Smoking Vaping

Living with Cancer

E-cigarettes or “Vaping.”

The electronic form of cigarettes is called an e-cigarette. The other names for this are e-cigs, vape pens, or vapor cigarettes. These will look like the same as the traditional cigarettes and USB flash drives, but they are operated and recharged by batteries.

These vaping cigarettes do not use tobacco. A liquid containing flavorings, nicotine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and other chemicals get filled in the cartridges of the e-cigarettes. The heating in cigarettes converts liquid into vapor, which is then inhaled by the person, so these get named as “vaping products.”

Since 2006, these e-cigarettes are only available in the United States, so there is only limited research found on these products. In 2016, due to the risks of these products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) started regulating these products. As of 2019, there are 12 deaths, and 800 cases of severe lung diseases have identified in the United States.

If you are a user of e-cigarettes, you need to consult your doctor if you identify any of the symptoms of lung disease like coughing, chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, and abdominal pain.

Many smokers turn into e-cigarettes to control their traditional smoking habits, but it is also showing many adverse effects on the health conditions of the person. So, at present times it is always advisable to stay away from e-cigarettes.

Smokeless Tobacco

There are many types of smokeless cigarettes are present that contain tobacco or tobacco blends. They are as follows:

Chewing Tobacco.  

The following are the forms of chewing tobacco:

  • Loose leaves.
  • Plug where the leaves pressed together.
  • Twist where the leaves resemble a rope.

The person who uses these chewing tobacco places the product between the cheek and gum and spits out the tobacco juices. The users may swallow some of the juices in the long-run.

Snuff. It is a form of finely ground tobacco that people sniff or swallow dry snuff. They get packaged in small pouches for ready to use in dry or moist forms.  

Snus. It is a typical tobacco product from Sweden. The manufacturers packaged the moist tobacco powder in a pouch and placed inside the cheek for absorption. Many people consume this snus in smoke-free areas as it is allowed. Snus does not help to reduce the effects of tobacco use.

Dissolvable tobacco. It is a candy type powdered tobacco product. It dissolves in the mouth easily.

Effects of Smokeless Tobacco Products

The real fact is that these smokeless tobacco products contain more nicotine than cigarettes. This prolonged use of these products leads to many harmful health diseases. The substances present in these products increase the risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancer

By consuming smokeless tobacco products, problems like dental problems, leukoplakia, and also these products contribute to gum disease and tooth decay. Many people believe that by using these smokeless products, they can avoid smoking, but the FDA has also not approved these products due to their adverse effects on the health of the people.

Potential Health Risks

Waterpipes carry these potential health risks:

Exposure to the toxins of higher quantities. Waterpipe smoke contains high levels of many toxic compounds, including carbon monoxide, heavy metals, and chemicals linked to cancer. The following are the cancers associated with these chemicals:

  • Lung cancer.
  • Stomach cancer.
  • Bladder cancer.
  • Esophageal cancer.

Potential to spread infectious disease.  When people share their waterpipes with their fellow mates, there is a high chance of transmitting disease from the infected person. It is more in case they do not clean the mouthpieces properly.

Nicotine addiction.  As nicotine is highly addictive, it is evident that the addiction due to using waterpipes increases as it contains similar levels of nicotine.