One of the most popular concerns that vapers have is this: “Am I vaping too much?” or “Am I a chain vaper?”. If you are an ex-smoker, you probably know very well what chain vaping is — as it is not that much different from chain smoking. But for new vapers, this may be quite confusing.
What is chain vaping?
Chain smoking is, basically, when you smoke one cigarette after another. Chain vaping is the same: it means you are constantly taking puffs from your vaping device. But, unlike with cigarettes, when you can clearly see how many cigarettes are left in a pack and how many you’ve smoked, things are much more subtle with vaping. How to know if you are chain vaping? Simply, if you are can’t put down your vaping device and find yourself inhaling every 10-15 seconds with no breaks between vaping sessions, you may be a chain vaper.
What are the side effects of chain vaping?
Is chain vaping bad? There are a lot of myths and scares surrounding vaping in general — and chain vaping in particular. However, there are only several proven side effects that could affect a chain vaper:
Dehydration
The main cause of dehydration for those who vape a lot is PG (propylene glycol), which is a
hygroscopic substance. This means that it will absorb water in your body and you start may experiencing the common symptoms of dehydration such as fatigue, headache, extreme thirst, dry mouth, etc. Note that these symptoms may also be the signs of nicotine withdrawal — if you used to smoke a lot and switched to vaping and smaller nicotine concentrations.
Vaper’s Tongue
One of the dangers of vaping non-stop is the condition called vaper’s tongue, which is when your taste buds lose sensitivity and, for instance, you won’t be able to taste the flavor of e-liquids.
Allergic reactions
There are some components in e-liquids that, in large quantities, may cause an allergic reaction. One of the relatively common allergies is an allergy to PG (propylene glycol), which is estimated to affect about 4% of the population. Some vapers also report being allergic to other e-liquid components like flavorings or VG (vegetable glycerin). If you do have an allergy to certain chemicals, it’s best to carefully study the labels on your e-liquids or even contact the manufacturer to make sure the vape juice is allergen-free.
Nicotine poisoning
The most feared side-effect of chain vaping is nicotine overdose. Theoretically, you can overdose on nicotine when vaping a lot. In practice, however, this is highly unlikely. In order to overdose on nicotine, you will need to consume between 500 and 1000 milligrams. Standard e-liquids come in concentrations of 12mg/ml or 18mg/ml and you’d need about 28 milliliters of e-liquid to get there. Plus, as our bodies process nicotine really quickly, this amount will need to be inhales pretty much in one go.
How to stop chain vaping?
While there are health side effects to chain vaping, most of them are rather mild. And, when choosing between chain smoking and chain vaping, the choice is clear. With that, chain vaping can get quite pricey over time as you will need to buy a lot of e-liquid and replace your coils frequently. How to stop chain vaping? As with breaking pretty much any habit, the process is individual. With that, there are some general guidelines to follow:
Set limits: measure out the amount of e-liquid/number of pods you allow yourself to vape during the day and stick to it. Alternatively, set “vape hours”: allow yourself to vape for 10 minutes (for instance) out of every hour.
Take breaks: spend some time away from your vaping device and make it a habit. Go to the gym, take a walk, have dinner outside, etc. — and leave your vape behind so you are not tempted to take a puff.
Set budget limits: this may be an effective way of curbing your chain vaping. Set aside a specific amount of money you can spend on your vaping habit — if you can’t get more e-liquid, you will naturally pay more attention to how much of it you are vaping.
Increase nicotine concentration: the reason you are vaping a lot may be that you are not getting enough satisfaction from your vape. If you are an ex-smoker and used to smoke a lot, the reason may be that you are not getting enough nicotine. Try upping your nicotine level and see if you start vaping less naturally.
Vape e-liquids high in PG: liquids high in PG tend to offer a more powerful throat hit — and this may help you vape less.
Finally, do not stress yourself out too much about chain vaping. Quitting smoking can be stressful enough on its own — and you may be getting strange cravings or vaping “too much” at the beginning. Typically, things will balance out after a while and you will find the right pace and frequency for your vaping sessions.
What is chain vaping?
Chain smoking is, basically, when you smoke one cigarette after another. Chain vaping is the same: it means you are constantly taking puffs from your vaping device. But, unlike with cigarettes, when you can clearly see how many cigarettes are left in a pack and how many you’ve smoked, things are much more subtle with vaping. How to know if you are chain vaping? Simply, if you are can’t put down your vaping device and find yourself inhaling every 10-15 seconds with no breaks between vaping sessions, you may be a chain vaper.
What are the side effects of chain vaping?
Is chain vaping bad? There are a lot of myths and scares surrounding vaping in general — and chain vaping in particular. However, there are only several proven side effects that could affect a chain vaper:
Dehydration
The main cause of dehydration for those who vape a lot is PG (propylene glycol), which is a
hygroscopic substance. This means that it will absorb water in your body and you start may experiencing the common symptoms of dehydration such as fatigue, headache, extreme thirst, dry mouth, etc. Note that these symptoms may also be the signs of nicotine withdrawal — if you used to smoke a lot and switched to vaping and smaller nicotine concentrations.
Vaper’s Tongue
One of the dangers of vaping non-stop is the condition called vaper’s tongue, which is when your taste buds lose sensitivity and, for instance, you won’t be able to taste the flavor of e-liquids.
Allergic reactions
There are some components in e-liquids that, in large quantities, may cause an allergic reaction. One of the relatively common allergies is an allergy to PG (propylene glycol), which is estimated to affect about 4% of the population. Some vapers also report being allergic to other e-liquid components like flavorings or VG (vegetable glycerin). If you do have an allergy to certain chemicals, it’s best to carefully study the labels on your e-liquids or even contact the manufacturer to make sure the vape juice is allergen-free.
Nicotine poisoning
The most feared side-effect of chain vaping is nicotine overdose. Theoretically, you can overdose on nicotine when vaping a lot. In practice, however, this is highly unlikely. In order to overdose on nicotine, you will need to consume between 500 and 1000 milligrams. Standard e-liquids come in concentrations of 12mg/ml or 18mg/ml and you’d need about 28 milliliters of e-liquid to get there. Plus, as our bodies process nicotine really quickly, this amount will need to be inhales pretty much in one go.
How to stop chain vaping?
While there are health side effects to chain vaping, most of them are rather mild. And, when choosing between chain smoking and chain vaping, the choice is clear. With that, chain vaping can get quite pricey over time as you will need to buy a lot of e-liquid and replace your coils frequently. How to stop chain vaping? As with breaking pretty much any habit, the process is individual. With that, there are some general guidelines to follow:
Set limits: measure out the amount of e-liquid/number of pods you allow yourself to vape during the day and stick to it. Alternatively, set “vape hours”: allow yourself to vape for 10 minutes (for instance) out of every hour.
Take breaks: spend some time away from your vaping device and make it a habit. Go to the gym, take a walk, have dinner outside, etc. — and leave your vape behind so you are not tempted to take a puff.
Set budget limits: this may be an effective way of curbing your chain vaping. Set aside a specific amount of money you can spend on your vaping habit — if you can’t get more e-liquid, you will naturally pay more attention to how much of it you are vaping.
Increase nicotine concentration: the reason you are vaping a lot may be that you are not getting enough satisfaction from your vape. If you are an ex-smoker and used to smoke a lot, the reason may be that you are not getting enough nicotine. Try upping your nicotine level and see if you start vaping less naturally.
Vape e-liquids high in PG: liquids high in PG tend to offer a more powerful throat hit — and this may help you vape less.
Finally, do not stress yourself out too much about chain vaping. Quitting smoking can be stressful enough on its own — and you may be getting strange cravings or vaping “too much” at the beginning. Typically, things will balance out after a while and you will find the right pace and frequency for your vaping sessions.
