With news about vaping deaths in different countries, it’s no small wonder that people are wondering about the potential effects of vaping in their bodies. People are also thinking: does vaping make your breath smell? Or, can vaping cause acne? We’ll answer the question does vape cause acne and a lot more in today’s blog post. We’ll also address some issues about vaping CBD oil on Reddit.
What is Vaping?
Vaping is inhaling vapors from a cylinder. A heating apparatus brings a liquid up to vaporization temperature, and a person consumes the said vapors by inhaling them through the mouth. Vaping is still a form of smoking, minus the combustion of tobacco. Vaping has been around for at least two decades and is hailed anecdotally by vape users as a way out of tobacco addiction.
Health Effects of Vaping and CBD Oil
- EVALI – EVALI stands for e-cigarettes and vaping-associated lung injuries. Not much is known yet of EVALI, and the medical community is closely monitoring possible EVALI cases across the United States and in other countries. The number of cases of possible EVALI-related visits in the US has declined. There appears to be a seasonal factor to it as such hospital visits have shown to peak in September.
- THC Vape Juice and E-Cigarette Cartridges – Statistics show that EVALI cases when e-cigarette or vaping products have THC in them. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. THC-containing substances used by vapers are informally acquired through family, friends, and dealers (either physical dealers or online ones). It is thought that these informally-acquired substances are the possible causes of EVALI cases.
- Vitamin E Acetate – In a breakthrough, it has been determined that vitamin E acetate may have played a significant role in EVALI cases. In a statement by the CDC, the substance has been found in 29 lung samples from people who have confirmed EVALI. However, experts still caution against being too complacent with the breakthrough result. There is still a chance that some other compound that may have piggybacked with the vitamin E acetate causes lung damage in e-cigarette users and vapers.
The said samples are said to have been taken through a procedure called a bronchoalveolar lavage. Along with vitamin E acetate, the researchers were also able to extract petroleum distillates and terpenes. Terpenes are naturally-occurring substances in marijuana and will occur in anything that has been extracted from Cannabis sativa. - EVALI Risk – Not everyone is at immediate and high risk of getting EVALI. Current studies show that those who only use THC-containing vape juices are twice as likely to get EVALI with continued use. There is also three times more risk with EVALI if a vaper consumes THC vape juice more than nine times every day. A brand called DankVapes was noted in the proceedings as the familiar brand of vape juice of those who suffered from EVALI. It is said that DankVapes are mostly counterfeit creations released into the mass market.
- CDC Recommendation on THC Vape Juice – The CDC currently discourages people from consuming THC-containing vape juice until further notice. The CDC also states that largely informal sources of vape juice may be risky to your health.
Furthermore, vitamin E acetate-containing juices and cartridges should be avoided. They are still determining the exact mechanisms, but this substance has been present in most lung samples from people with EVALI. It would be best to maintain distance from some types of vape juices until it becomes clear why vitamin E acetate is found in damaged lung tissue. - Smoking Cessation Medication Encouraged – Despite the risks of vaping, the CDC does not encourage people to go back to smoking combustible tobacco products like cigars and cigarettes. If you are struggling with tobacco cessation, you may ask your doctor about tobacco-cessation medication to help with the cravings. These medications have been around for some years now, and some people have succeeded in cutting their tobacco habits with them.
- Vapes Can Be Habit-Forming – A person does not have to have been a smoker in the past to become habitually associated with vape products and e-cigarettes. Habitual use may emerge if the e-cigarette or vape has nicotine in the cartridge or e-juice. Habitual use or addiction may emerge from the constant consumption of nicotine and THC-containing vape juice and other e-cigarette products.
- Long-Term Effects of Nicotine – Teens are not encouraged to try vaping because it is not a toy, and it is not a safe alternative for cigarettes. The nicotine in some vape and e-cigarette products can have a permanent negative effect on the brain of teenagers and other pre-adult individuals. The full effects are unknown. However, it is said that nicotine can cause problems with impulse control later in life. There may also be cognitive issues involved with repeated exposure to nicotine early in life.
- Poor Oral Health Conditions – Some studies show that vaping contribute to poor oral health. Bacteria can be deposited inside the mouth through the repeated entry of the vape cylinder. More bacteria in the mouth can cause bad breath, cavities, and other oral health problems. It has also been said that if the root cause of poor oral health is not addressed, it may also lead to oral cancer.
According to studies, the frequent entry of a regular vape pipe or e-cigarette feeds different kinds of bacteria that tend to disrupt the natural microbial biome of the mouth. The mouth is filled with good and bad bacteria, with harmful bacteria being balanced out by good bacteria, with the entry of more harmful bacteria. These good bacteria maintain that homeostasis can be defeated.
Note that chronic oral health problems are linked to chronic and degenerative brain conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. So if you are planning to start smoking with vapes, know the risks and weigh the benefits versus the disadvantages.