Countless tobacco smokers have indeed switched to tobacco-free smoking, also known as vaping. They make this health-conscious decision to eliminate tar and carcinogens accumulated in their internal organs and systems while fulfilling nicotine cravings more healthily.
Thus, it is common for most people to believe that vaping is a harmless alternative that requires no regulation. Well, this is not true. Vaping is less harmful than tobacco smoking and has its side effects. While most of them are induced by the vaping ingredients, there is a self-induced side effect.
This is the effect of chain vaping, which is similar to chain-smoking. All those who have smoked must be familiar with what does it mean to be a chain smoker. Just as smokers have questions regarding it, vapers too have queries such as “Am I a chain vaper?”, “Do I vape excessively?” and “How bad chain vaping can be?” So, let’s read the answers to all these questions in this post.
Introduction to Chain Vaping
If you have been a chain smoker, you perhaps know what it means to be a chain vaper. Those who do not know about chain-smoking may have seen smokers who consume another cigarette right after having one, just in a chain-like way.
Indeed, the typical chain smokers have another cigarette instantly after the first one without waiting even for a second. This also applies to chain vaping. Replacing smoke with vapor and vaping in a chain means to puff e-liquid almost continuously from the vaping device without waiting or putting it down.
If you vape almost regularly throughout the day, you might be a chain vaper. Nevertheless, if you light up your e-cig but do not light it up constantly, you are not a chain vaper. This is comparable to lighting a cigarette, keeping it in an ashtray for some time, and then light another one. This is simply not chaining.
In chain vaping, you are continually puffing from the e-device. However, unlike with cigarettes wherein it is clear to find out how many cigarettes are smoked and how many are left, things with vaping are quite subtle.
Many vapers ask, “How much vaping is excessive for your health?” So, how can you find out whether you are chain vaping or not? While an experienced smoker knows who many cigarettes are too much for their health, a vaper will find it difficult to set the vaping limits.
If you cannot put your vaping equipment down and inhale using it every 5-10 seconds without taking any break in between, it means you may be a chain vaper.
Many people consider vaping better than smoking, but a few of them regrettably became a chain vaper. Thus, you are likely to be a chain vaper if you believe that vaping is harmless, even if it is to be done all the time.
Risks of Chain Vaping
Before revealing the risks of chain vaping, it is essential to know that there is not much research done in this area. Thus, there is a lack of scientific data, although the World Wide Web is proliferated with tons of information regarding the potential vaping risks.
First of all, you need to know that vaping e-liquids having nicotine has more probable threats than vaping those without nicotine. It is also a fact that it can be tough for a beginner to vape to control its nicotine consumption.
If you vape non-stop throughout the day using a PG-high nicotine e-liquid, it means you are consuming nicotine and Propylene Glycol (PG) in high quantities through vapor. This can trigger the following health hazards:
- Dehydration: Vaping can cause dehydration due to its high PG content. PG is a hygroscopic substance, which indicates that it attaches to the body’s water molecules. When you vape it, the substance will soak up water from your mouth, nose, and eyes. This is evident in terms of evaporation. Some common vaping-based dehydration symptoms are sore throat, dry mouth, dry eyes, headache, fatigue, intense thirst, and constipation. As it depends on the sensitivity and bio composition of a person for this effect, not all vapers will experience it. Nevertheless, chain vapers are at the highest risk due to high PG intake and more vaping hours. Thus, consuming lots of liquids is essential to stay hydrated.
- Allergies / Sensitivity: This is a common side effect seen in vapers. One of the main reasons for allergies in chain vapers is being allergic to PG. Most vapers are mildly sensitive to this ingredient, although a severe one is possible. In most cases, the signs of PG sensitivity are similar to those of dehydration and usually co-exist. Vapers have also experienced sensitivity to other ingredients such as Vegetable Glycerin (VG). You should not take this side effect lightly and must change the e-liquid in use in case of any doubt.
- Vaper’s Tongue: This is another common side effect of vaping and is frequently associated with dehydration. In this symptom, the taste buds become dull, and tongue and the mouth become too dry. In most cases, this effect is an outcome of too much vaping not backed by adequate intake of fluids.
- Nicotine Poisoning: It is common for beginner vapers who have left smoking to consume nicotine in high quantities to fulfill their cravings. However, this nicotine overdose can trigger the side effect of nicotine poisoning. Some people that nicotine overdose is not possible, but the fact is that it is possible when you cross the threshold. However, the possibility of it happening is trivial. The predicted lower dose to form an overdose is in the range of 500 to 1000 mg, which is a big quantity that is rarely consumed through vaping. Thus, to overdose, 40 ml of a nicotine-rich e-liquid in a normal 12mg/ml device is required to be consumed. When consumed, nicotine is absorbed quite quickly. Thus, a chain vaper will consume the full 40 ml at one go, which is rare. Still, if you continue to vape ahead of the threshold, nicotine poisoning is likely to be experienced to some extent, at least. Its symptoms include diarrhea, anxiety, confusion, more salivation, stomach cramps, and headache. More critical signs are coma, seizures, slow heart rates, and even respiratory failure. Thus, it is best to vape an e-liquid with no nicotine if you were addicted to tobacco smoking before quitting.
Apart from these health threats, chain vaping can trigger another danger, which is burned coils. It is the primary reason why vape coils tend to burn.
When you do not take a break or take too short breaks between the puffs (each less than 20 seconds), the wicking of your coil does not get time to absorb sufficient e-liquid. This is likely to trigger burnt vapor taste and damage to coils.
Well, this issue can be prevented by using vaping devices having rebuildable coils. If chain vaping occurs in the presence of these coils, you only have to re-wick them. That’s it! Rebuildable dripping tank atomizers are considered ideal for coil protection during chain vaping. You can tailor them to fit chain vaping.
While developing your coil, it is wise to pack around 2mm of wicking material. Usually, it is ideal for packing the atomizer such that the content is not too tight or loose and becomes even on the wick hole.
Conclusion
Becoming a chain vaper in the pursuit of getting rid of smoking by vaping will never help you complete quitting. So, just vape; do not chain vape.
Michael Ladek
I am the CEO of Vaposearch and one of the main authors. My primary goal has always involved promoting healthier alternatives to those trapped by nicotine addiction. I am based in Lautersheim, Germany, and started this venture as soon as I turned to vape, after 15 years of smoking
