Vaping is fast becoming mainstream – and depending who you talk to, it can either be a almost risk-free, cheaper alternative to cigarettes (mostly true, from experience) or even more dangerous and risky than actual cigarettes, full of formaldehyde and antifreeze, and the associated devices randomly explode without warning or cause (skewed data taken from poorly executed experiments and then blown out of proportion).
The truth is, because it is still not well studied and because it seems to be a very polarizing topic, most sources of information tend to be heavily biased – either for or against. If there is neutral source of information, I have yet to find it. That being said – there are more and more studies being done (either to prove how safe OR how dangerous it is) and the more actual information that can either prove or disprove the various concerns, the better off we all are. The more data that is available, the easier it is to compare and contrast – and find out what the truth really is.
I’ve been pondering for several months if I should actually tackle this topic or not. Do I cover the safety concerns of the actual devices? Should I dig into the benefits of nicotine (yes, you did read that correctly)? Maybe do a “Vaping 101” and do a brief overview of the various types of devices and accessories? What about covering the health risks and concerns? Then there’s the question of Why do people vape anyway? What’s the appeal?
Well, I think I’m gonna dive into it. Yes, there is a TON of information out there, and when quoting stats and figures and studies, I’ll do my best to include source links. Note, however the I’ll do my best – depression & anxiety have allowed me to peel back the layers on some long-buried creative streaks. However, memory tends to be hit-or-miss! I will certainly try so that you can verify the information for yourself .
So what finally convinced me to dive into this topic? Quite simple – over the winter I’ve gotten into the hobby of building custom vape coils. There’s a chance that I might eventually try to make some profit from it, but for now it’s a hobby that I find interesting and challenging, and relaxing. Some friends and family have been asking more and more questions about that part of it, so I was going to do a photo blog on how they’re used. Great idea, but then I thought – why not do one about the various devices first? OK, good – but what about the health or safety risks people have heard or read about? Should you put people at ease about the whole thing first? Probably!
So that’s where I’ll start. Consider this your introduction… I don’t know which topics I’ll cover, or in what order. I’ll try to cover health ‘risks’ & safety stuff in the next post of this series. I’ll cover the various devices and how they’re used. I’ll try to cover they “why” but I’ll also be open to questions – If you have them, please let me know! I’ll try to either respond directly to your question, or if it requires a longer explanation, I’ll put together a post that addresses it.
The Phoenix Narrative 