The Truth Behind Recent Lung Illness Outbreak: Is vaping to blame?

You’ve probably heard the news about what’s being called a “crisis” around vaping and the potentially harmful effects of vaping. It’s escalated to a point where even the president is considering taking action around restricting access to vape juices. If you vape, then you may have felt a little anxiety over what might be one of your favorite little hobbies. That’s understandable, but it’s important to make sure you have all the facts so you can make a smart choice and calculate risk as accurately as you can.

With that in mind, let’s go over a few things you should know going forward as a vaper, because the problem may be more avoidable than the media is implying at this point. Here are a few points you should understand as a vaper.

Never buy black market

One of the biggest advantages to buying directly from a retailer is that you get much more insight into how the product was made. A bootleg vape juice that came from an unlicensed extractor could be filled with all kinds of harmful chemicals. That’s where many of those afflicted with this lung disease have gotten their vape juice, which is part of why it’s so difficult to figure out what is causing this illness: we don’t know exactly what these people have consumed.

Everything you find here at VaporDNA is going to be directly from reputable brands you can trust for quality and safety. You can’t say that for certain about anything that’s homemade. Protect yourself and shop at only legitimate storefronts.

Because of the legal gray area that cannabis resides in the United States, you’re much more likely to find THC vape juices on the black market than you are nicotine products. This means that black market buyers have no insight to the quality of the extraction or the starting material that was extracted. With no regulations to ensure this quality, it’s much easier for moldy cannabis or the use of dangerous pesticides that end up in the final product. This can leave behind harmful chemicals that lead to the kind of illness we’re seeing reported now.

And, again, because of this legal gray area, people are less likely to tell their doctors that they are using a chemical that’s illegal in their state. This misinforms medical professionals and it makes vaporizing the easy scapegoat for what is likely due to a much more specific issue with the extraction of the e-juice.

Only vaporize safe compounds

While vaporizing itself is safe, it all comes down to what chemicals are being vaporized in this context. The nicotine and CBD vapes you find here are going to be safe for vaporizing. Problems start to arise when people vape things like THC or vitamin E acetate. These compounds can be extremely volatile when exposed to the high temperatures it requires to properly vaporize an e-juice, which can cause the issues you’re seeing reported in the news lately.

 Not all vape juices are made equal. Some manufacturers are going to cut some corners to save on the cost of making these devices. Sometimes that means using a cheaper metal that doesn’t respond well to high heat. Some of these metals can give off small amounts of toxic vapor that can be harmful to the lungs. Sometimes it’s worth it to spend a bit more for higher quality devices and components not just for a better vaping experience, but for your own health.

There is also cause for concern around the cutting agents manufacturers use to make their product vapable in the first place. Most people are aware of the PG/VG balance that every vape juice is going to create. These chemicals, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, are safe to consume. These are not the only cutting agents that manufacturers can use, however, even if that’s how it should be done. Now more than ever, it’s important that these other chemicals get tested for their safety to humans when vaporized, and that any unsafe compounds be regulated appropriately in the future.

Always ask questions

Whether you’re shopping here at VaporDNA or at your local vape shop down the block, never be afraid to get all the information you need. The person behind the counter is there to answer your questions, as does our customer service department. If you’re unsure about a certain cutting agent or what metal a certain device is made with, there’s no harm in just asking the question to either set your mind at ease or purchase a different device.

Don’t vape with a known lung condition

Some of the victims of this lung disease already had a condition that was compounded by their vaping habit. Quite simply, this was a bad idea from the start. If you know your lungs are already in a fragile or weakened state, whether it be from an illness or an injury, you absolutely should not be vaporizing in the first place.

Still better than smoking

While there are a number of problems to iron out in the recent surge in vaporizing across the world, it’s important to remember that as recently as this year, studies have shown that vaporizing is up to 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco. And, in fact, vaporizing your nicotine has become an effective way for people to get away from smoking. So, while the recent findings are worth looking into and responding to, it’s still a bad idea to go back to smoking and all the toxins and tar that comes along with it. Whether you choose to keep vaping or not, stay away from cigarettes.

The blame game is likely going to continue moving in circles for the next few months, but we believe it’s important to consider all the facts and decide what you should really be afraid of. The vape industry is likely to see some changes in the near future, we just hope that those changes come from a perspective that’s considering all the relevant information.

Read More: 10 REAL POWERFUL VAPING STORIES FROM OUR CUSTOMERS

by VAPORDNA