WarpedFactor
Member For 2 Years
After having a Quora Answer deleted and later reinstated. I have answered other vaping related Questions. The latest is my most recent, and arguably, the most cautiously worded, mindful of Quora's bias. This Answer was deleted only a couple of hours after it was posted. I immeditaely appealed, and the response was just as immediate. The Answer is permantly rejected, not subject to further appeal. It looks like the propaganda war is well on...
First the current spate of vaping illness in the US. That outbreak looks like it can be attributed to black market, THC, vaping mixtures. It is hard to know for sure because the CDC has not recommended testing for THC. It is known that every case reported in New York was THC related. At any rate, there appear to be oils (specifically, vitamin E oil) involved. No oils are used in commercial, vaping products.
In spite of this recent, vaping asscociated, illness outbreak, there are tremendous numbers of those who have been using commercially available, vaping products for years without serious health complications. Again, this points to an issue, not related to common, commercial, vaping products.
Long term health concerns of vaping are unknown at this time, and won’t be known for probably another 20 years. If you are vaping now, you are essentially the Guinea pig. No one should suggest that vaping is absolutely safe. We just don’t know. However, short term studies of vaping, and the constituent ingredients of vaping products, propylene glycol, glycerol, food flavorings, and nicotine, have shown few deleterious health effects, as used in vaping. There may be minor health risks with nicotine, but the nicotine concentration is far less than cigarettes, and typically less than other Nicotine Replacement Therapies. Some food flavorings contain diacetyl, which can impact the lungs. However, since this was reported, many producers have ceased use of flavorings containing diacetyl. Even in products containing diacetyl, the levels were far lower than contained in conventional, tobacco cigarettes.
Inhalation studies of propylene glycol and glycerol (vegetable glycerine), the principal ingredients in vape liquid, have been shown to possibly produce minor irritation, but no significant health threat, at levels far in excess of vaping norms. While both propylene glycol and glycerine have many industrial and commercial uses (yes, even anti-freeze), both are widely used in food products and pharmacology. Propylene glycol and glycerine used in commercial, vaping products are food grade, USP certified, and often, kosher.
As to the safety of vaping, a study in the UK showed vaping to be 97% safer than cigarettes. So, not as safe as not vaping, but certainly safer than smoking. In the US, The US, Centers for Disease Control studied the safety of a vape shop, where vaping was a constant occurrence. The report is linked here, but the Conclusion was…
Employees were exposed to detectable levels of diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione in the air while working in the vape shop. Although the measured concentrations were below all applicable OELs, to better protect the health of employees we recommend that the employer implement a policy prohibiting vaping in the work place with e-liquids that contain diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione. The concentration of other vaping-related chemicals that we measured were also below their relevant OELs. Employees should be trained on proper chemical handling procedures and the need for consistent use of chemical protective nitrile gloves when handling liquids containing nicotine.
An “OEL” is the Occupational Exposure Level. That’s right, that foggy, vape shop was as safe as any other American, work environment.
No one, in good conscience, would recommend that one should just start “recreational vaping”, but if you are a smoker who wants to reduce cigarette usage, or quit cigarettes entirely, it may be an option to consider.
**DISCLAIMER**
I am not a medical professional, nor a researcher in this field. I am an informed, product end user. I do not advocate that anyone, least of all, minors under the age of 21, consume vaping products. The choice to vape, or not to vape is an individual and personal choice for informed adults, just as smoking is. Approximately 480,000 deaths are attributed to smoking cigarettes in the US, each year.
- What things do I need to know about vaping illness?
First the current spate of vaping illness in the US. That outbreak looks like it can be attributed to black market, THC, vaping mixtures. It is hard to know for sure because the CDC has not recommended testing for THC. It is known that every case reported in New York was THC related. At any rate, there appear to be oils (specifically, vitamin E oil) involved. No oils are used in commercial, vaping products.
In spite of this recent, vaping asscociated, illness outbreak, there are tremendous numbers of those who have been using commercially available, vaping products for years without serious health complications. Again, this points to an issue, not related to common, commercial, vaping products.
Long term health concerns of vaping are unknown at this time, and won’t be known for probably another 20 years. If you are vaping now, you are essentially the Guinea pig. No one should suggest that vaping is absolutely safe. We just don’t know. However, short term studies of vaping, and the constituent ingredients of vaping products, propylene glycol, glycerol, food flavorings, and nicotine, have shown few deleterious health effects, as used in vaping. There may be minor health risks with nicotine, but the nicotine concentration is far less than cigarettes, and typically less than other Nicotine Replacement Therapies. Some food flavorings contain diacetyl, which can impact the lungs. However, since this was reported, many producers have ceased use of flavorings containing diacetyl. Even in products containing diacetyl, the levels were far lower than contained in conventional, tobacco cigarettes.
Inhalation studies of propylene glycol and glycerol (vegetable glycerine), the principal ingredients in vape liquid, have been shown to possibly produce minor irritation, but no significant health threat, at levels far in excess of vaping norms. While both propylene glycol and glycerine have many industrial and commercial uses (yes, even anti-freeze), both are widely used in food products and pharmacology. Propylene glycol and glycerine used in commercial, vaping products are food grade, USP certified, and often, kosher.
As to the safety of vaping, a study in the UK showed vaping to be 97% safer than cigarettes. So, not as safe as not vaping, but certainly safer than smoking. In the US, The US, Centers for Disease Control studied the safety of a vape shop, where vaping was a constant occurrence. The report is linked here, but the Conclusion was…
Employees were exposed to detectable levels of diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione in the air while working in the vape shop. Although the measured concentrations were below all applicable OELs, to better protect the health of employees we recommend that the employer implement a policy prohibiting vaping in the work place with e-liquids that contain diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione. The concentration of other vaping-related chemicals that we measured were also below their relevant OELs. Employees should be trained on proper chemical handling procedures and the need for consistent use of chemical protective nitrile gloves when handling liquids containing nicotine.
An “OEL” is the Occupational Exposure Level. That’s right, that foggy, vape shop was as safe as any other American, work environment.
No one, in good conscience, would recommend that one should just start “recreational vaping”, but if you are a smoker who wants to reduce cigarette usage, or quit cigarettes entirely, it may be an option to consider.
**DISCLAIMER**
I am not a medical professional, nor a researcher in this field. I am an informed, product end user. I do not advocate that anyone, least of all, minors under the age of 21, consume vaping products. The choice to vape, or not to vape is an individual and personal choice for informed adults, just as smoking is. Approximately 480,000 deaths are attributed to smoking cigarettes in the US, each year.
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