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No matter what you smoke—disease danger is high
Many smokers are ditching old-fashioned cigarettes for new-fangled electronic cigarettes—also known as e-cigs. Additionally, a lot of young people are just taking up the habit because, well, just like their older counterparts thought decades earlier, they’re operating under the misguided opinion that smoking is cool.
Smoking is not cool—whether it’s the real thing—tobacco—or flavored mist. And if you think the new version of this old habit is any safer, you’re very wrong.
Diacetyl, a flavoring chemical linked to cases of severe respiratory disease, was found in more than 75% of flavored electronic cigarettes and refill liquids tested by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. [1] Two other potentially harmful related compounds were also found in many of the tested flavors, which included varieties with potential appeal to young people such as Cotton Candy, Fruit Squirts, and Cupcake.
You may not recall hearing about diacetyl in the news, but I bet you may remember the debilitating respiratory disease it was linked to over a decade ago: popcorn lung.
Bronchiolitis obliterans first appeared in workers who inhaled artificial butter flavoring in microwave popcorn processing plants. It is an irreversible respiratory disease which causes scarring in tiny air sacs in the lungs that lead to excessive coughing and shortness of breath, not unlike symptoms seen in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
There are over 7,000 varieties of flavored e-cigarettes and e-juice (liquid containing nicotine used to fill the devices). And the popularity of this habit is increasing. Currently there are no regulations to prevent these health hazards.
“Since most of the health concerns about e-cigarettes have focused on nicotine, there is still much we do not know about e-cigarettes. In addition to containing varying levels of the addictive substance nicotine, they also contain other cancer-causing chemicals, such as formaldehyde, and as our study shows, flavoring chemicals that can cause lung damage,” said study co-author David Christiani, Elkan Blout Professor of Environmental Genetics..
It appears that if you’re giving up cigarettes to be healthier, taking up e-cigs is definitely not the way to go. You’d be running from one disease to another. The only solution is to completely give up the puffing habit.
Tips to kick the smoking/vaping habit
To get started, keep a carrot close by. It sounds kind of silly but it can keep your hands and lips busy while you tackle the physical addition to smoking.
Some tips that can make going cold turkey more bearable:
- Have a strong and valid reason for quitting. Maybe you want to have the lung capacity to play with your children or grandchildren—and be around to see them grow.
- Consider nicotine-replacement therapy to help you resist the urge and the effects on your mood.
- Avoid triggers. Often smoking and drinking alcohol go hand in hand.
- Reward yourself, whether it’s with a special dessert, movie night, or a new outfit.
- Try and try again. Don’t expect to ditch a life-long habit overnight. Keep at it.
By Easy Health Options Staff
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