What Happens When You Vape?

Most vapes contain a highly addictive substance called nicotine, a chemical found in a most all tobacco products.

Vaping might make us feel relaxed and happy for a few minutes, but the truth is…

Most vapes contain nicotine, which affects your mood and impacts brain health. The longer nicotine is used, the brain loses more of its ability to deal with hard or stressful feelings. Vaping companies use nicotine because it’s addictive, which means you’ll crave your vape, making you a customer for life! Don’t let vaping companies steal your time, money, and health.

Flavors like mango and mint sound delicious, but we know…

Vaping companies use different flavors to hide the nicotine and chemicals in vapes, which are used to hook your brain and get you addicted. Those flavors are hiding some pretty gross chemicals that can leave our throat feeling scratchy and irritated.

Vaping is more than just water vapor. In fact...

Toxic chemicals and metals flow into your lungs every time you vape. Once you’ve breathed them in, these chemicals weaken your lungs and increase your chances for coughs, phlegm (yuck!) and bronchitis. Vaping has also been linked to asthma. We’re now learning that vaping can increase your risk of having asthma. For youth and teens with asthma, vaping can make your symptoms worse.

Nicotine from a vape travels quickly from the lungs into the bloodstream…

It enters your brain in about 8-10 seconds. Nicotine is a type of stimulant, which can make you feel more awake in the short term, but it affects your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. The more nicotine you have, the worse your sleep quality will be. This tricks your brain into thinking that you need more nicotine to stay alert the next day, meaning you’ll feel even more tired and drag your feet.

How Vaping Affects Your Brain

When young people use nicotine, they risk damaging their brain.

Our brains keep developing into our mid 20’s. ⁽¹⁾

Nicotine can damage parts of the brain that are in charge of functions like: ^{(2) (3)}

Paying attention

Learning

Impulse control

Nicotine can change the brain’s ability to form connections between the cells. ⁽³⁾

It’s like when the end of an electrical cord gets bent and the plug can no longer fit into the outlet. If the connection cannot be completed, electricity will not run through the cord.
If these connections are disrupted in our brains, this affects a person’s ability to learn and memorize new things.

Vaping is not a way to deal with stress or anxiety. ⁽⁴⁾

Instead, vaping can increase feelings of:

Stress

Anxiety

Depression

Most people who vape already have these feelings. ⁽⁴⁾

When they vape, these feelings only get worse because when people stop using nicotine (or can’t vape), they can experience the strong symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. ⁽⁵⁾

These symptoms can include: ⁽⁵⁾

Irritability

Anxiety

Insomnia

Restlessness

Difficulty concentrating

Increased appetite

Depressed Mood

Mental Health

Connections have been made between quitting vaping and improvements in mental health or a decrease in these symptoms. ⁽⁴⁾
In a September 2021 report, Truth Initiative described that: ⁽⁶⁾

People who quit vaping felt less stressed, anxious, or depressed.
Almost half of people who took the survey felt more in control of themselves after quitting.
Most people who were currently vaping believed they would feel better about themselves if they quit.

How Vaping Affects Your Lungs

Lung irritation and inhaling chemicals can cause serious temporary and permanent lung damage.

Smokeless isn’t harmless.

Vaping can leave young people at risk of developing potentially life threatening conditions such as:

⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾

Asthma

Popcorn lung

Constant coughing

Vaping liquid-related

Bronchitis

Collapsed lungs

Other Risks Associated with Vaping

Any other reasons why not to inhale? Yup.

The lung damage caused by vaping can leave young people at a higher risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. Potential exposures to COVID-19 can increase when people: ⁽⁹⁾

Continue to vape when their lungs do not function at 100%
Repeatedly touch their hands to their mouths to vape
Share their vapes with others

Some studies have found linkages between vaping and sleep deprivation. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Even breathing in clouds of exhaled vapor could expose you to the dangerous chemicals present in vape juices.

⁽⁸⁾ ⁽¹²⁾

Secondhand vapor can contain harmful chemicals such as nicotine, benzeneBenzene can be found in emissions from burning coal and oil, and in vehicle exhaust. Exposure can cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation, and unconsciousness and cancer., and diacetylDiacetyl makes popcorn taste buttery but if inhaled, may cause permanent lung damage and scarring..
Researchers concluded that secondhandLike when your friends are vaping near you exposure of vape clouds was connected to an increase in bronchitis-like symptoms and shortness of breath in young adults.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that vapes and other electronic smoking devices should not be used indoors to reduce the chances of others breathing in second-hand vapors.

⁽¹¹⁾

There are documented cases in which vapes have started fires and exploded in homes, sometimes causing serious injuries to others.

⁽³⁾

How Much Do You REALLY
Know About Vaping?

How does vaping damage your lungs?

Vaping can leave your lungs weakened and put you at risk of developing a variety of health issues like asthma, bronchitis, and vaping liquid-related lipoid pneumonia. ^{(7) (8)}

Does vaping affect the chances of young people contracting COVID-19?

Yes.

New research published by Stanford University has revealed that teens and young adults who have vaped could be up to five times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 when compared to others who do not vape. ⁽⁹⁾

Is vaping a good way to deal with stress or anxiety?

No.

This is a common misconception. In reality, vaping can actually increase feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression. ⁽⁴⁾

What types of chemicals are found in vape juice?

Vape juices can contain chemicals such as:

Diacetyl – This chemical has been linked to several serious lung diseases.

Benzene – This contaminant can also be found in car exhaust.

Heavy metals like tin, nickel, and lead. ⁽³⁾

I find it hard to sleep at night. Will vaping help me with this issue?

No, the opposite actually.

Several studies have found that people who have vape are more likely to report sleep deprivation vs. people who have never vaped. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Why is nicotine bad for young people?

● Nicotine can damage brains that are still growing.
● Nicotine can hurt our ability to remember new skills or past memories. ⁽¹⁾
● Young people often see an increase in negative mental health symptoms when exposed to nicotine.

Sources

1. Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022
2. E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Surgeon General. 2016
3. Know the Risks. U.S. Surgeon General. 2022
4. Many young people turn to nicotine to deal with stress, anxiety and depression, but don’t know it may be making them feel worse. Truth Initiative. 2021
5. Handling Nicotine Withdrawal and Triggers When You Decide To Quit Tobacco. National Cancer Institute. 2022
6. Colliding Crises: Youth Mental Health and Nicotine Use. Truth Initiative. 2021
7. E-Cigarette Health Effects. Truth Initiative. 2021
8. What Does Vaping Do to Your Lungs. John Hopkins Medicine. 2022
9. Association Between Youth Smoking, Electronic Cigarette Use, and COVID-19. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2020
10. E-Cigarette Use Linked with Sleep Deprivation in Young Adults. The American Journal of Managed Care. 2020
11. Electronic Smoking Devices and Secondhand Aerosol. American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. 2022
12. Secondhand nicotine vaping at home and respiratory symptoms in young adults. BMJ Journals. 2022