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Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

bbc.co.uk

31–40 of 86 posts

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#31

In this experiment, vapor "caused inflammation" and "impaired the activity of alveolar macrophages, cells that remove potentially damaging dust particles, bacteria and allergens." So it's not great for lung function, but sounds orders of magnitude less bad for you than smoking cigarettes. Anecdotally, I quit vaping recently, as I'd grown frustrated with the 'chasing the dragon' aspect (I was using its stimulant prope…

Off-topic: What did you end up replacing vaping for to help manage your ADHD? Or have you not found/(considered looking for) a replacement?

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#32
post #13

Key point from the article: "Any smoker considering e-cigarettes should switch completely without delay."

Yeah, this really strikes me as the difference between "breathing car exhaust without a catalytic converter is toxic" and "breathing car exhaust can still be toxic" - yeah, both are bad, but one of them is orders of magnitude worse.

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Part of the reason you see less research on marijuana is because there are more obstacles to doing such research. Here is a 2017 National Academy of Sciences report on the topic: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425757/

> [...] the federal government has not legalized cannabis and continues to enforce restrictive policies and regulations on research into the health harms or benefits of cannabis products that are available to consumers in a majority of states FFS, if I would want to invest into something that has barriers to conduct a research, I'd give zero fucks about the law. Zero. These governments drive me nuts.

This is not a position that can be taken by people who intend to publish research under their own names. It'd be akin to signing a confession.

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#34
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The review concluded there was "overwhelming evidence" they were far safer than smoking and "of negligible risk to bystanders"

Remember the days when people were smoking in offices, univs, hospitals, etc? Vaping is 100x less disgusting, less harmful. I see people vaping and it doesn't smell, they don't leave ashes and butts everywhere and it doesn't bother me at all. The second hand nicotine vapor is not "a thing" unless you go to a room where a visible cloud of e-cigs vapor is present. I think we are much better off with people vaping than…

There are e-cigs that do smell, the one in my previous company "vaping" in the open space used some kind of flavor that had a strong [unpleasant] smell, even over 5 meters away.

Overall it's a great improvement. I just hope this improvement doesn't come with regressions (more [e-]smokers, especially in public areas and maybe in newer generations) precisely because it is so great an improvement.

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#36
post #27

I applaud that they state it's still safer than regular cigarettes. I gifted a friend who is a smoker with an e-cig package. A couple of months later he is still smoking cigarettes as he thinks these may be more dangerous..

What does he base that conclusion on?

resolution of cognitive dissonance?

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#37

One thing I'm confused about with vaping: There is plenty of information about vaping w/ e-cigarettes. The negative effects and what not. However this information is not extended to vaping marijuana. I understand that e-cigs use oil/liquid of some sort. In the marijuana world there is dry herb vaping (heating the plant until it vaporizes), oil, wax, etc. I imagine some of the e-cig issues extends to marijuana for oil…

Part of the reason you see less research on marijuana is because there are more obstacles to doing such research. Here is a 2017 National Academy of Sciences report on the topic: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425757/

Go research it in other countries then (Canada, Holland, et al)

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#38
post #2

I've been wondering about the safety of vaping. Glad to see it's not as bad as smoking (a low bar) but will still kill you.

> but will still kill you

This does not say that 'vaping will still kill you'. It doesn't say anything close.

What it says is that in a laboratory over a 48 hour period lung samples exposed to vapour caused inflammation and 'impaired activity'.

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#39
post #13

Key point from the article: "Any smoker considering e-cigarettes should switch completely without delay."

The strategy that worked for me:

1) Find a flavor of e-liquid that you like well enough to use regularly.

2) Start off at the nicotine concentration that most closely replicates your smoking habit (for me 18mg ~ 1.5 packs/day)

3) Continue vaping at each concentration for a minimum of 2-3 months to ensure you are fully acclimated to one level before proceeding to the next.

4) Slowly reduce the nicotine level over time by buying liquid with less nicotine in it. (I went 18, 12, 9, 6, 3, 0. I mixed a 50/50 concentration of 12 and 6 to make 9.)

5) The transition from 3mg to 0 will be difficult, as this is the step where you're really leaving the nicotine. It's ok if you're sucking on the vaporizer nearly constantly.

6) Once fully accustomed to 0mg, putting the vape down altogether will be the hardest part. I replaced it with sugarfree chewing gum. I was very angry for the first couple of weeks, but it got better.

For me the ability to separate the nicotine from the smoking and conquer each addiction separately was the key to success.

Re: Vaping 'can damage vital immune system cells'

#40

One thing I'm confused about with vaping: There is plenty of information about vaping w/ e-cigarettes. The negative effects and what not. However this information is not extended to vaping marijuana. I understand that e-cigs use oil/liquid of some sort. In the marijuana world there is dry herb vaping (heating the plant until it vaporizes), oil, wax, etc. I imagine some of the e-cig issues extends to marijuana for oil…

The issue with nicotine vaping is that the nicotine needs a carrier, which is usually (always?) propylene glycol. Glycol is fine to ingest, but not inhale. In addition, oil/glycol vapes produce some combustion, and glycol can produce some pretty toxic stuff when burned.

If you get unflavored oil/wax that was extracted using superfluid CO2 as a solvent, there is nothing that wasn't originally in the plant. It should be strictly no worse, and probably much better than smoking. However, the cheaper and/or flavored vape cartridges often were extracted using glycol, and thus have the same problems as nicotine vapes.

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