Vaping makes e-liquids turn into breathable particles (aerosol) for you to breathe in. These particles may contain nicotine, which can hurt brain development and cause addiction; chemicals that can cause cancer, like acrolein and formaldehyde; diacetyl, which causes lung disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung); and heavy metals, like nickel, tin and lead.
E-liquids
E-liquids (also known as e-juice or vape juice) contain a solution of propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin that can be mixed with nicotine, flavourants and other additives. When heated by an e-cigarette battery, the e-liquid turns into a vapor that the user inhales.
The e-liquids can be purchased in a range of flavours, including ones designed to appeal to kids. The liquids often have high levels of nicotine, which is addictive and can hurt the brain and heart. They may also contain toxic chemicals such as diacetyl, which can cause a serious lung condition called popcorn lung.
E-liquids vary in composition and ingredients, which makes assessing their safety difficult. However, one study found that the flavour of a given e-liquid correlated with its nicotine level and pH. Similarly, an e-liquid with the same nicotine concentration but different flavourings was found to have significantly higher or lower indicators of toxicity than another with the same nicotine level and identical base (PG only). In addition, a RF algorithm was capable of classifying most e-liquids by their flavour without prior training.
Pod devices
Pod devices (also known as pod kits or closed system vapes) are made up of two parts: a battery device that slots into empty pods filled with E-Liquid and a coil that heats the liquid to produce vapour. They’re super simple to use and perfect for first time vapers.
Most of the latest pod systems are refillable and offer a choice of pod flavours too relevant vapes to experiment with different options until they find the one that works for them. Some even come with adjustable airflow to further refine the draw, but for those looking for simplicity it might be best to opt for a model that offers a medium-tight MTL draw.
Pods are prefilled with a fixed amount of e-liquid so they’re ready to go straight out of the packet. They require very little upkeep and you can switch between different flavours as often as you like without having to worry about the coil burning out.
E-cigarettes and other ENDS
E-cigarettes and other ENDS use battery-powered devices to heat liquids into aerosols that users inhale. These liquids often contain nicotine, but they can also contain flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and other chemicals. The devices can look like conventional combustible cigarettes, cigars, pipes or USB flash drives, and some are refillable while others are disposable.
The e-liquids used in these devices can harm people’s health.
Marketing to youth
Inhaling the vapor produced by e-cigarettes exposes the lungs to nicotine, vegetable glycerin, metal and other chemicals. Studies have linked these ingredients to lung damage, like scarring and narrowing of the tubes that bring in and out of air.
Marketing to youth involves identifying the desires and needs of consumers who are younger than a certain age. Teenagers and young adults are a huge consumer demographic that spend their own money or their parents’ money on candy, food, beverages, electronics, toys, games, clothes, movies and sports gear.