Why do people vape? 10 main reasons

Vape pens have become extremely popular among teenagers and are now the most commonly used form of nicotine among teenagers in the United States.

You may really be wondering why e-cigarettes are so popular among teenagers. Why do people vape? Does it actually feel good or does it give you a high?

In this article, we'll explore some of the most common reasons why people start vaping. Starting from health, taste, saving money, quitting smoking or quitting altogether, etc.

Here you will find facts about vaping, based on scientific knowledge and research.

Understanding the benefits, side effects, and personal preferences will help you make an informed decision that aligns with your goals and values.

What is vaping? How do vapes work?

Vaping is the use of an electronic device (e-cigarette) to heat liquids, creating vapor that is then inhaled.

E-cigarettes (often called vape pens) are battery-powered vapor devices with a heating element (atomizer with a coil) that heat a liquid until it becomes an aerosol (mist) that is inhaled.

The main ingredients of e-cigarette juices are nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavors and other chemical substances. Other medications such as cannabis oil can also be vaporized.

Some e-cigarettes are disposable and designed for one-time use. Others can be refilled with liquid, the battery charged and used over and over again.

Some people buy prefilled vape cartridges. Others buy a bottle of liquid and refill the vape as needed.

Vapes come in different designs and appearances. Regardless, these devices generally function in a similar manner and are made up of similar components.

The number of vape brands sold online is large and the variety of flavors is breathtaking: more than 460 brands and 7700 flavors.

Read more: What is vaping? Advantages? Side effects? How does it work?

Why do people vape? 8 common reasons

There are many reasons why people vape.

1. Nicotine addiction

Nicotine is the main active ingredient in conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes and is highly addictive.

Repeated use of nicotine vapes can lead to addiction, in which the brain relies on the regular release of dopamine from the nicotine to feel pleasure or excitement.

It causes you to feel a craving for vaping and suffer withdrawal symptoms if you ignore the craving.

E-cigarettes are incredibly addictive and have incredibly high nicotine levels.

2. Relaxation/stress relief

A large majority of young people who have used e-cigarettes began vaping because of feelings of stress, anxiety, or depression, and many continue to smoke to cope with these feelings.

Nicotine produces an immediate feeling of relaxation that can help reduce anxiety, depression and stress, leaving you feeling calm and relaxed.

3. Be safer and quit smoking

Cigarettes release thousands of different chemicals when burned – many are toxic and up to 70 cause cancer, including tar, carbon monoxide and more.

Nicotine vaping is not risk-free, but it is significantly 95% less harmful than smoking because the vapor aerosol does not contain most of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke.

When vaping, you inhale a vapor that is typically gentler and cooler than cigarette smoke. It doesn't have the harshness or heat of smoke and is therefore easy on the throat and lungs.

E-cigarettes are one of the most effective ways to quit smoking. You're about twice as likely to quit smoking when you use a nicotine vaper compared to other nicotine replacement products like patches or gum.

The feeling of vaping is very similar to the feeling of inhaling a cigarette. Aside from the feeling of nicotine in your throat, vaping also offers the hand-to-mouth routine, just like smoking a cigarette.

4. Lots of appealing flavors

The flavors (such as watermelon, grape, caramel, bubblegum, vanilla and mint) and colorful packaging used for e-cigarettes make them attractive.

Some research shows that many teens don't even know that e-cigarette cartridges contain nicotine and assume the capsules only contain flavoring.

5. Social influences

Some students reported that they used e-cigarettes because their friends or family members used them. They are pressured by their peers to try it and keep doing it, and then they become addicted to it and struggle to stop.

Having a lot of people around you who are constantly vaping is a big draw for people who want to try vaping to find out what it's all about.

Vaping is a social activity. Vapers will be in the club and can meet as many friends by going outside and smoking.

6. Practical, discreet and no smell

Vaping secretly has never been easier. Vapes are compact and are now manufactured to look like USB sticks, pens, smartphone cases and smartwatches.

This makes it look cool and easy to hide. It also leaves no lingering odor on clothing or the environment in which you vape, making it easy to consume behind parents' backs or in the schoolyard.

7. Vape Marketing and Advertising

Widespread advertising of e-cigarettes has contributed to youth vaping. E-cigarette companies place advertisements in retail stores, streaming services, magazines, the Internet, social media, etc., and cooperate with KOl for advertising.

Social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook predominantly show vaping in a positive light. This message creates the impression that the use of e-cigarettes is widespread and socially accepted.

8. Weight control

Many people who vape, particularly women, report that weight control is a motive for vaping.

Nicotine is a good appetite suppressant and has long been used for weight loss.

Vaping is also a behavioral alternative to food.

Read more: Does vaping make you lose weight?

9. Get more nicotine in one hit

You can absorb more nicotine in one puff than smoking a cigarette. It's actually kind of crazy and a little frightening.

Generally, a smoker absorbs between 1 milligram and 2 mg of nicotine from a single cigarette. This means that you can inhale 20 to 40 mg from a pack of 20 tobacco cigarettes.

As a rough estimate, puffs from a disposable vaporizer with a nicotine strength of 5% or 20 mg/ml could equal 2 ml of juice to about a pack of cigarettes.

It is also completely unregulated; some of the e-cigarette pens have been proven to contain ten times the amount of nicotine as advertised.

Learn more: How much nicotine is in an e-cigarette? Compared to cigarettes

10. Save money

Switching to vaping can save you a lot of money: even with the cost of the device and e-liquids, you can save over 80% every year.

On average, a pack of cigarettes costs around $8 in the United States, depending on the brand and location.

For a smoker who smokes a pack a day, this means a monthly expense of about $240 and an annual cost of $2,920.

Prices for starter vape kits can range from around $20 to over $100, depending on the brand, model, and features.

E-liquids come in a variety of flavors and nicotine strengths, with prices ranging from $10 to $30 per bottle.

If they switched to vaping, they could spend about $50 per month on e-liquids and coils, an annual cost of $600.

Is vaping harmful? The side effects of vaping

Vaping is far less harmful than smoking. But they are not risk-free, there are health risks and we don't yet know their long-term effects.

1. Dangerous chemicals

Vaping exposes the lungs and body to a variety of harmful chemicals, which has negative health effects and is linked to lung and heart disease.

The vapor carries toxins like diacetyl, cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to your lungs and throughout your body.

Discover more: Why does vaping give me a cough? How do you get rid of it?

2. Lung injury

E-cigarettes produce a number of dangerous chemicals, including acetaldehyde, acrolein and formaldehyde.

These aldehydes can cause lung diseases such as cough, asthma, acute lung injury (EVALI), COPD and even lung cancer.

Also read: Does e-cigarettes cause lung damage and cancer? The Ultimate Guide

3. Affects brain development

The increasing use of e-cigarettes, particularly among young people, is a dangerous trend with real health risks. In particular, keep in mind that e-cigarettes contain higher levels of nicotine than cigarettes.

Nicotine can impair the development of a teenager or young person's brain and cause long-term damage to their mind and body.

Research shows that nicotine affects brain function, attention and memory.

4. Nitotin addiction

More and more teenagers are smoking, putting themselves at risk of becoming addicted to nicotine.

The concentrated content in e-cigarettes leads to greater nicotine dependence.

E-cigarettes are not suitable for children or non-smokers. When you stop vaping, you may experience withdrawal symptoms.

Diploma

People start vaping for various reasons ranging from nicotine addiction, health, taste, social reasons, saving money to quitting smoking.

Vaping offers a pleasurable experience that replaces the craving for a cigarette.

It is safer than smoking. When vaping, consumers are exposed to far fewer toxins and in smaller quantities than when smoking cigarettes.

It is extremely easy, discreet and convenient to perform, can be done indoors without any smell and does not cost as much as traditional procedures.

If you are thinking about quitting cigarettes and switching to vaping, or for any other reason, we hope this article helps you get started on the right path.

However, vaping is not completely safe and we only recommend it to adult smokers to aid in smoking cessation and cessation.