By Bretton Love
Vaping is increasingly becoming a popular trend across the world.
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, people were vaping and experts were expressing their concerns about the increasing number of vapers, especially among young people.Although the risks of smoking are well known and documented, vaping is a relatively new phenomenon. That means there are many unknowns when it comes to the side effects of vaping on human health. Nevertheless, the trend has continued to gain popularity among people of all ages across the globe.
But, this could be changing in the wake of the novel coronavirus. Everybody is affected by the coronavirus pandemic in some ways. Even where there are no major lockdowns, people are living in fear of catching the virus. Health officials all over the world are urging people to stay at home to help fight the spread of the virus. Thus, even individuals that used to hang out vaping for fun can no longer do it comfortably.
Vaping began around 2003 when e-cigarettes were introduced in the market. People that advocated for smoke-free alternatives started marketing vape mods as safe and healthy. These are devices that people use to heat the substances they want to vaporize. It can be THC, CBD oil, or wax. Unlike traditional cigarettes, these devices do not produce smoke. Thus, some people consider their use safer than smoking traditional cigarettes.
But, this claim has been refuted by many health experts. Studies have also been conducted to determine the health effects of vaping. From preliminary findings, some researchers have speculated that vaping can have the same hazards with traditional smoking.
What Experts Say about Vaping during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Health experts have warned that the exposure of the lungs to infections like flu makes the adverse effects of vaping or smoking more serious. Smoking has been associated with higher chances of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in individuals with risk factors for non-pulmonary sepsis, severe infection, or blunt trauma.
Research has shown that individuals with any cotinine, a nicotine metabolite, in the body have a substantially higher risk for acute respiratory failure due to ARDS. And, this is the case even for those with low levels of cotinine that is linked to secondhand smoke.
Vaping and smoking marijuana or tobacco products can damage the lungs. And the lungs are the major body part that the novel coronavirus targets and damages. This implies that vaping can lead to more COVID-19 complications. Consequently, health officials across the world are urging individuals to quit vaping, even temporarily. Others are urging governments to ban the sales of vapes for a while.
Essentially, even using the best vape mod doesn’t help in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. That because vaping can weaken the lungs and make a person more likely to experience complications if they catch the virus. As such, the best approach is to avoid vaping or smoking, even if it just during the coronavirus pandemic.
In most cases, people that develop complications from this virus have underlying health conditions. Such conditions can include heart disease and lung disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention performed a preliminary investigation involving 7,000 people. According to this investigation, 78% of the patients that have gone to intensive care units and 94% of those hospitalized and died suffered at least one significant health problem.
Vaping can Compromise the Lungs Significantly
Research on whether smoking and vaping increase the risk of developing COVID-19 complications is only beginning. But, preliminary investigations have revealed that people with a smoking or vaping history are 14 times more likely to develop diseases like pneumonia. This alone should be a scare for those smoking or vaping during the coronavirus pandemic.
What’s more, reports from those with respiratory symptoms, such as e-cigarette users, suggest an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, as well as, delayed recovery. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was clear that even using the best box mods could cause an inflammation response by the lungs. Therefore, adding the coronavirus infection to vaping can be disastrous.
Experts say that smoking and vaping kill or impair cilia. These are hair-like projections on the airway cells. The role of these projections is to help the body in clearing infectious agents and particulate matter. When cilia are killed or impaired by smoking or vaping, the lung’s capacity is diminished. That’s why the outcome can be deadly if coronavirus strikes a person that has been smoking or using even the best box mod for a long time.
When a person gets COVID, it starts to cause interstitial pneumonia. The swelling starts to occur between air sacs. Their efficiency for oxygen uptake diminishes in the lungs. A person with a 100% normal function of the lungs can survive with supplemental oxygen if the disease cuts it by half. However, a long-term vaper or smoker whose vital lung capacity is at only 60% can have a serious problem if the disease cuts it by half.
Vaping Rituals Can Open the Door to the Novel Coronavirus
A person’s hands hold their e-cigarette or device when vaping. And, fingers keep going back and forth to the nose, mouth, and eyes. These are the major entry points for the virus into the body.
Additionally, using the best vape mod for clouds is mostly a social activity. That means individuals gather to enjoy the vaping experience. But, health officials are constantly asking people to maintain a safe social distance of at least 6 feet apart.
Additionally, many vapers and smokers tend to cough more than non-smokers. They can also breathe out a heavy vapor or smoke. This vapor or smoke can disperse respiratory droplets that are infectious into the air.
Originally, health officials warned that the virus could be transmitted through sneezing or coughing. However, they have now suggested that COVID-19 could be spread through breathing. As such, exhaling plumes from even the best box mod vape can be a potential risk. A person can enter a room after a vaper has left the space and be exposed to the infectious droplets that might still be suspended in the air.
The Bottom Line
It’s easy to think that using the best mods is a safer alternative to smoking during the coronavirus pandemic. However, preliminary research has shown otherwise. Just like smoking, vaping can cause lung damage, thereby increasing the risk of developing complications if somebody gets the virus. What’s more, some vaping rituals increase the risk of catching the virus. Thus, even using the best vape mods during the coronavirus pandemic has its risks.
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