Is vaping wrong?
Question:
Hello minister,
My question concerns non-nicotine herbal diffuser smoking pens and an e vitamin bar smoking pens. If these pens (typically used to wane people off of smoking) are without harsh toxic chemicals or don't contain marijuana, are they safe to smoke?
Answer:
E-cigarettes or vaping pens are typically used to vaporize nicotine (the addictive chemical in tobacco) or THC (the addictive chemical in marijuana) to be delivered to the lungs. While it doesn't contain the harmful tars formed from burning plant matter, it isn't completely safe.
"In February 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 2,807 cases of e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and 68 deaths attributed to that condition. 'These cases appear to predominantly affect people who modify their vaping devices or use black market modified e-liquids. This is especially true for vaping products containing THC,' explains Blaha" [Michael Joseph Blaha, "5 Vaping Facts You Need to Know," John Hopkins Medicine, 2024].
One chemical of concern is Vitamin E acetate, which is used as a thickening agent. It was found to persist in injured lungs. Other chemicals used are unknown in their impact on the lungs.
While vaping is advertised as a way to overcome nicotine or THC addictions, in reality, people continue using e-cigarettes and sometimes increase the amount they use.
A Christian also needs to consider his influence. If young people see a Christian vaping, they don't know what substances are in the pen. This is likely to encourage other people to use addictive chemicals.
