Vaping and Smoking
What are vapes?
E-cigarettes or vapes are battery powered devices that heat a liquid which is then inhaled by the user.
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They are often bright coloured and there are thousands of flavours available, which makes them more attractive to children and young people.
There are many different varieties of vape including: Cig-a-likes, disposables, vape pens, tank systems and pods. The technology, design and range of products are rapidly evolving since they were first invented in 2003, especially in the last few years.
Who are vapes for?
E-cigarettes are not products for children and young people or non-smokers. They are useful only as a potential route towards stopping smoking. However there is still a lack of high quality data about how useful they are for helping people to stop smoking
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E-cigarettes are age restricted products and illegal to sell to or buy under 18. Read the section below on what is in a vape to understand why.
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Many countries have already banned or restricted the use of e-cigarettes. As more evidence is uncovered on the potential dangers of vaping it is likely we will see more restrictions and bans.
What is in a vape?
They often contain nicotine as well as flavourings, vegetable glycerine (VG) and propylene glycol (PG).
Testing has found that some e-liquids that are marked as nicotine-free, do contain nicotine.
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Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and one of the main reasons why it is so difficult to quit. After inhalation, nicotine is absorbed into the blood stream and into the brain in 7 seconds. The immediate effects are an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and narrowing of the blood vessels in the skin. It also produces an increase in hormone production and changes in metabolism. As young people’s brains are still developing, they can quickly become addicted to nicotine.
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Manufacturers of vapes use approved ‘food grade’ flavouring concentrate. These are safe for food stuffs, but the effects of inhalation of these concentrates are not fully understood and may cause harm. One flavouring, called Diacetyl - which gives food a buttery taste - has been associated with a serious lung disease if high levels are used. A study showed that 75% of vapes tested contained Diacetyl.
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Propylene glycol is a colourless and odourless liquid derived from petroleum with a faintly sweet taste.
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Heating vape liquid can produce dangerous by-products including heavy metals like lead, tin, aluminium and nickel, all of which is inhaled.