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You have very likely heard of vaping. It is sort of like smoking in that something is inhaled, but there is no smoke. It is vape juice containing some nicotine. That being said, vaping is safer than smoking tobacco simply because there are variously toxic and cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco that burn to produce the smoke that is inhaled. Vaping does not produce smoke. It creates a warm vapor that is inhaled. This article will look at other interesting facts about vape juice you should know.
If you vape, you probably place a lot of consideration into the flavor of your vape juice. There are thousands to choose from with new ones popping up regularly. Essentially, vape flavors fall under five different primary categories. They are candy, dessert, drink, fruity, and tobacco flavors.
There are vape juices available that mimic popular candy and chocolate flavors. You could vape peppermint or your favorite chocolate bar for something sweet and delicious without the calories.
This category of vape juice is impressive. The choices range from ice cream and cakes to apple pie and cinnamon buns. Whatever you can imagine as a dessert, there is probably a vape juice flavor to match.
Find your favorite soft drink flavor here. Or maybe you prefer milkshakes or slushies. There are even cocktail flavors so you can party down without fear of a hangover or any other form of impairment.
Whatever fruit you like, from strawberries and raspberries to cherries, pineapples, and oranges, there is a vape juice to match. The best part is you don’t have to wait for blueberries or apples to be in season to enjoy them.
As you would expect with regular tobacco, the vape juice flavors available in this category include spiced, sweet, menthol, and any other spice typically added to tobacco.
Vape juice, also known as e-liquid, is sold in cartridges. There are two different kinds of cartridges. There are pre-filled or refillable cartridges. As the name implies, one style is filled with vape juice and ready to use. The other style permits you to reuse it often provided you have the tools required to keep filling the cartridge when it is empty. All of the necessary equipment for vaping is readily available from retailers that sell vape juice such as CBD Queen.
The flavor of vape juice is just one of a few ingredients it contains. E-liquids typically contain nicotine and several other additives and chemicals in addition to the flavor. The issue with the ingredients that make up vape juice is that there are no standardized requirements across the board. This means that types of additives and chemicals are as unpredictable as the percentage of each in a vape juice cartridge, depending on where you get your product. Large commercial e-cigarette companies have certain standards to meet, but private, independent vape shops, off-brand online vendors, and juice blends made at home do not have these controls.
According to Michael Blaha, MD, MPH, of Johns Hopkins, “There are so many ingredients in e-liquids, and to date, no one is taking responsibility to account for them, vape juice can contain a variety of things that could be toxic.” He says purchasing vape juice cartridges from reputable sources is very important to be on the safe side. “There are all kinds of concoctions. For example, there are reports that people may put essential oils, multivitamins, or traces of medicines into e-liquids.”
The downside to vaping comes from the mixture of additives that show up in some vape juice recipes. Some of them are extremely dangerous to your health. According to Blaha, there is a connection between vitamin E acetate and EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use Associated Lung Injury). He says this syndrome is found in patients with oily chemical irritation in their lungs and is potentially fatal. Blaha says it is fine to ingest vitamin E acetate by eating it, but inhaling it from a vape juice is a whole different matter. “So when it comes to inhaling vape juice, we don’t know what’s safe. You may be able to eat something safely, but if you inhale it, there may be a harmful effect.”
Vaping is a popular tool that assists many smokers with kicking the habit. In many cases, flavored vape juice makes cessation from tobacco products somewhat easier. However, there is concern that even the low nicotine amounts in some vaping products could lead young people to addiction. Blaha says that flavored vape juice compounds this situation by making e-liquid easier and more enjoyable to inhale. “The key thing about flavors is that they appeal to young people.”
He states, “There is evidence that kids like the flavors like bubble gum, fruit, and candy and like trying new ones.” He says that the attraction of flavors added to vape juice may be the only reason some people vape. However, there is little in the way of research that says vaping is harmful. The only significant issue is using homemade or unregulated vape juice as dangerous simply because the ingredients may produce harmful substances that will get inhaled into the lungs.
As is the case with most everything, there are risks associated with using any product. That risk is higher if nicotine is part of the ingredient list. Vaping has been used to help smokers stop smoking and has been successful for many who have used this cessation method. Vape juice is an interesting compound. There are few regulations outside of commercial retail circles, which is cause for concern as many different – and potentially dangerous – compounds can be found in e-liquids. To protect yourself and still enjoy the many different flavors of vape juice on the market, ensure you purchase your supply from a reputable source.