Is Vaping Harmful After All?

Is vaping harmful after all? To speak seriously, while many scientists believe that e-cigarettes are a great option for smokers who cannot or do not want to quit, e-cigarettes are not perfect.

　　The side effects of e-cigarettes: What does research say?

　　There are two main types of studies that inform us about the side effects of vaping e-cigarettes.

　　First, when researchers survey e-cigarette users about their experiences, preferences, and habits, side effects are often mentioned.

　　Do not place yourself in peer-reviewed studies, but we also conducted some surveys observing the side effects reported by vapers.

　　Researchers who observe whether e-cigarettes help smokers quit usually also ask some questions about side effects, and there have been many studies on this topic.

　　What did they all find?
　　In short, mild side effects such as throat irritation and coughing are the most common, and they usually dissipate over time. The conclusion of studies on whether smoking helps quit smoking is:

　　The use of e-cigarettes significantly reduces cigarette consumption, but does not cause significant side effects for smokers who do not intend to quit.

　　In a survey of over 19,000 users, more side effects were found, but it was also reported that these side effects were mostly temporary:

　　A large portion reported side effects, which are generally mild and in most cases resolve partially or completely in the early stages of e-cigarette use. The health benefits are considerable, especially for those who completely replace smoking with e-cigarettes.

　　What do users say?

　　We asked them on social media what side effects they encountered while using vaping e-cigarettes to quit smoking.

　　Some people only reported positive side effects, while others reported coughing:

　　But others complained of sensitive teeth, although this seems to be only temporary:

　　People complained of dry mouth and other side effects:

　　Although some believe that e-cigarettes are not the root of the problem:

　　Common vascular side effects

　　From research and user reports, the most common side effects are as follows:

　　Coughing

　　This is particularly common when you first use e-cigarettes, especially when vaping with a powerful device. In some studies, it has also been reported as a mild side effect.

　　In the studies mentioned above, about 20% to 30% of newcomers cough when they start vaping e-cigarettes. However, researchers have consistently found that for most of these people, the problem resolves.

　　In two surveys, we directly asked about this issue. One survey found that about 57% of e-cigarette enthusiasts coughed when they first started vaping, but only 7% were coughing at the time of the survey. Our other survey asked about PG-related symptoms and found that about 22% of smokers reported coughing.

　　This survey found that only about 11% of e-cigarette enthusiasts consistently had symptoms, about 44% no longer had problems at the time of the survey, and about 45% had only intermittent issues.

　　Dehydration/throat pain/nasal dryness

　　This is likely caused by the e-liquid component propylene glycol. They may also be caused by nicotine.

　　In our PG review, 28% of vaping e-cigarette users reported throat pain or dryness, which aligns with published research findings on this topic.

　　PG and VG absorb moisture from their environment, including your mouth and throat when you vape. PG also contributes to "throat irritation"; if you are sensitive to PG, this may feel uncomfortable.

　　These symptoms may also be caused by nicotine. Nicotine is the main component that affects your throat, so if your nicotine content is too high, it may mean that vaping will dry out your throat.

　　However, since over 99% of smokers smoked before vaping and are accustomed to nicotine, this is unlikely to be the cause.

　　Headaches

　　Headaches are another common vaping side effect. Research such as Dr. Ferrarinos' large-scale survey of consumers found that about 11% of new e-cigarette users experienced headaches.

　　Other studies indicate that while headaches are initially a problem, they become less common for long-term e-cigarette users. Our own survey of nearly 1,000 e-cigarette users found that about 6% experienced headaches after vaping PG-containing liquids.

　　Headaches may be a sign of nicotine overdose, but the most likely culprit is dehydration. This is due to the moisture-absorbing properties of PG and VG.

　　To address this issue, you must drink plenty of water while vaping e-cigarettes.
　　Dizziness/nausea

　　This is the last common side effect of vaping.

　　Surveys have found that about 5% of people feel dizzy after vaping. Other studies indicate that up to 15% of people experience dizziness and nausea in the first month of vaping, but this becomes less common after people have vaped for a while.

　　After six months, less than 4% of e-cigarette users report dizziness and nausea.

　　Most vaping side effects are caused by PG and VG, but this side effect may be related to nicotine.

　　The first sign of nicotine overdose is dizziness or nausea, so if you have issues, the first thing to do is to take a break. If the problem persists, you may need to reduce the nicotine strength to avoid future issues.

　　Stomach pain

　　Although research has not emphasized this, we know that some smokers experience stomach pain after using vaping e-cigarettes to quit smoking.

　　Similarly, this is also a potential symptom of nicotine overdose, so if you have experienced nicotine overdose, take a break.

　　This is usually temporary and may be due to finding the right nicotine strength to meet their needs.

　　Through word of mouth, we have heard that some people's asthma worsens due to vaping.

　　However, some smokers claim that their asthma improved or even disappeared after switching to e-cigarettes, suggesting that for most smokers, asthma improves after switching to electronic cigars.

　　Side effects of quitting smoking and vaping

　　Do you have other side effects? They may not be caused by vaping but by quitting tobacco cigarettes.

　　For example, some friends who quit smoking complain of mouth ulcers. But this is also a common side effect of quitting smoking.

　　People also experience cold and flu-like symptoms after quitting smoking, including coughing, sore throat, and headaches.

　　In general, it is difficult to say whether your symptoms are caused by smoking or vaping, but the best advice is to try to address the issue and see what happens.

　　For example, if you have a headache, make sure you stay hydrated and see if the problem resolves.

　　If you feel nauseous, take a break from vaping for a while or use low-nicotine e-liquid to see if you feel better. If the problem persists and you have recently quit smoking, it may be more about quitting than starting to vape.

　　Is vaping e-cigarettes safe?

　　Well, if you switch to e-cigarettes, you may indeed encounter some side effects. However, most negative effects are likely to be temporary and minor. Scientists studying e-cigarettes believe that the positive benefits of switching from smoking to vaping may far outweigh the negatives of e-cigarettes.