Vaping: what you need to know

Vapes might not seem like a big deal, but there’s more to them than you might think, and they could be impacting your health.

What are vapes?

Vapes were originally designed as a tool to help people over 18 years to quit smoking. They are electronic devices that turn liquid into a vapour, which is inhaled; often containing nicotine, the same addictive chemical found in cigarettes. Even though they don’t contain tobacco, this doesn’t mean they are entirely risk-free.

Why vaping isn’t harmless

Your brain is still developing into your mid 20s, and nicotine can negatively impact that. It can also:

make it harder to concentrate and remember things
affect your mood and increase anxiety
make quitting really difficult as they are highly addictive.

Some people may think vaping helps you relax, but nicotine is a stimulant and can actually make you feel more anxious or stressed. It also affects your body:

irritating your mouth and throat, causing coughing, breathing problems, and inflaming your airways
leading to a dry mouth, bad breath, and tooth and gum issues
impacting your physical health.

What’s in a vape?

Most vapes contain nicotine, flavourings and ingredients that create vapour.

It’s important to be aware that some vapes might be illegal or contaminated. Illegal vapes are on the rise, with some often:

containing higher amounts of nicotine
missing warning labels
contaminated with toxic metals like lead (found in pipes), cadmium (found in batteries) and copper (like dirty coins), and other unknown dangerous toxins
can contain anything, so you don’t know what you’re inhaling into your lungs.

Cannabis vapes – what are you really vaping?

You might have also heard about Cannabis vapes, with some people thinking they are safer than smoking. But there have been serious cases of people becoming unwell after using contaminated or super-strength cannabis vapes. You never truly know what’s in them, and the effects can be unpredictable and dangerous.

Learn more about cannabis vapes at Talk to Frank.

Looking for advice to quit vaping?

Vaping might seem hard to quit, but advice is available. Visit Choose You to read their quit vaping guide. If you or someone you know is looking to quit smoking or stop using tobacco products, they can help with specialist help and support.