What Are E-Cigarettes?
E-cigarettes and vaporizer pens are battery-operated devices that are alternatives to smoking traditional cigarettes. They emit vaporized nicotine or non-nicotine solutions, which the person using the device will inhale. Manufacturers claim that smoking an e-cigarette or a vape pen is safer than smoking a cigarette because the dangerous chemicals that are in cigarettes are not present in e-cigarette vapor. However, smoking an e-cigarette or vape pen is not safer than not smoking at all.
Due to aggressive marketing, these devices are growing in popularity among teenagers and young people not just smokers looking to quit. The sleek, modern design of e-cigarettes and vape pens make them attractive to young people who grew up in an anti-cigarette era. In addition, the vapor in e-cigarettes is made of liquid vape solutions, which come in hundreds of kid-friendly flavors, from Cotton Candy to Bubblegum.
How Safe Are E-Cigarettes?
E-cigarettes provide a solution for adults looking to kick their nicotine habit, but they are not safe as a long-term habit. The increasing popularity of these devices among young non-smoking teens and young adults is contributing to a new generation of tobacco users.
A recent study by the American Physiological Association into the effects of e-cigarettes on lung health has found that inhaling vape smoke may be more harmful to your lungs than smoking a cigarette. The widely popular vape solutions that power these devices contain dangerous chemicals such as:
- Propylene glycol, an odorless compound that adds a sweet taste to the solution, also used as a solvent in cosmetics and pharmaceutical drugs
- Nicotine
- Flavoring solutions
- Food additives, which manufacturers of e-cigarettes have claimed to be safe
While food additives are safe to eat, research is suggesting that inhaling them, as well as the other chemicals present in vape solutions, can cause severe lung inflammation. Even short-term use can cause this inflammation, leading researchers to wonder what the long-term effects of these devices actually entail.
Other health risks involving e-cigarettes include:
- Nicotine addiction, especially among young non-smokers
- Irreversible “popcorn” lung disease
- Carcinogenic emissions from vape smoke
While the potential health impacts of e-cigarettes are alarming, there is a more present danger: explosions. The cause of these explosions seem to be the batteries and the cheaply made materials that are in these e-cigarettes.
Vapes Versus Real Cigarettes
We all know the dangers of cigarettes. The presence of harmful chemicals in addition to addictive nicotine and the risk of lung cancer is enough for many Americans to seek an alternative to smoking them. Cigarettes are notoriously addictive, and the habit is extremely hard to kick, which is why e-cigarettes act as a form of relief.
Most e-cigarettes and vape pens are composed of:
- A rechargeable battery
- Electronic circuits
- A source of heat built-in to the device
- A mouthpiece
- A cartridge containing the liquid vape solution
Users suck on the mouthpiece and the liquid solution, which can come in a variety of flavors such as Cookie Dough or Fruit Loops, heats up, producing a vapor. This vapor comes back through the mouthpiece into the user’s mouth, who then inhales it. The nicotine content of these solutions ranges from none at all to very high levels, usually between 24 to 36 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of solution.
The Popularity of E-Cigarettes and Vapes in Iowa
According to the Center for Disease Control, cigarette smoking has declined steadily among the American population over the past decade. However, e-cigarettes and vaping seem to be replacing this trend. It is a common misconception that e-cigarettes are not dangerous – the CDC has stated that these devices are not safe for young people, non-smokers, or pregnant women.
- 2% of adults in the United States were using e-cigarettes in 2016.
- Vaping has become the most popular form of tobacco consumption among American teenagers.
- E-cigarette use rose by 900% among teenagers between 2011 and 2015.
- Over 2 million high school and middle school students had tried vaping in 2016.
- 40% of e-cigarette users between the ages of 18 and 24 were not cigarette smokers before they started vaping.
- The Food and Drug Administration only started to enforce regulations about e-cigarettes in 2016.
- People who use e-cigarettes are less likely to quit smoking.
- Teenagers who use e-cigarettes are more likely to start smoking.
Call Our E-Cigarette Lawyers at Hayes Lorenzen Biderman Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation
Our expert product liability lawyers are here to help you recover fair compensation for victims of e-cigarette injuries in Iowa. We will conduct a full investigation, collect evidence, gather any witnesses, and build a compelling case for your vape explosion lawsuit. Contact our Iowa City offices today to schedule your free consultation.