What are vapes?

"Vapes" usually refer to electronic cigarettes, which are electronic devices powered by a battery that heats a specially prepared liquid to produce aerosol (often mistakenly called "steam") for inhalation by the user.

It is often promoted as a substitute for traditional cigarettes, but it is by no means harmless. Commonly seen "Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)", "Electronic Vitamin Sticks", "Steam Fruit Sticks", etc., are essentially all types of electronic cigarettes.

⚙️ Working Principle and Composition
An electronic cigarette is mainly composed of a battery, an atomizer (heating element), and a cartridge (containing the smoke liquid). Its working principle is as follows:

Start-up: When the user inhales, the airflow sensor activates the battery, or the switch is pressed directly.

Heating: The battery powers the atomizer, which begins to heat the smoke oil in the cartridge.

Atomization: The heated smoke oil is transformed into aerosol.

Inhalation: The user inhales the aerosol through the mouthpiece.

Components of the Smoke Liquid (E-liquid)
The aerosol produced by electronic cigarettes is not harmless steam; its smoke liquid typically contains the following components:

Nicotine: The main addictive substance.

Solvents: Such as propylene glycol and glycerin, serving as the vaporization medium, can account for up to 80-90%.

Flavorings: Used to create various flavors.

⚠️ Main Health Risks
Electronic cigarettes bring multiple health risks:

High addiction: Nicotine is highly addictive.

Damage to the brain of teenagers: Nicotine can damage the development of teenagers' brains, potentially leading to learning disabilities and anxiety.

Respiratory system damage: Increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, etc. Some flavorings (such as diacetyl) can cause severe lung diseases.

Cardiovascular system harm: Causes cardiovascular damage.

Carcinogenic risk: The aerosol contains carcinogens such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.

Heavy metal content in aerosol: Contains arsenic, chromium, nickel, etc., heavy metals.

Lung damage (EVALI): A serious type of lung damage related to electronic cigarettes.