Qualified Quitline counsellors can help you stop vaping.
Poisonous chemicals like those in biofuel, paint thinner and bug killer ... that's what's in your vape. It’s time to see through the haze.
Many vapes (e-cigarettes) contain poisonous chemicals such as those in biofuel, paint thinner and bug killer. In fact, more than 200 chemicals have been detected in the e-liquids in vapes.
Biofuel chemicals, such as alpha-pinene
Paint thinner chemicals, such as xylene
Bug killer chemicals, such as benzene.
42 chemicals have been found in vapes that are known causes of damage to the lungs and airways. Many others are known causes of cancer or heart disease.(1)When you vape, it’s not just you who’s exposed to these chemicals. The people around you are too.
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How e-cigarettes can harm
Vaping can harm you by:
Getting you addicted to nicotine(24,25)
Vapes can explode or catch fire, causing bad burns and facial or leg and hip injuries
Exposing you to toxic chemicals that may make you sick. These chemicals include known causes of cancer, heart disease and lung disease.
Nicotine addiction can control you
Most vapes contain nicotine, even if they don’t say so on the label. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs we know of. It can harm the way your brain develops. Nicotine addiction can happen very quickly, especially in young people.(26,27,28) Becoming addicted to nicotine can:
Change the way you think, feel and act
Create challenges in relationships, study or work commitments.
If you smoke as well as vape, you're at increased risk of nausea, headache, throat irritation, cough, dizziness, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure.(6)If you've never smoked, vaping can triple the likelihood you'll take up smoking.(6)
Even if it doesn’t feel like it, stopping vaping is possible and you don’t have to do it alone.
As well as helping people to quit smoking, Quitline can help you to stop vaping. When you call Quitline, you speak confidentially with a qualified counsellor who can answer your questions without judgement, and support you on how you would like to quit. They’ll be there for you when you need them, at any stage of your quitting journey. Even if it takes a few attempts to stay quit.
What can I do if someone is vaping near me?
Just like second-hand smoke, vaping means that people close by are also being exposed to chemicals from the e-cigarette aerosol. If you are vaping, try to do so well away from other people. If you're trying to stop vaping, it can help to limit your exposure to people vaping near you. It’s OK to ask someone not to vape around you. In fact, it is illegal to vape anywhere you can't smoke. Remember to be polite and respectful.
You can say things like:
Do you mind vaping a little further from the crowd?
This is a no smoking or vaping area - point out some signage nearby if helpful
Sorry I have asthma, do you mind moving elsewhere while you vape?
I'd prefer you don't vape near my family if that's okay?
The smell is making me feel unwell, do you mind moving away from us while you vape?
What if I'm using vapes to quit smoking?
Talk to your health professional about your options. Quitline counsellors can support you if you are using vapes to quit smoking.
