Big Question: Is it safe to vape?

Big Question: Is it safe to vape?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will have heard how vaping has been dominating the headlines from stories from America. There have been reports of a severe respiratory illness that has been the cause of death of up to 35 people (as of 31^st October 2019) and been responsible for the hospitalisation of many more.

All the documented patients have a history of using e cigarettes which is why the vaping industry has come under the spotlight. If you are regularly vaping and using e cigs you will be worried about why these tragic incidents have happened and what impact will it have for you.

In America there have been calls for an immediate vaping ban by some State Governors, and even calls of a public health emergency, but what does this mean? Does this mean that vaping isn’t safe?

What are the symptoms?

·         Having a cough, shortness of breath, and/or chest pains

·         Feeling like you are going to be sick, vomiting and/or suffering from prolonged diarrhoea

·         Feeling tired, running a temperature, and/or having abdominal pain

What do we know?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been investigating the outbreak of illnesses. The data shows that cannabinoids (marijuana/weed, THC, THC concentrates, CBD, CBD oil, synthetic cannabis such as K2 and spice, hash oil) has played a major role in the illnesses.

·         86% of patients had been using THC containing products in their vapes.

·         34% of patients had been exclusively using THC products

The data collected suggests that it is the use of illegal and illicit preloaded THC cartridges that is making people sick from vaping. 33 deaths have occurred in the United States of America and one in Canada, which suggests that it is a case of contamination in the THC products’ production rather than a worldwide health issue.

It should be noted too that in the States and Canada the cannabis industry is not strictly regulated in comparison to the Tobacco Products Directive that covers vaping in this country– there is no control over the ingredients of the THC vape oil.

The NHS confirms that vaping and e cigarettes are an effective way to stop smoking.

What should you do?

·         Use authentic products

You should only use products that are authentic and provided by a reputable e cig juice provider. Click here to learn how to recognise genuine e liquids. You shouldn’t add or modify the vape juice substances in any way that is not recommended by the manufacturer.

·         Keep your equipment clean and maintained in good working order

The manufacturers have had to jump through many hoops to make sure that their products are compliant to the regulations so that they are safe for use. By keeping your equipment well maintained and using it to the manufacturers’ recommendations, you are ensuring that it is performing at its best.

If your e cig kit is not working as it normally does, it could mean that it may not be as safe as it should be.

Is the battery providing enough energy to your electronic cigarette? Do your wicks and coils need replacing?

At Vaporzone we are committed to providing vapers with vaping equipment and e cig juices that adhere to the strict European regulations. We only deal with respected and responsible manufacturers. If you have any questions or queries about whether your vaping equipment is safe and are looking for guidance on replacing it, please do not hesitate to contact us.