What’s the Deal With Vape?
Over the last few years, a new form of smoking has become more popular, but it’s not called smoking; it’s vaping and the vape nation is growing in numbers every day.
As popular as these nifty little devices are, many people still have no clue what vape really is. A vape consists of a few main parts, starting with the mod or the piece of the vape pen where a user can control all the settings such as wattage and resistance, which in turn change the amount of power the vape is producing.
The next piece of the vape pen are the batteries, which are very self-explanatory, but they are placed in the mod to give it power. Finally, the tank on a vape pen has a few smaller pieces, such as the atomizer that has the cotton and coils that absorb the juice and then heat it up changing it to a vapor.
Another thing needed to make a vape work is fuel for the tank, or in this case something called E-juice. The “juice” for vape is made up of a few ingredients such as a PG (propylene glycol) or VG (vegetable glycerin) base, nicotine (if wanted), water, and flavorings. Through this combination, it creates a liquid that can be heated up and turned to a vapor. This vapor is also flavored depending on what kind is purchased
Now that this idea is evolving and gaining popularity, retailers are creating new and different flavors, giving buyers an extensive variety. The last choice with juice is either nicotine or no nicotine in the juice. Often people who are using vapes to quit cigarettes will start with a high amount of nicotine in their juice and slowly lower it to eventually none.
Vapes are a great alternative to smoking cigarettes, causing many people to switch over. Vape Ranks says upcoming quarter sales for the tobacco industry are going to be about 4.5% down and they believe this decline is due to the rising popularity of vaping. Vape Ranks News says the overall growth in the US, “…could reach $1 billion in sales in 2013, more than double the $300 – $500 million registered in 2012. According to the Wells Fargo Research, 100% of the surveyed tobacco resellers and wholesalers, representing over 45,000 U.S. convenience stores, are now selling electronic cigarettes, and 98% of them reported growing sales in the first quarter of this year by an average of 30%.”
An anonymous RMHS senior said, “Well, I vape and I personally do it because I used to smoke cigarettes and this has helped me get away from that. I also enjoy that it has a good smell and flavor.” He went on to say, “I certainly don’t think it’s good for me, but I do believe that it is better for me than cigarettes.”
People assume that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative to smoking, but there are still risks. New animal data suggests vaping may pose immune system risks and possibly behavioral and reproductive risks for the children of women who vape during pregnancy, showing that vapes are not just a magical, harmless alternative.
This new fad that seems to be going nowhere but up. While vaping hasn’t been around for too long and doesn’t have very much long term research on it, it does appear to be better for the consumer than cigarettes, due to the lack of extra added chemicals. In addition, it is clearly is helping people kick the cigarette habit.
Gunnar Anderson is a senior at Rocky Mountain High school who is involved in Wrestling, being one of the team captains he has high expectations for his...
Brendan Gartzka • Mar 1, 2018 at 9:28 am
Great article, well written. Don’t Juul in Schuul.
chaya • Dec 14, 2017 at 9:28 am
Very good points made and very well writen
Hayden Henckel • Apr 27, 2017 at 9:20 am
I know that this helps a lot of people to stop smoking cigarattes but it is still an etremely nasty habit that needs to stop
robert harvey • Mar 11, 2017 at 1:13 am
as a simple layperson it has always surprised me that some people worry about what “might” be bad for you if you use e-cigs, from day one common sense told me that the few chemicals known to be in e-juice was far less then the several thousand in cigarettes, then come the news that uk gov had stated that e-cigs were at least 95% safer then smoking and I thought surely this will quell peoples fears, more recently we find that ex-smokers who vape have 97% less toxins then smokers so surely this will change peoples opinions, finally comes the report that the final 3% of toxins is also present in people who have never smoked or vaped presumably from the food we eat and the air we breath, so my question is what is there to be afraid of with e-cigs, you might just as well fear the food on you plate and I don’t see anyone calling for that to be regulated and taxed into oblivion like e-cigs are getting from certain sectors.
Gunnar Anderson • Mar 21, 2017 at 1:14 am
Good points!