VaporWays

Issue #3 – Tis’ the Season. We’re all full up on Turkey and heading down the stretch towards New Years. For those celebrating this month, we hope you celebrate safely! For those affected (not effected) by the glitch in our 2nd edition, we hope you have found your way back.

Some e-cigarette flavours might be more harmful than others
Published: 2017-11-28
Not everything that is safe to swallow is safe to inhale. What this means is that certain e-liquids might have more complex chemical compositions in order to achieve flavours such as vanilla, caramel or strawberries. Sweet or fruity flavouring seems to be more dangerous that your average tobacco or menthol flavours, but toxicity is hard to predict – in fact, most manufacturers never list the products that go into achieving a particular flavour, but only list the regular chemical ingredients required to make a vaporizer-adequate e-liquid. It’s an intelligent decision since the flavor is often what makes a particular e-liquid manufacturer stand out in the crowded market, but it is also a source of frustration for researchers. Nothing of this means, of course, that inhaling e-liquids are more dangerous than smoking cigarettes, however it would be useful to understand in full what exactly we are consuming to avoid possible health hazards.

Popular e-cigarette liquid flavourings can change, damage heat cells
Published: 2017-11-15
Some of your favourite e-liquids might have troubling side effects concerning your heart muscle cells, indicates a new research from the University of Louisville based on observations of cells in petri dishes interacting with the compounds. Apparently, some of the chemicals present in flavours such as clove, citrus and floral were interacting with the heart muscle itself, which could lead to changes in the way the cells function. These reactions could be quite varied. While the chemicals present in cinnamon e-liquids, for example, could stop cells from moving or contracting, the ones used for the most floral, citrus or clove increased the speed at which those same cells move. Researchers are puzzled by this and they still are not completely sure of whether these effects stay the same while the e-liquids are heated or not, since most of the compounds remain a mystery.

Vaping Could Damage Your Blood Vessels
Published: 2017-09-21
While many people may know that electronic cigarettes are not as harmful as tobacco cigarettes, not many are aware of the specific hazards that they may still face if they use e-cigs. A study has shed some light on the potential harm that vapers may be exposed to as they use e-liquids that contain nicotine. The researchers monitored arterial stiffness in the study subjects who used e-cigarettes that contained nicotine and participants whose e-juice didn’t have any nicotine in it. It was discovered that those whose e-liquid had nicotine exhibited arterial stiffness while those without nicotine didn’t show any stiffness in their arteries. The stiffness was transient. However, concern was raised that prolonged vaping could trigger permanent blood vessel stiffness in the way that smoking tobacco cigarettes did. Further research is needed to verify that fear. In the meantime, it is advisable to avoid excesses, such as “dripping” that could worsen any possible adverse effects of vaping.

3 Potential Problems With the FDA’s Planned Vaping Regulations
Published: 2017-07-29
The US Food and Drug Administration made an announcement about how they intend to regulate the tobacco industry in the coming years. That policy direction also encompasses other related products, such as electronic cigarettes. Experts have raised a number of concerns about that policy direction with respect to electronic cigarettes. First, the planned extension of a deadline to submit applications for existing e-cigarette products to August 8th, 2022 only applies to the products that are already on the US market. This limits the sale of new products that could be better and less harmful. Secondly, the planned regulations are likely to make it very difficult for small firms to bring to the market innovations that can improve the e-cig industry. Thirdly, the view that flavors can lure kids into vaping has no scientific backing to it. It is therefore imperative that all concerned people voice their opinions on this matter when the FDA calls for contributions so that the resulting regulations don’t have unnecessary adverse effects on the e-cigarette industry that holds a lot of promise for people who want a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes.

Have you ever wondered why the randomized controlled studies  on electronic cigarette use often produce different results from the findings of observational studies? A leading e-cigarette researcher advanced some reasons that could explain those discrepancies. This was during a presentation made at the 2017 Electronic Cigarette Summit in the UK. For example, he suggests that controlled trials often show a lesser impact of e-cigs as quit smoking devices because those who have already succeeded in using e-cigs to quit are eliminated as study subjects. This leaves those who are struggling to use the method or those just starting out on their quest to quit smoking as study subjects. Observational studies capture those who have succeeded already in their findings. Similarly, RCTs often have different baseline vaping standards/definitions from the baselines defined by observational studies. It is therefore possible that RCTs underreport the value of switching to vaping when compared to observational studies. This presentation will help you to make sense out of the results of the two kinds of findings that may initially appear contradictory.

Some of your favorite e-liquids might have troubling side effects concerning your heart muscle cells, indicates a new research from the University of Louisville based on observations of cells in petri dishes interacting with the compounds.

Apparently, some of the chemicals present in flavors such as clove, citrus and floral were interacting with the heart muscle itself, which could lead to changes in the way the cells function.

These reactions could be quite varied. While the chemicals present in cinnamon e-liquids, for example, could stop cells from moving or contracting, the ones used for the most floral, citrus or clove increased the speed at which those same cells move.

Researchers are puzzled by this and they still are not completely sure of whether these effects stay the same while the e-liquids are heated or not, since most of the compounds remain a mystery.

Not everything that is safe to swallow is safe to inhale. What this means is that certain e-liquids might have more complex chemical compositions in order to achieve flavors such as vanilla, caramel or strawberries.

Sweet or fruity flavoring seems to be more dangerous that your average tobacco or menthol flavors, but toxicity is hard to predict – in fact, most manufacturers never list the products that go into achieving a particular flavor, but only list the regular chemical ingredients required to make a vaporizer-adequate e-liquid. It’s an intelligent decision since the flavor is often what makes a particular e-liquid manufacturer stand out in the crowded market, but it is also a source of frustration for researchers.

Nothing of this means, of course, that inhaling e-liquids are more dangerous than smoking cigarettes, however it would be useful to understand in full what exactly we are consuming to avoid possible health hazards.

Issue #2 – So the first issue was a hit – so follow up with another issue. Typically we’ll be publishing monthly unless we find a good amount of content to share. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you back for issue #3. Update – we fixed our navigation bug – sorry to anyone affected.

Vaping 101: Common mistakes vapers make and how to avoid them
Published: 2017-07-27
Here are some common mistakes for rookie vapers. Even though vaping is healthier than tobacco, you have to learn to use the vaporizers properly before making a final decision over whether or not you rather switch to vaping. The first puff is a good test – if you are puffing it out like a smoker, you will most likely end up coughing are not enjoying vaping at all. Going for the cheapest device instead of one of higher quality is one of the biggest, because a bad vaporizer can ruin your vaping experience and encourage you to go back to cigarettes. Likewise, not knowing how to control the coolness, not maintaining your coil properly or using too little nicotine can really mess up your entire vaporizer and cause you to dislike vaping for reasons of inexperience. Finally, forget to always turn off your vaporizer and do not leave it on while it is in your pocket, draining all your battery and slowly damaging the vaporizer.

Vaping ads flout EU rules, even if to promote healthier lifestyles
Published: 2017-08-16
In the UK, advertisements implying smokers should switch to vaping are being criticized as illegal according to EU’s Tobacco and Related Products Regulations of 2016. The ad in question did not feature the brand of the vaping product, but it could still be considered as an appeal to vaping. Even though vaping products are usually considered to be less harmful than cigarettes, the fear that ads promoting vaping might draw non-smokers to the practice has lead to an intense monitoring of vaping products just like they were cigarettes. However, it is confusing how the UK can promote its Five Year Tobacco Control Plan by “maximising the availability of healthier alternatives to smoking” if vaping companies are unable to advertise their products.

10 Facts That Everyone Gets Wrong About Vaping
Published: 2014-11-19
In order for you to understand what vaping is all about, let’s first knock down some myths: first, vaping devices are not really “e-cigarettes”, if what you are thinking is an electronic device in the shape of a cigarette commonly sold in gas station. They are Advanced Personal Vaporizers, also called Vape Pens – usually disposable and made in China – and Vape Mods, usually made by Western companies and that can last longer, but can also be quite expensive. Secondly, many Vapors use very little nicotine, especially compared to cigarettes. The e-liquids with 6mg vastly outnumber the sales of those with 12mg and above. Usually, people start with a high level and then gradually switch to zero. Thirdly, no matter the intense lobbying from the tobacco industry, vaping really is less harmful to your health according to most studies, with less toxic chemicals being involved. Fourthly, e-liquids are not the devil. If you want to know the three substances that make an e-liquid, here they are: vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol (not to be confused with its harmful cousin diethylene glycol) and pharmaceutical-grade nicotine, which – as we have seen above – can actually not be mixed at all or very little.

Issue #1 – our inaugural. So you want to dig into the world of vaporizers? So did we. There is a lot of information out there and a lot of legislation. We are going to do the best we can to keep up with it.

Should e-cigarette use be included in indoor smoking bans?
Published: 2017-04-28
WHO’s take on the benefits of vaping legally indoors public spaces might but some users anxieties to rest. First, WHO thinks that it might be an encouragement for some smokers to switch to vaping, since many smokers are banned from doing so in public spaces according to health regulations. Also, it might minimize the discomfort of nicotine withdrawal for those already battling with quitting smoking. Still, the WHO warns that potential health hazards from secondhand vaping will always have priority in respects to future regulation, but points out that smoke-free areas are also in the interest of many smokers and vapers, since it encourages them to reduce the practice.

Vaping, A Good Alternative To Smoking
Published: 2017-02-2017
Here is a list of why long-time smokers and newcomers alike might want to switch to vaping. The health risks are much lower when compared to cigarettes because there are much less harmful chemicals at play. They are also less addictive than normal cigarettes and vapers can usually abstain from vaping during larger amounts of time. The blend of different flavors also make the users eventually forget about the original taste of cigarettes, which can be quite disgusting when you try to pick up a cigarette after weeks of vaping. Finally, the odor of the vapor clouds that form when you are vaping can actually be pleasant for the people around you, while the stink of cigarettes is hard to ignore and most non smokers really hate being exposed to it.

E-Cigs and Second-Hand Vaping
Published: 2014-03-12
Can second-hand vaping be harmful? Well, for starters, it is worth pointing out that any consequences will certainly be less harmful than normal tobacco smoke, for the obvious reasons that e-liquids contain much less toxic chemicals than your average cigarette. Still, if you prefer your e-liquids to contain nicotine, you might indeed worsen the air quality overall, specifically by the concentration of nicotine, particulate matter, PAHs and aluminum. These compounds have been linked to lung and heart diseases such as cancer. This was the conclusion of a 2014 study published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, defending the regulation of vaping products. Still, whether these products can have concrete, long-lasting health risks for second-hand vapers is still unknown, but according to the study there is indeed the potential of health problems, although the amount of exposure for them to arise, the type of e-liquids and vaporizers involved is not clear.