“What is vaping anyway?”
Vaping as the term is commonly used today is the act of inhaling vapor infused with nicotine through an electronic device, such as a rechargeable electronic cigarette or vape pen.
“Say what?”
Yup. This method of inhaling nicotine was invented by a pharmacist in China and made its way over to the U.S. roughly 10 years ago. Since it’s inception, E cigs, vape pens, and other vaping kits have exploded in popularity. Today there are over 2.5 million Americans alone who have taken up vaping VS smoking, and over 466 companies that specialize in vape paraphernalia.
“Okay…how does it work exactly?”
The Ecigs and vape pen kits currently available on the market operate by heating up a liquid or E juice infused with nicotine and typically some flavoring by way of a battery and atomizer. This process creates a vapor (hence the term) that one sucks out through a mouth piece just as one would a traditional cigarette. E juice typically has a vegetable glycerin base and comes in over 7,000 different flavors, the most popular of which are proving to be fruit flavors. These liquids come in a variety of different strengths as well, ranging from low (about six milligrams), to as high as 36 milligrams per cartridge.
“Why is this better for you than just smoking a cigarette?”
While there is still a raging debate going on about whether E cigs and vape pens are “safe,” they are arguably much safer and more pleasant than smoking a traditional cigarette. For one thing, E cigs contain no tobacco and are free of the over 7,000 chemicals that regular cigarettes are made with. Vapor is also by definition not smoke, meaning you’re saving your lungs from tar and other carcinogenic effects when you choose vaping over smoking, as well as reducing the risk of fires in your home (nothing’s going to burn down if you fall asleep while vaping). Finally, E cig vapor is odorless, providing a discreet alternative to the yellowing, withering odor of tobacco smoke and reducing the chances of people tsk tsking you for second hand smoke exposure.
“What are the cons of vaping?”
To our minds, it’s the stigma mostly. Everyone we’ve spoken to who vapes has been called an insufferable hipster on the street at one time or another. Despite vaping’s growing popularity, it seems the fashion to “Nickleback hate” the entire practice! Also it must be said that while as yet there have been no major health risks to vaping identified and confirmed, this is a relatively new invention, and the long term effects have yet to be seen. Still, it’s reassuring that the base of most E juices are common food additives that have been used in popular pharmacy products for decades.
At the very least, it seems that if you’re a smoker, you should consider switching over to vapor. Give your lungs a little break.
