What Happens When You Vape Too Much
Vaping has become a popular alternative to smoking in recent years, especially with young people. Although e-cigarettes are marketed as a safer way to smoke, there's nothing safe about them. Vaping can lead to a long list of health issues.
"Vaping is a delivery system similar to a nebulizer, which people with asthma or other lung conditions may be familiar with," lung cancer surgeon Stephen Broderick told Johns Hopkins Medicine. "A nebulizer turns liquid medicine into a mist that patients breathe in. It's a highly effective way of delivering medicine to the lungs."
Vaping was first introduced in the early 2000s, so scientists are mainly concerned about the long-term effects of vaping. E-cigarettes are full of harmful ingredients like nicotine, formaldehyde, and acrolein. These are dissolved in an oily base that coats the lungs when inhaled. "We think that some of the vaporized elements of the oil are getting deep down into the lungs and causing an inflammatory response," Broderick said. Although studies about the long-term effects of vaping are still underway, several diseases have already been associated with this form of nicotine use.
Vaping can cause issues with the heart and lungs
In 2019, the CDC found that almost 1,300 lung injury cases in 49 states had been connected to vaping (via Eat This, Not That!). Over 20 people with lung injury cases died. Although the long-term effects of vaping are still being determined, the data that has come out is not good. "When asked by patients if e-cigarettes are safe long-term, I do not answer that they're safe but I say, 'there is no clear-cut long-term data for it,' but again, 'absence of proof is not always the proof of absence,'" Interventional Cardiologist & Endovascular Specialist Anuj Shah MD, Founder, Apex Heart and Vascular Care, told Eat This, Not That!.
Vaping has been shown to increase your blood pressure and age your skin prematurely. It can also increase your risk of having a heart attack, developing cardiovascular diseases, having a stroke, and suffering from blood clots. According to the American College of Cardiology, people who vape are twice as likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues as those who don't use any tobacco products.
E-cigarettes can even affect your mouth and throat. The ingredients can dry out your mouth and lead to cavities, gum disease, inflammation, and oral cancer. Vaping too much, or even a little bit, can result in serious health consequences.