Short-Term Effects of Vaping JUUL
A JUUL is a brand of electronic cigarette or vape pen which has now gained appeal primarily because of its covert appearance and potent flavour. JUULs can have several negative effects, such as headaches, sore throats, and coughing. Health issues are also related to a longer use.
The hazards associated with JUULs and other vape pens should be acknowledged, even though they are less dangerous than cigarettes. They are not a secure cigarette substitute since they contain nicotine and numerous other substances.
A rising number of towns and states are enacting legislation forbidding vapes in public institutions of higher learning, public transit, and smoke-free places.
The negative side effects of JUUL and comparable devices are one of their main worries.
This post will examine more closely the possible health concerns associated with vaping devices like the JUUL, what they include, and potential health problem signs.
WHAT IS A JUUL?
A JUUL is an electronic cigarette that neither fire nor smoke delivers nicotine to the lungs. The gadget is long and narrow and resembles a pen or USB flash drive in certain ways.
There are many names for electronic cigarettes, including e-cigs, vaping devices, electronic nicotine delivery systems, and vaping pens.
Since they were only available in the U.S. market in 2007, you probably only knew one person who used them twelve years ago. However, they gained popularity very rapidly.
Some medical professionals have noted that vaping can help people stop smoking regular cigarettes. However, many people, including politicians, are worried about the health hazards that come with e-cigarettes, such as the JUUL Labs products.
Even though many people now refer to vape pens made by other manufacturers as JUUL, the term refers to a specific type of e-cigarette that JUUL Labs manufactures. JUULs and other vaping devices like them have a heating element and a nicotine-containing liquid supply, similar to other e-cigarettes. When you turn on the device, the vape juice turns into vapour, which is then inhaled to deliver the tobacco to the lungs.
DOES A JUUL POD CONTAIN NICOTINE?
JUULs are made to deliver nicotine faster than other e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes because they contain a considerable amount of nicotine in each puff. All JUUL pods and the majority of e-cigarettes contain nicotine in their e-liquid. However, the amounts vary. On occasion, product labels omit to state the actual nicotine amount.
16 out of 26 patient samples tested positive for nicotine metabolites during the CDC examination. Each JUUL refill pod has the same nicotine as 20-pack-sized cigarettes.
The American Cancer Society claims that JUUL and items similar to JUUL could be more addictive than other e-cigarettes.
NICOTINE ADDICTION SHORT TERM EFFECTS
Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. JUUL and the majority of vapes contain nicotine. It becomes harder to stop using nicotine as you vape since your body and brain become acclimated to it. When you stop vaping, your bloodstream's amount of nicotine lowers, which may result in uncomfortable emotions, symptoms, and strong impulses to vape. This is nicotine addiction.
Nicotine causes an immediate "kick" that is partially brought on by the drug's stimulation of the adrenal glands and subsequent release of epinephrine (adrenaline).
The adrenaline surge stimulates the body, which raises the heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rates. Nicotine stimulates the brain's reward circuits, which control reinforcement and pleasure perception, just like other substances do.
Nicotine quickly reaches its peak blood levels and enters the brain when tobacco is smoked. As a result, a person who smokes around one pack (20 cigarettes) each day gives their brain 200 "hits" of nicotine daily. An average smoker will light a cigarette and take ten puffs over around 5 minutes.
Smokers who do not inhale smoke, such as those who smoke cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco, are more slowly able to achieve their peak blood and brain levels because nicotine is absorbed through oral mucous membranes.
Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms
The fact that nicotine is equally addictive as heroin may surprise you. Dependence on it poses a threat to maturing adolescent brains in particular.
People find it challenging to stop smoking nicotine once they start because it is addictive. Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal include:
- Intense cravings
- Insomnia
- Anxiety and irritability
- Restlessness and difficulty concentrating
- Toxic Substances
- Constipation or diarrhea
HEART RISKS
Although e-cigarettes may be considered safer than regular cigarettes, two recent studies indicate that they are just as dangerous—if not more so—for your heart.
According to one study, vaping can aggravate several heart disease risk factors at a level comparable to smoking conventional cigarettes:
- Cholesterol
- Triglycerides
- Glucose levels
The second study examined cardiac blood flow before and after smoking e-cigarettes or conventional cigarettes in 19 smokers aged 24 to 32.
The study found that blood flow in smokers of traditional cigarettes somewhat increased after inhalation at rest and subsequently slightly decreased with subsequent stress. In contrast, in users of electronic cigarettes, blood flow fell after inhalation at rest and following handgrip stress.
In September 2021, a team led by Gustaf Lyytinen, a physician at Helsingborg Hospital and scientist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, will deliver a brand-new study. They discovered that using nicotine-containing e-cigarettes increases the risk of blood clots, damages small blood vessels, and raises blood pressure and heart rate among users. The researchers pointed out the significance of this effect on blood clots, given that it has been shown to eventually result in narrowed and clogged blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
JUUL AND OTHER E-CIGARETTES COMPARISON
The appearance of vaping equipment can vary slightly from one another. However, it all functions the same way. A heating element warms a nicotine solution, creating a vapour that the user inhales into their lungs.
JUUL is merely the name of a single type of electronic cigarette. They resemble USB flash devices and are compact.
Users can even charge their devices by plugging them into a computer, like inserting a USB flash drive. They can be readily concealed in a pocket or bag.
Between 2015 and 2017, the researchers discovered that JUUL grew from a small business to the biggest retail business of e-cigarettes in the United States. Presently, it controls over 70% of the American market.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rise in e-cigarette use between 2017 and 2018 is probably due to well-known devices like JUUL.
The selection of flavoured nicotine products is frequently mentioned as why JUUL is so popular among young people.
SUBSTANCES PRESENT IN JUUL VAPES
The majority of individuals are aware that regular cigarettes contain nicotine. However, not everybody is mindful that e-cigarettes also accomplish this.
Nicotine
Many teenagers and young people are unaware that electronic cigarettes contain this addictive chemical.
Sixty-three percent of persons between the ages of 15 and 24 didn't know that the solutions in JUUL pods contained nicotine, according to a 2019 study published in Tobacco Control.
Although JUUL Labs claims that the liquid inside JUUL pods is a secret blend, we know that nicotine is there. In addition to containing nicotine, some pods contain more nicotine than other varieties of e-cigarettes.
Some JUUL pods have a nicotine content of 5% by weight. That costs twice as much as a lot of other e-cigarette varieties.
The risk of taking a nicotine-containing substance is that consumers may get dependent on it and find it difficult to break the habit.
Additionally, you risk developing withdrawal symptoms if you attempt to stop using a nicotine-containing substance. If you can't get your fix on vaping, you could feel extremely angry, worried, or even melancholy.
Other Substances
In addition to nicotine, a typical JUUL pod formula contains the following ingredients:
- Benzoic Acid - It is a preservative that is frequently added to food.
- Propylene Glycol and Glycerine - Once the solution heats up, these carrier solvents produce a transparent vapor.
- Flavourings - These are probably a combination of synthetic and natural materials. JUUL does not disclose the ingredients in all of its flavourings.
IS JUULING BETTER THAN SMOKING CIGARETTES?
One vaping session can give more nicotine to the lungs than smoking one cigarette, according to a recent study by the American Thoracic Society.
Your lungs are exposed to more nicotine when you vape, especially with nicotine. Comparatively speaking to conventional smoke, it takes longer to enter the bloodstream. There is more mucus than usual, which the body finds challenging to eliminate.
The study's authors discovered that using nicotine-containing e-cigarettes made it harder to remove mucus. When you vape, hazardous substances enter your lungs and become more difficult to expel inside your body.
The new 2021 study revealed that nicotine, which can be found in traditional and electronic cigarettes, can cause heart attacks and strokes. Thus, we shouldn't view e-cigarettes as something safer than cigarettes.
The outcomes also revealed that smoking traditional cigarettes and using nicotine-containing e-cigarettes have comparable effects on the body.
SECONDHAND JUUL SMOKE EXPOSURE
The smoke that comes from a typical cigarette floats across the atmosphere. Nearby individuals inhale the smoke. We refer to this as secondhand smoke. Anyone who breathes it in could suffer health effects.
E-cigarettes don't emit smoke. Secondhand aerosol is a more appropriate term for the "secondhand smoke" produced by a JUUL or other vaping devices.
Even while e-cigarettes like the JUUL produce more vapour than smoke, there are frequently dangerous substances released into the atmosphere.
The aerosol vapour has been shown to contain silicate particles, heavy metals, volatile chemical compounds, and nicotine in addition to nicotine. These toxins can become stuck in your lungs and endanger your health if you breathe them in.
Although additional long-term research is required, some preliminary studies indicate that the nicotine in cigarette smoke may also damage cells and cause cancer.
SEE A DOCTOR IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING THESE EFFECTS
Make sure to schedule a visit with your doctor if you use a JUUL device or another kind of e-cigarette if you've noticed any of the following symptoms:
- Weezing
- Coughing
- Worsening mild symptoms
Immediately seek medical help if you experience the following:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
These symptoms could indicate the onset of a potentially hazardous disease like acute respiratory distress syndrome. Your lungs may suffer substantial harm as a result of this illness.
If EVALI is determined to be your condition, you might undergo various tests and treatments involving corticosteroids. Most likely, your doctor will advise you to stop vaping in the future.
TIPS FOR REDUCING SIDE EFFECTS
Giving up can be challenging. To successfully quit takes a lot of effort.
Consider using the following techniques if you want to lessen the negative effects of vaping while continuing to use it or as you taper to quit:
- Change to a less-nicotine-containing solution.
- Change to a tobacco-flavored solution instead of a fruit- or mint-flavored one, as the former may not be as tempting.
- Use a nicotine-free solution.
HOW TO QUIT USING JUULING
You don't have to go alone if you're ready to stop JUULing. Experts advise visiting your doctor for assistance in quitting vaping. Resources are accessible. When quitting e-cigarettes, many people find support groups and helplines beneficial. Sometimes all it takes to help you quit smoking permanently is to know that someone else recognises and shares your struggle.
CAN I MINIMIZE THE SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF VAPING?
It is not possible to vape safely. While nicotine-flavored e-liquids or vape juice may be more dangerous than those without it, it also contains other deadly aerosolized substances.
Although giving up vaping can be challenging, you don't have to do it alone. Quitting is the best approach to reducing the negative effects of vaping. Local programs in your state might support you.
SAFER OPTIONS
The best way to prevent the negative effects of vaping is to stop using it completely. The method is comparable to how you would stop smoking regular cigarettes.
- Create a plan to assist you in quitting and set a target quit date.
- Find techniques to avoid your triggers by becoming aware of them.
- Invite family or close friends to assist you.
- For assistance quitting, consult a physician or a counselor for smoking cessation. Even texting apps exist to assist you in stopping.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Many short-term and long-term consequences of using e-cigarettes, including JUUL vaping devices, remain unknown. But based on what we do know thus far, you should proceed cautiously when dealing with them.
Don't start using one if you don't already. If you use one and begin to have new symptoms, stop using it immediately and schedule an appointment with your doctor.