In our modern age, there seem to be two or more ways of achieving the same results. All thanks to technology, smokers can now be “vapers”. Electronic cigarettes or e-cigs are a popular alternative to real cigarettes and have gained wider acceptance among occasional and hardcore smokers in recent years.
There are several reasons why one may consider using e-cigs. However, if you care to ask, most promoters of e-cigarettes will probably say the health benefit is chief among those reasons. And that’s because vaping is marketed as a less harmful process than smoking.
Vaping and Smoking – The Difference
Whether you vape or smoke, the aim is to get the nicotine into your body. Nevertheless, how you achieve this is what matters most.
Smoking a standard cigarette involves burning to release the nicotine content from tobacco. Hence, smoking the traditional way involves smoke inhalation, and the process leads to tar and carbon monoxide production.
However, when you vape, there is no combustion involved. Instead, e-cigarettes utilize a solvent which is heated to produce vapors and release the nicotine. Hence, harmful substances like smoke and carbon monoxide are not produced.
Vaping – The Effects
Despite vaping being a massive improvement on traditional smoking of tobacco, it is not without its side effects. Some of the most common vaping side effects include:
- Coughing
Coughing is one of the commonest side effects of vaping and is particularly experienced by first time users of e-cigarettes. Research shows that about 30% of new vapers experience coughing earlier on. However, the majority of those people reported the problem to disappear eventually or only happen intermittently for others.
- Dehydration and Sore Throat
The vaping solvent called e-liquid contains the ingredient propylene glycol which is a probable cause of a sore throat. Vapor has the tendency to attract water molecules and moisture from the surroundings and you’re likely to feel the effect in your mouth. Dehydration due to vaping can cause dry mouth and dry throat. These symptoms can also be caused by nicotine.
- Dizziness
The body can handle a certain amount of nicotine and too much may cause dizziness. For first time vapers, this effect tends to be more pronounced, after which the effects subside significantly as the body becomes used to nicotine.
- Headaches
Headaches are common among vapers. And again, it is more common among people who are new to e-cigarettes. While fewer people reported having headaches in the long run. Headaches may be linked to too much nicotine, but a more probable cause is dehydration.
Vaping vs Smoking?
Healthwise, choosing between vaping and smoking is an easy decision really. In general, you still get the same nicotine as you would with traditional tobacco, but notthe harmful substances that damage the lungs, stains the fingers and tooth, ages the skin, and pollute the environment. The fact that vaping does not include burning makes a whole lot of difference for your health.
Final Thoughts!
When you introduce foreign substances into the body system, it is always expected there will be effects. The effects of nicotine on the body has been well documented and there is no doubt it does more harm than good. Regardless of how it is delivered! Indeed, vaping is safer compared to smoking the traditional way, but total abstinence remains the best option still.