I love the smell of cupcakes and other sweets, but I do not like when they are mixed with nicotine. E-cigarettes have sparked controversy since their invention. Many claim that they are not as harmful as regular cigarettes and that what they give off is harmless vapor. If they are harmless or even harmful, should they be allowed on campus? What is the truth behind this cloud of mystery (pun intended)? Well, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they are very harmful.
“Wow, hold on Mario, you are telling me that water vapor is bad for you?” No, water vapor is not bad for you, but the nicotine is. The CDC claims that a single Juul pod has as much nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes. On top of that, the e-cigarettes that claim to have no nicotine, still have it, just in a smaller percentage. Nicotine will always be highly addictive. With that said, I am not against people who use them. I get it. We all have our addictions; mine are chocolate and cats. If you know the facts and how it will affect your body, go for it. Just please don’t vape or smoke next to me.
Now that we know E-cigarettes are bad for you, should they be allowed on campus? Absolutely not. Some who enjoy smoking and prefer to be in highly populated areas when doing so, say that they only exhale water vapor. I am sorry, but that is not completely accurate. Yes, you do exhale vapor, but it is not just water. The CDC revealed a few of the fun and overlooked ingredients that are included in the vapor. Some of these ingredients include ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs; flavoring such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease; volatile organic compounds; carcinogens; and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead.
I try to avoid areas that have any kind of smoking allowed. I do not want to subject my lungs to that kind of torture. So, if my college, a place that I must go to for a brighter future, allows something that shortens that future, I would be quite upset. Fortunately, NSU does not permit any form of tobacco or smoking. It is ok if you want to shorten your life that way, but I would prefer to avoid it. I already have enough lung problems with asthma, I do not need any more. Like I always say, “It ain’t easy being wheezy.”
E-cigarettes do emit less harmful toxins than regular cigarettes, but they are far from harmless. You are still exposing yourself and those around you to an obscene amount of nicotine. As I mentioned before nicotine is highly addicting so your chances of switching to regular cigarettes skyrocket. So, before you “light up” consider those around you, because you are affecting their lives as well. In a day and age where consent is championed, I would like to have a say in whether I inhale those toxins or not.
