Protect your health: How vaping is the toxic friend you don’t need.
Health impacts
Vaping is harmful to your health, and it is important to understand the risks involved:
- Toxic chemicals: Vapes can contain high levels of nicotine and over 200 harmful chemicals, many of which can damage your lungs and overall health.
- Respiratory issues: Vaping can cause breathlessness, and persistent coughing and even make you feel nauseous and dizzy.
- Nicotine addiction: Despite packaging claims, most vapes in Australia contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance.
- Gateway to smoking: Non-smokers who vape are three times more likely to start smoking cigarettes.
Nicotine and vaping can impair your memory, attention, learning and mood, and they can worsen mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
Debunking common myths about vaping
Myth 1: Vapes Are Less Harmful Than Cigarettes
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) like e-cigarettes emit nicotine and other toxic substances harmful to both users and those exposed second-hand. Even products labeled as nicotine-free often contain nicotine.
Nicotine exposure, especially during pregnancy, can adversely affect fetal development. For children and adolescents, nicotine use can impair brain development, leading to long-term learning and anxiety disorders.
https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/tobacco-ecigarettes
Myth 2: Vaping Carries Zero Health Risks – It’s Just Flavoured Water
It’s a myth that vaping only involves inhaling harmless water vapor. Research reveals that vape emissions can contain hundreds of toxic chemicals and heavy metals, including:
- Formaldehyde: Used in disinfectants, known to cause cancer.
- Chlorine: Found in disinfectants, can cause lung damage.
- Benzene: Used in bug spray, can damage DNA.
- Mercury: Found in batteries, can harm fertility.
- Acrolein: Used in weed killers, toxic to the heart and lungs.
- Arsenic: Used in poisons, can damage internal organs.
Understanding the long-term risks
Myth 3: I’m Young; I’ll Recover from Any Problems Vaping May Cause
Vapes are harmful to your health at any age, as they expose you to toxic chemicals that impact both your physical and mental health.
E-cigarettes with nicotine are highly addictive and harmful to health. It can lead to lung damage and can be harmful to young brains, which are still developing until about 25 years of age.
Short- and long-term vaping is dangerous to your health.
https://www.health.gov.au/topics/smoking-vaping-and-tobacco/audiences/young-people-vaping
Addressing the Reality of Lung Injuries
Myth 4: Blaming Vapes for Lung Injuries is Just a Media Scare Tactic
This is not a scare tactic—vaping can cause serious lung injuries. Studies show that e-cigarette use leads to increased permeability in blood vessel cells, greater release of harmful chemicals like hydrogen peroxide, and impaired blood vessel function. These issues are not caused by a single component of e-cigarette vapor but by the irritation of the airway, which triggers harmful biological responses.
Quitting Vaping
If you decide to quit vaping, you’re not alone. Quitting nicotine can be challenging, but the benefits are worth it, and there is sufficient support available. Quit services have proven to be effective, regardless of how long you’ve been vaping.
If you’ve been using vapes to quit smoking, consult your doctor to explore alternative options for managing cravings. Start your quit journey today.