The current issue of “vaping” is a controversial subject. It raises questions such as, “Is it safer than smoking cigarettes?”, “Does it cause cancer?”, and “Should e-cigarettes be susceptible to government taxes?”
Currently the liquid that is contained in the many different juices that are being sold is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That means that there are not stringent controls as to what is in each bottle of liquid. There is potential that the juice, which when heated is turned into vapor, may contain byproducts that we don’t know about and may be harmful to your lungs. One such ingredient that is in e-liquids is propylene glycol. This specific chemical is used to de-ice airplanes. It has also been proven that it produces carcinogens, which are cancer-causing agents.
There is also the danger of these liquids around children. Some of the bottles that are sold contain very potent levels of nicotine. Small children always get into things that can be harmful, and at times, fatal. These liquids can be turned into vapor, orally ingested, or it can even get into the blood stream through the skin. If you do use e-cigarettes please make sure that you don’t leave it or the liquids around children.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have estimated that more than 9 million Americans are now vaping. The trend started due to vaping being much cheaper than smoking traditional cigarettes. Many people believe that is safer as well. There is not enough information out there from scientific studies to draw a conclusion in this forum. With the uptick in people “vaping” the government is starting to put “sin” taxes on these products. The city of Chicago has imposed a tax of $.55 per milliliter of liquid sold. This has more than doubled the cost for the consumer.
This article is meant to serve as a thought-provoking tool only. We are aware of many of our own alumni and fellows in recovery who are vaping. Clearbrook encourages everyone to do their own research and be cautious when utilizing e-cigarettes.
