Vaping is a trendy alternative to traditional cigarette smoking nowadays, and many consider it a healthier option. One of its crucial advantages is the possibility to control the amount of nicotine consumed.

Since you can even choose nicotine-free E-cigarettes, the crucial question you probably have on your mind is – Is vaping without nicotine safe? Despite optimistic initial research, it seems that vaping without nicotine is not as harmless as advertisements convince you. Let’s check!

What is a Nicotine-Free Vape? 

E-liquid (vape juice, E-juice) is liquid inside the vape device that vaporizes after heating. There is still not enough data on vaping side effects, but experts have roughly defined its benefits and downsides.

The juice type is one of the primary things that makes your pleasurable activity potentially healthy or dangerous. It contains numerous certified ingredients used in food products for years, but the problem occurs after exposure to high temperatures.

Therefore, it is unsure whether food-grade ingredients are adequate for vaping and safe for vapers. Things are even worse when vape aerosol contains dangerous substances, including:

• Nicotine
• Heavy metals (lead, nickel, and tin)
• Diacetyl
• Volatile organic compounds

Considering all that, the crucial question is whether nicotine-free vape is safe for consumption. In theory, such juice should contain only three ingredients.

Unfortunately, you can also find sweeteners, additives, and sometimes water besides propylene glycol, flavorings, and vegetable glycerine. In such circumstances, the question about vaping without nicotine safety arises. Let’s take a look.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Nicotine-Free Vaping

Many vapers switch to vaping without nicotine as an effortless method to stop smoking and break from harmful nicotine. Besides, it should be a non-addictive and affordable alternative to traditional cigarettes that successfully satisfies sweet tooth cravings.

At first glance, vaping has several advantages, including enjoyment, an excellent flavor experience, and a smooth feel. Since only one nicotine vape pen contains 50 times more nicotine than a cigarette, the nicotine-free option is supposed to be healthier. Let’s see if that’s true.

Benefits of nicotine-free vape

Many people consider vaping as a better and healthier alternative to smoking. However, there are a few other reasons to choose this option instead of traditional cigarettes.

1. Numerous E-juice options

Unlike standard vape, these without nicotine typically have numerous flavor options available. Therefore, you can experiment with different E-liquids and try various taste profiles, making vaping fun and interesting.

Be careful because this option can lead to other issues. For instance, sweet flavoring often encourages vapers to use E-cigarettes more often than traditional cigarettes.

2. Healthier alternative

Most people switch to vaping as an elegant way to quit smoking. Besides, it is a healthier option because you intake fewer hazardous compounds, including carcinogens, this way. Additionally, vaping eliminates the harmful effects and health risks of nicotine from traditional cigarettes and vaping, such as:

• Constricted blood vessels and increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate and a risk of heart attack
• Increased risks of anxiety and bipolar disorder
• Premature aging

3. Non-addictive option

Nicotine-free vapes are supposed to be a non-addictive alternative to cigarettes. However, they are an even better option against an addiction caused by the nicotine you develop while vaping.

The sensation of smoke-like vapor inhaling and exhaling helps ex-smokers satisfy their physical smoking cravings efficiently. That is crucial when craving is the most intense, primarily during the early stages of quitting smoking.

Even though most people choose nicotine vaping initially, you can gradually decrease its amount over time. The ultimate goal is to end up with a nicotine-free option that comes without addictive substances.

4. Provides a smoother experience without the throat hit

The throat hit is an expected feeling while vaping when you use E-liquid with nicotine. Even though many vapers enjoy it, others don’t like consequential irritation in the throat and persistent coughing.

Therefore, such users prefer juices without nicotine. They provide a smoother vaping feeling, allowing enjoyment in your favorite flavor and warmth without unpleasant side effects.

5. Satisfies sugar cravings

Non-nicotine E-liquids always contain various flavors, helping ex-smokers reduce sugar consumption. That way, they satisfy sugar cravings, preventing weight gain and diabetes after quitting cigarettes.

Nowadays, the possibilities are literally limitless. So, you can choose the vape with the flavor you want, including the most popular apple, vanilla, strawberry, watermelon, candy, cherry, mint, and blueberry.

6. No nausea or nicotine withdrawal

Vape juice with nicotine is directly connected to nausea and nicotine withdrawal, followed by cravings, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and increased appetite. The best way to reduce these unpleasant symptoms is to switch to nicotine-free vape.

7. No second-hand smoke

Since you don’t produce smoke while vaping, it is a safer option for people around you. That reduces second-hand smoke and consequential health issues in non-smokers to a minimum. Besides, exhaled vapor dissipates quickly and contains neither toxins nor chemicals that potentially harm others.

8. Affordable alternative

Vaping is less expensive than smoking in the long run. After buying a costly device, you only need to purchase E-liquid when necessary. The additional benefit is that nicotine-free juices are typically less expensive than those containing this ingredient.

It is an excellent option for vapers on a budget but sometimes unacceptable for nicotine lovers. In this case, you can save money by buying discount nicotine-free E-juice and mixing it with the one that contains nicotine.

Nicotine-free vape risks and side effects

Despite the lack of nicotine, many substances you inhale while vaping cause noticeable trachea and bronchi irritation, a burning sensation in the throat, and a persistent cough that can last over ten days. Other health issues include the following:

• Dry mouth followed by a sense of taste reduction
• Gum irritation and disease
• Itchiness and scratchy feeling inside the mouth and on the tongue
• Itchiness and irritation on lips and throat
• Shallow and difficulty breathing
• Bronchial spasms
• Bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lungs)
• Dizziness, sleepiness, and headache
• Irregular heart rate
• Health worsening, particularly if you have asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or emphysema

As you probably know, the first vape devices occurred in 2003. Although twenty years have passed since then, that is not enough time for scientists to confirm the long-term negative consequences of vaping. However, some adverse effects have been already confirmed, including the following:

1. Blood vessels damage

Using nicotine-free E-cigarettes daily may severely damage blood vessel endothelium, causing blood flow reduction by almost 20%. The endothelium damage causes artery thickening over time and circulation interruption, leading to stroke or heart attack.

2. Cell and general toxicity

Unfortunately, some chemicals present in E-juice cause toxic effects on the human body. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the nicotine that causes these problems but the additives providing vape flavors.

This effect appears after heating food-grade ingredients added to E-liquid and formaldehyde release. This Group 1 carcinogen damages cells and leads to throat cancer over time.

Besides, people who use E-cigarettes have significantly high levels of toxic chemicals in their urine, primarily the following:

• Crotonaldehyde
• Acrolein
• Acrylonitrile
• Acrylamide
• Propylene oxide

All these chemicals are toxic to lung cells, making E-cigarettes unsafe, regardless of whether they contain nicotine or not. Some manufacturers also use vitamin E acetate, harmful to the lungs, to dilute or thicken THC.

3. Immune system weakening

Vaping damages immune cells in the lungs first, but you can expect it to affect the entire immune system over time. The weakening of the immune system makes consumers more exposed to viral and bacterial infections.

4. Lung and throat irritation

Vaping irritates the human throat and lungs in the short term (throat hit), causing a burning sensation while inhaling vapor. Be aware that inhaling chemicals, particularly diacetyl, in E-juice leads to this effect after only one puff because of their high concentration.

This flavoring agent commonly used in vape juice may cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or popcorn lungs in extreme cases. Permanent lung damage and irreversible scarring on lung tissue reduce respiratory function forever.

A recent study also shows that liquid sweeteners from E-cigarettes harm the lungs regardless of the presence or absence of nicotine. Juices with vanilla and cinnamon flavorings seem the most toxic to the lung cells.

5. Inflammation

Several vape juice flavoring ingredients are proven to cause inflammation in lung cells, although the E-liquid is nicotine-free. Besides, they kill monocytes, a white blood cell type that protects your health by destroying bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and fungi.

Be assured that the inflammation won’t stop at the lungs, but the entire body becomes susceptible to infection. Once it becomes chronic, it leads to irreversible lung tissue scarring and reduced function of this organ.

6. Addiction to vaping

Unfortunately, regular use of nicotine-free E-juice potentially causes addiction to vaping. It happens even to people who have never smoked before becoming vapers. The probable reason is added sweeteners, particularly to fruit flavors.

7. Risk of accidental E-liquid ingestion

Vape juice is harmful when swallowed, particularly for children. Ingesting this liquid causes digestive system irritation and possible damage, depending on its concentration and intake amount.

Summary

Despite initial enthusiasm about this effective method for quitting cigarettes, it seems that vaping has numerous side effects. Even nicotine-free E-liquids are packed with additives and flavorings that may harm your body after heating and vaporizing them.

For now, scientists have discovered that these chemicals damage lung tissue and trigger the release of carcinogens. Since there is still no study about possible long-term risks, you should be careful.

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