded as to why this would be seen as less harmful.
Public Health Risks
Although experts were looking for the next smoking cessation tool, vaping is not the cure that people think it should be. Many teenagers have been marketed for vaping, along with adults, who made the switch from cigarettes to vaping. Public health experts believe that no chemicals are safe when ingested in the body, in spite of chemicals not being present that are normally found in cigarettes. One of the major challenges is figuring out how and why heating liquids that turn into flavors are causing health problems. E-cigarettes are a fast-evolving consumer product with ever-changing devices and chemicals. They mix to create exposures of unknown health consequences.
Addiction and Vaping
Cigarettes are considered a product that contains a combusted or burned product. The cigarette needs to be lit and tobacco burned for the smoke to be inhaled. Vaping is not the same process. Vaping products release an aerosol that is inhaled. People mistakenly believe aerosol is as harmless as water vapor, yet it contains fine particles with toxic chemicals. They are linked to cancer, respiratory, and heart diseases. The marketing in the products talks about healthy flavors, like mango and berry. They are flavors added in. There is no real health benefit to them. Addictive properties like nicotine in these products can grab teens early. The younger the developing brain is exposed to nicotine, the stronger and more rapid the addiction. The earlier the addiction, the harder it is to quit. Kids who use nicotine earlier are like to fall in love with drugs later on. This can lead to more drug use, polydrug use, and more difficult addictions to quit. There are also health risks associated with nicotine use, along with other drugs, which may increase risks for other issues like mental health challenges.
Seeking Help
When it comes to helping a loved one with an addiction to vaping products, it helps to get educated. Learn the facts about it and know as much as possible before confronting them about the issue. Become a role model for them and share concerns. Listen and then share information that concerns vaping and health. Ultimately, it is up to them to decide how they want to proceed. If they want to get healthy, they will have to decide they are ready to take the next step and quit using e-cigarettes, before it leads to lasting damage.
Oceanfront understands the challenge of kicking nicotine addiction. Not only that, we understand nicotine addiction can go hand-in-hand with other things like drinking alcohol or other drug use. We are here to help you navigate addiction recovery and support your goals in rehab. We are located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Call us to find out how we can help you navigate addiction recovery: 888-981-4295
