The Dangers of Vaping
- Emma Wolman
- Sep 24, 2022
- 2 min read
Written by Emma Wolman
Edited by Shania Sheth and Jocelyn Wang
Hi everyone! Our newest writer, Emma, has written a feature article to start off our Environmental Health Series. This article focuses on the dangers of vaping, and how vaping can have a serious impact on health. Additionally, the article discusses how vaping also has negative impacts on the environment. Happy Reading!
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Today’s modern emphasis on electronics includes devices of both marvel and mayhem where cigarettes are a dire issue. In the past five years, vapes have become increasingly popular amongst young adults as they are more commonly used than regular cigarettes. Although vapes are often used to substitute conventional cigarettes, their dangers are ever so concerning.
Vapes are reported to contain fewer toxic chemicals than regular tobacco cigarettes. However, the substances in vapes are still harmful and some are unidentified. Research conducted by Johns Hopkins University found pesticides and flavoring linked to respiratory irritation and cardiovascular disease. The highly addictive agent, nicotine, can also be detected in vapes. In addition to being highly addictive, nicotine raises blood pressure and increases adrenaline levels, which raise one’s risk of having a heart attack. Thus, there is a great amount of evidence that shows that though vapes are healthier than traditional cigarettes, they are still detrimental to one’s health.
Adolescents are especially susceptible to vaping since they believe it to be healthier than smoking and are cheaper than traditional cigarettes. That being said, vaping increases their chances of using other tobacco products, such as cigars and hookahs, that each offers a plethora of side effects. Furthermore, the nicotine in e-cigarettes alters the formation of synapses in the brain, which are still being developed during adolescence. This damages the part of the brain that controls attention and learning.
The dangers of vaping extend beyond the human body, as the environment is also hurt. Single-use cartridges are commonly used in vapes, and they start accumulating into piles and piles of waste that will take hundreds of years to break down. More than that, the components in vapes, such as nicotine and lithium-ion batteries, qualify as biohazard waste. That being said, there are no e-waste recycling programs for vapes.
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Thanks for reading the first article in our environmental health series! We hope you learned about the dangers of vaping, and how vaping can negatively impact the environment.
If you liked reading this article, check out our Crispr Tech article, written by Harshita Parmar. This article covers how Crispr technology has changed healthcare so far, and how it can continue to do so in the future.
Until next time,
Sharon and the Writing Committee :)
https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/emerging-tobacco-products/3-ways-juul-harms-environment
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