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Vaping - Youth Zone

Don't Vape - Health Tips for Young People

There is emerging evidence and increasing concerns about the risks of vaping particularly with regard to cardiovascular and respiratory illness.

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What is Vaping?

Vapes/e-cigarettes are electronic devices that are used to deliver vaporised liquids into your lungs when you breathe in. This vapourised liquid that you breathe in is not just water. Almost always, this e-liquid also contains nicotine, flavours and other chemicals including propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine. These help to retain the moisture in a vape and hold the flavour. Most of these flavours and chemicals are approved in the UK for oral ingestion but are not approved for inhalation. Therefore, the long-term health risk of using a vape is not known.

If you don’t smoke, then don’t vape. 

Existing smokers may use e-cigarettes to try to cut down or quit smoking. However, this should only be used as a short-term measure, for no more than 12 weeks, and should be supported by a recognised behavioural change programme currently approved by the Public Health Agency to help quit smoking.

Effects of vaping on the body

Although there is still a lot of research to be done in terms of the effects of vaping on our bodies, some studies have already found negative impacts on our health.

Heart Rate & Blood Pressure

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Vaping may cause an increased heart rate and blood pressure due to the presence of nicotine. A normal situation that this may occur in would be during a period of exercise – this is a healthy response from your body as it has to work harder to get the blood around your body. However, it is not a healthy response as a result of vaping.

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Arteries

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There is emerging evidence in people that vape that their arteries (which act as an elasticated tube pumping blood with oxygen all around your body) may begin to harden and narrow. Over time the artery walls may start to build-up with bad fats (LDL cholesterol), and this can put you at a higher risk of a heart attack or stroke.

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Heart Failure

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Some studies show that there is also an increased risk of heart failure meaning your heart cannot effectively pump blood around your body.

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Vaper's Cough

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Young people that vape may also experience a “vaper’s cough” which can be more common at night time. This is due to inhaling the hot vaporised liquid which inflames your throat and your lungs.

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Popcorn Lung

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One of the main issues in vapes is the flavourings. One flavour in particular, diacetyl, was banned in the EU in 2016 due to the effect it had on the lungs. This led to something known as “popcorn lung” or to what we know now as “vaper’s lung” which meant that oxygen could not get into the blood easily. This is very similar to COPD (link to COPD section).

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Asthma

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The propylene glycol within vapes is also known as fake smoke, so is what creates that vape cloud you see when a vape is exhaled. Evidence from actors and dancers that are exposed to this fake smoke regularly have shown that they are more prone to chest illnesses and can in some cases actually cause the development of asthma and asthma attacks. Therefore, regular vaping may cause someone to develop asthma.

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Impact on Sport & Physical Performance

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We have to assume that due to the effects of vaping on the lungs, this may have a knock on negative impact on performance levels e.g. sports and exercise, singing, dancing

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Brain Development and Mood

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When nicotine is inhaled into the lungs, it takes around 7 seconds to travel to the brain and gives the person a feeling of calm and happiness for a short burst of time. The issue is it is very addictive as the person craves that feeling again and again. Despite this initial feeling, nicotine can worsen feelings of depression and anxiety. Nicotine can also affect brain growth and development, and the brain is still growing until the age of 25. It can affect sleep patterns, causing irritability, a lack of concentration and lower mood.

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Tooth Decay & Gum Disease

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The chemicals within the e-liquid can affect the bacteria within your mouth, this can lead to excess bacteria resulting in tooth decay and gum disease. There have also been associations between vaping and dry mouth11, which can be uncomfortable and affect eating, swallowing and speaking, alongside increasing risk of tooth decay, bad breath and infections.

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Real Vaping Stories

Sarah in hospital 2

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Mum backs charity’s vaping awareness campaign after 12-year-old daughter is admitted to Intensive Care
Mary Griffin, from Belfast, and her daughter Sarah are speaking out about their experiences in support of Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Strokes' new vaping awareness campaign after Sarah was recently admitted to ICU and put in an induced coma after she had been vaping.
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How to Ditch the Vape

  • Talk to someone you trust - Speak to someone who will listen and support you, this can also help to hold you accountable.
    • Parent or guardian – they may be more understanding than you think
    • Friend – they may also want to quit with you
    • Teacher, school nurse or health professional – they can provide guidance and useful resources
  • Make a plan - Set a quit date to start your journey and identify triggers so that you can better avoid or cope with them
  • Think about reasons you want to quit - Whether it be for health, financial or sports benefits, having a reason can help to motivate you
  • Replace habits - Find healthier alternatives, whether it be beginning a new hobby, being more active or practice mindfulness
  • Reward your achievements - Set yourself targets and track your progress with a daily chart, for example one week doing something fun with friends or one month treat yourself to a piece of clothing you have been wanting
  • Keep yourself busy – distractions, such as going for a walk, playing sports or enjoying your hobby, can help manage cravings
  • Speak to a pharmacist or GP for Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), these will help you gradually reduce nicotine strength

FAQS

Get answers to some frequently asked questions about vaping and smoking.

  • Neither is harm free, and both have a negative effect on health. Vaping would be currently considered less harmful than smoking as e-cigarettes have fewer harmful chemicals. Over the last 60 years research has showed how harmful cigarettes are to the body, but e-cigarettes are only in their early 20’s and research is only now starting to show the long-term effects of vaping. Please note that there are definitely long-term effects! Possibly in 60 years’ time the answer to this question could be very different…

  • How much it takes to become addicted differs from person to person depending on individual factors and genetics but for cigarettes it can be just a few. For some people it can be just the one to trigger the physical dependence. So, if you think about a 20mg/ml vape which is roughly the equivalent of 20 cigarettes, it likely it could be a very small amount of the e-liquid. Younger people are more susceptible to becoming addicted to nicotine as the brain is still developing to the age of 25 and nicotine can rewire it having a negative effect on its development.

    Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that causes the release of a hormone, dopamine, within the brain giving a sensation of calmness and relaxation. However, this is only temporary and leaves the brain wanting more which can begin the cycle of addiction.

  • Like vapes, nicotine pouches are relatively new and therefore we do not know the long term effects of using this product. What we do know though is that nicotine can make the gums weaker and more likely to become infected as the blood flow to the gums is reduced. This alongside gum irritation over time can develop into gum disease which increases the risk of heart disease. Gum disease causes an inflammatory response, which not only happens within the mouth but affects the whole body including the heart. In addition to this, the bacteria from the mouth can travel through the bloodstream and cause a build-up in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

  • The damage of smoking can be reversible so we can only assume the damage of vaping can be reversible to. Within 20 minutes of quitting nicotine heart rate and blood pressure returns back to normal. Mental health can also improve with feeling less stressed, anxious and depressed. Nicotine increases the release of the hormone dopamine, giving the sensation of calmness and relaxation, but it encourages the brain to stop making dopamine itself. Therefore, resulting in a lower level of dopamine in people who use nicotine. Sleep will improve making it quicker to fall asleep and increased time spent in REM sleep which helps provide more energy the next day.

  • If being used as a stop smoking tool, vapes should only be used for a short period of time, no more than 12 weeks, alongside a stop smoking service for the best chances of kicking the habit.

  • Water-based vapes still contain toxic chemicals like propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine, alongside flavours which are also toxic to the lungs. Nicotine is still present in these vapes, making them just as addictive as regular ones. So, despite being marketed as a ‘healthier’ option, they still carry the same risks as normal e-cigarettes.

  • Vapes were originally created as a tool to help smokers quit cigarettes but overtime have become more popular with non-smokers. The issue is that the vape industry is a multi-billion-pound industry and therefore with a constant income of profit they will have no desire to stop making them.

    • Have a get-out: sometimes saying no can be hard, so have a casual excuse whether it be you are focusing on sports and don’t want to risk any damage to your lungs or you are saving money to buy something and don’t want to waste it on vapes.
    • Confidently say no: you don’t need to give an explanation simply say ‘No thanks, I’m good’, plus this gives less room for them to argue.
    • Have like-minded friends: sometimes as you get older you might discover that you and your friends no longer share the same values, so it’s important to surround yourself with people who do. Joining a sports team, a club or a society is a good way to meet people with similar interests as you. Plus remember good friends will respect your choices and not pressure you.
    • Use humour: joking about it can lighten the mood, for example ‘I’d rather spend my money on food than a vape’.
    • Walk-away: if someone keeps pressuring you it is ok to take yourself away from the situation and put your well-being first.

Nicotine can affect your brain – true or false?

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True

Your brain is still growing up until the age of 25 so inhaling nicotine within vapes can affect the development of your brain and slow its growth. It changes your brain chemistry very quickly so leaves the brain craving more nicotine.

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Skull and cross bone appear on the side of a vape packet – true or false?
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True  

This symbol means that vapes are highly toxic. Other statements you may see on a vape packet include: “this product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance”, “fatal in contact with skin” or “harmful if inhaled” – all of which tell you just how toxic these vapes are!

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 True or False?

Vapes are just water vapour.
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False 

Vapes are not just water vapour.  A vape cloud is an aerosol that contains chemicals, dyes and flavourings that are safe to eat or drink but are not safe when heated to high temperatures in vapes and breathed in.

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True or False?

Vapes with no nicotine in them are ok for you.

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False 

Although they don’t have nicotine in there, which is the highly addictive substance, they still have chemicals, dyes and flavourings which are not meant to be heated to high temperatures and breathed in.

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True or False? 

It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to anyone in the UK under the age of 18

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True  

It is illegal to sell any vape/e-cigarette products to anyone under the age of 18 in the UK. It is also illegal for an individual to purchase any vape/e-cigarette products for someone else under the age of 18.

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True or False?

In vapes the only harmful substance is the nicotine

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False  

Although the nicotine is highly addictive, there are many other harmful chemicals, dyes and flavourings found in vapes, as well as heavy metals like nickel and lead – all of which can be toxic when heated to high temperatures and inhaled.

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True or False?

Is vaping a recommended stop-smoking tool in NI by the Public Health Agency

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False 

In England vaping is offered as a stop smoking tool, however that is not the case in NI. Methods such as NRT, nicotine replacement therapy, support groups and stop smoking services are recommended ways to quit smoking and all avoid the risk of replacing cigarettes with e-cigarettes, which are not harm-free.

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