Opinion: Recreational vaping can lead to disease and even death

Cancer. 

Lung disease. Stroke. COPD.

Cigarettes kill.

Vaping kills too.

At the time this article was published, the New York Times reported a total of 29 vaping-related deaths.

According to The New York Times, the principal deputy director of the Center for Disease Control, Dr. Anne Schuchat, commented at a news briefing that the vaping-related illnesses are life-threatening and a proportion of the cases ended up hospitalized and in the intensive care unit.

The CDC issued a warning to the population that does not have a history of smoking cigarettes to refrain from using e-cigarettes. Their website reports that the “specific chemical exposure … remains unknown at this time.” 

While the CDC states that cigarettes are worse than e-cigarettes, the vaping alternative is still dangerous.

MedicalNewsToday wrote that many vaping products still may contain nicotine, carcinogens, toxic chemicals and toxic metal nanoparticles.

E-cigarettes should not be used lightly. After all, the original intent of the first modern vape, according to MPHOnline, was to help smokers quit cigarettes. However, this plan has backfired.

More and more people are vaping, but for all the wrong purposes. 

The Truth Initiative wrote that youth gave three main reasons for vaping: because a family member or friend vaped, because of the availability of flavors and the belief that e-cigarettes are less harmful than other tobacco products.

Our biggest influencers are our family and friends. Youth may feel pressured to vape if everyone around them vapes. Unfortunately, that means the youth may suffer the same health problems as their family and friends.

Sure, the flavors might interest the curious youth, but if flavored gasoline was invented, does that mean youth would guzzle it by the gallon? No. Gasoline is dangerous if ingested. Likewise, inhaling something other than the natural air is inhaling something that was not meant for our bodies’ systems to handle.

E-cigarettes may be less harmful, but why is that a good reason to try them? Just because an alternative is less harmful does not mean it is safe. These e-cigarettes are still unhealthy and dangerous. Vaping is far, far away from ever being safe and healthy. It was meant as an alternative to the greater dangers of cigarettes, but vaping for sake of vaping is dangerous and idiotic.

Keep in mind, vaping may absolutely help people who actually need it to quit smoking. There are numerous applications for such technology and many more opportunities for this to be considered a fantastic asset to quit smoking. However, not everyone who uses e-cigarettes is trying to quit smoking.

Consider this a plea to the country: stop vaping unless you need it to quit smoking. Vaping is far from safe or healthy and should only be used to help people. No more vaping because it feels or looks cool. No more vaping because you want to know what smoking feels like. No more vaping to fit in.

Vaping has claimed the lives of 29 individuals thus far. 

End vaping before vaping ends more lives.

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