What Do ‘Vaping’ and ‘Vaper’ Mean?
Most importantly, “vaping”is an alternative to smoking. It is defined as the act of inhaling vapor through an electronic cigarette or personal vaporizer. There is no combustion in electronic cigarettes, so therefore no hazardous smoke. Instead, e-cigs use a heating element known as an atomizer, powered by a lithium-ion battery, to vaporize a liquid concoction of propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerin (VG), food-grade flavorings and/or nicotine, called e-liquid. Inhaling the vapor resulted from activating the e-cigarette is called vaping.
Vaping is often touted as safer, and therefore healthier than smoking, and there are a number of scientific studies that back up this claim, as well as anecdotal evidence, but it is NOT proven to be 100% safe. PG is generally recognized as safe, but it is a known irritant and can cause allergic reactions. Contrary to popular belief, nicotine is not the most dangerous substance in tobacco cigarettes, but it is a stimulant that raises blood pressure and heart rate in humans.
Please be careful and practice vaping responsably!
Similar to how the term “smoker” is used to describe a person who uses tobacco cigarettes, the word “vaper” refers to a person who uses electronic cigarettes.