What is vaping? It’s a complicated question. Most people are familiar with vaping in reference to e-cigarettes. Vaping involves inhaling chemicals through a water vapor rather than through smoke. Because they don’t require burning, e-cigarettes are believed to be safer than traditional combustion cigarettes. But vaping can also mean other things.
What is Vaping for Cigarettes?
Initially, introduced as a replacement for cigarettes vaping lets people get nicotine without smoking. However, nicotine is still a danger. Even when individuals don’t inhale the by-products of smoking (such as the burned paper and burned tobacco). Over time, people can “wean” off it by reducing the amount of nicotine that they put in their device, though this isn’t always successful. Some people use nicotine-free vaping products for flavor and habit. But nicotine is still addictive, and some people may actually find themselves consuming more nicotine than they would otherwise just because it’s easy to do. Many teens find themselves addicted to nicotine because of the allure of cigarette vaping.
Other Uses for Vaping
As mentioned, vaping doesn’t just mean nicotine. Vaping is also a popular method of consuming THC and CBD. When consumed in this way, an “extract” is placed in a vaping device. People are able to consume their THC without having to burn marijuana. For those who have medical issues, medical marijuana dispenses in this way. Often, it reduces the amount of damage done to the lungs. But it can also be addictive. Marijuana may not be physically addictive, but it is psychologically addictive. Some people may want to use marijuana to escape their lives or may find themselves using marijuana as a coping mechanism. Being able to vape it can make it more accessible. Since it uses extracts, it’s far more potent than just burning marijuana. That can also mean that people build up a tolerance and end up using marijuana more frequently to get the same results.
Dangers Involved
Vaping itself has not been proven to be either dangerous or safe because it is still a fairly new invention. Some people have experienced issues from vaping itself, apart from the nicotine or THC. Since it involves flavorings and water vapor, it can still deposit things into a person’s lungs. An illness called “popcorn lung” occurs when oil collects in the lungs. It’s not yet known how dangerous the habit really is, which means people should approach it with caution. While it has become popular, it shouldn’t be something that is done frequently.
Is Vaping Addictive?
Because vaping is habit-based, it can become addictive. Even flavored vaping can become an “addiction” because people get used to doing it over and over and because there’s a positive reward for it. Getting off this practice is similar to getting off other psychologically addictive habits. Over time, you break the habit by using positive rewards. However, adding THC or nicotine into the mix makes it even more difficult to stop. But weaning off of it over time can help, especially for those who had the ultimate goal of getting off nicotine. Vaping isn’t always dangerous. But it can be. Thus, you might want to consider whether you might have some form of addiction. The habit can exacerbate both nicotine addiction and THC addiction. Do you want to learn more about addiction? Are you concerned? Contact the experts at The Ranch PA by calling 717.969.9126.
