Can Vaping help you quit smoking?
Can vaping help you quit smoking? Research on the effects of vaping and whether it can curb the use of nicotine has produced mixed findings. Some studies have found that vaping can help a person quit smoking traditional cigarettes, but it doesn’t necessarily help a person quit nicotine. There is still very little and limited data that support this claim.
According to the CDC, almost 20% of people in the US use tobacco products like e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes. An estimated 11% of adults aged 18-24 regularly vaped in 2021. Older adults over age 24 were more likely to both vape and smoke traditional cigarettes.
The effects of vaping have produced conflicting results. One study found no association between vaping and successfully quitting smoking. There was no difference in the rate of quitting or even the reduction of how many cigarettes were smoked when compared to using a nicotine vape and non nicotine vape.
Other studies found that vaping can lead to a reduction and cessation of traditional cigarettes. Which have been perceived to be more harmful than e-cigarette use.
Can vaping help you quit smoking?
In some instances, yes. Vaping can help you quit the use of traditional cigarettes. But can vaping help you quit tobacco? No. Studies have found that vaping cannot help smokers quit nicotine. In fact, new research from UC San Diego has even shown that vaping can actually make it more difficult to quit nicotine.
Among many, vaping is perceived to be less harmful and therefore contributes to the belief that vaping is an effective way to taper off cigarettes. Studies have found that vaping is neither healthier nor safer. It is just a different form of tobacco intake. Vaping may deliver a lower level of carcinogens, but their impact on health is still just as concerning and significant. The impact has become so intense that a recent outburst of lung disease in young people has raised alarms about the effects of vaping.
Some scientists and public health experts point out that the tobacco industry continues to promote and profit from the sales of e-cigarettes, like vapes, that are constantly targeting young people and non-smokers. It creates a new generation of those addicted to nicotine. Those promoting vape use argue it may not be as dangerous as traditional nicotine smoking and it is the lesser of two evils.
Other research sees vapes and e-cigarettes as a method of harm reduction to reduce cigarette use. Vapes convert nicotine into an inhalant that is not burned like traditional cigarettes. However, others argue that it is still encouraging nicotine intake. While cigarette use may be curbed, nicotine use has only changed forms.
What are some of the effects of Vaping?
Vaping has its own set of health side effects. It might not have the same health consequences as traditional cigarette use, but it can still be harmful. Data is still limited on the long-term impact of vaping. But more and more research is finding that vaping may just continue to keep users addicted to nicotine.
Studies suggest vaping has become one of the drivers of cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Why is this? When vaping, the vapors released from e-cigarettes often contain unknown cancer-causing toxins, metals and other lung irritants. It can raise the th risk of lung diseases such as emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis and chronic COPD. It is also linked to a high risk of heart attack.
Severe symptoms of vaping include shortness of breath, coughing, fever and even extensive lung damage due to e-cigarette and vape use. EVALI is a condition associated with lung injury due to vaping. It is linked to vape products that contain THC and ingredients like vitamin E, which is used to produce a thickening agent in the vapor.
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How does Vaping work?
When a person inhales vapors, the liquid is aerosolized and released into the lungs. The vape mists carry tiny particles of the vape materials into the lungs, which easily become embedded in the organ tissues.
What do Vape liquids contain?
Liquid vapes contain a mixture of nicotine, flavorings, propylene glycol and other substances that enter the lungs and have the potential to cause inflammation and irritation. They can also contain heavy metals like tin, lead, nickel, cadmium and chemicals such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde.
Other problematic ingredients often found in vape liquids include:
- Acrolein – An herbicide usually used to kill weeds that can cause permanent lung damage.
- Benzene – A highly flammable chemical found in car exhaust.
- Carcinogens – Chemicals such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde that have been proven to cause cancer.
- Nicotine – A highly addictive substance found in traditional tobacco products.
- Propylene Glycol – A synthetic food additive that is also used to make paint solvent.
How do I quit Vaping?
Switching from smoking cigarettes to vaping doesn’t necessarily mean harm is reduced. It just means you are switching from one form of tobacco intake to another. Smoking cigarettes has been proven to be very harmful. But vaping e-cigarettes comes with its own set of harmful side effects. In some cases, moving from cigarettes to vapes can make it even more difficult to quit nicotine.
There are a few ways to help you manage your nicotine addiction and possibly quit vaping altogether.
- Come up with a quitting plan. Talk to your healthcare provider about tools and resources available to help you quit.
- Consider counseling, medication and other strategies to manage your nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
- Quitlines. A quitline is a phone number one can call for live support when attempting to quit vaping or smoking. Quitlines provide coaching, suggestions for nicotine replacement therapy and text-based links to resources such as videos, podcasts and online educational materials. Research published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that quitlines can be very effective in helping users to quit vaping.
Reach out to Hotel California by the Sea
We specialize in treating addiction and other co-occurring disorders, such as PTSD. Our Admissions specialists are available to walk you through the best options for treating your addiction.
Treatment for Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance. The FDA has not approved any e-cigarette product to help people quit smoking or reduce nicotine. There is no such thing as a safe tobacco product. Use of any tobacco product including vapes and e-cigarettes, carries its own set of risks. The long-term effects of vaping have not yet been fully studied, but there are already several areas of concern with health impact.
The Pediatric Association came out and said e-cigarettes like vapes, have been associated with cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory and oral disease, mostly impacting young people. Vaping is still quite a new phenomenon and lacks official regulation. Because of this, there could be a whole new generation addicted to nicotine.
Behavioral health treatment programs such as Hotel California by the Sea provides support for those who may be addicted to nicotine or other mind-altering substances. We offer treatment at all levels of care including detox, residential, PHP and IOP. We utilize evidence-based methods such as CBT, DBT and group therapy. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping clients reach their goals of sobriety and overcome their addiction.
References:
https://today.ucsd.edu/story/study-vaping-does-not-help-u.s-tobacco-smokers-quit
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/quitting.html
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/vaping-not-effective-smoking-cessation-study
https://www.medstarhealth.org/blog/vaping-quit-smoking
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-vaping-help-you-quit-smoking-202110281817
