Frank Updates Knowledge

In 2003, the United Kingdom government set up a national anti-drug advisory service called “Talk To Frank”. The aim of the service was to educate teens and adolescents about the potential effects of both legal and illegal substances. The messages go out via the Net, radio and television. Now, Frank is including information about electronic cigarettes and vaping.

vaping robot“Vapes are electronic devices designed to allow people to inhale nicotine in a vapour. Using a vape is known as vaping. Vapes are also available without nicotine,” says Talk To Frank.

The service points out that vaping is also referred to as:

  • e-cigarettes
  • e-cigs
  • e-liquids
  • juuling
  • juuls
  • mods
  • vape
  • vaping

What will people feel when vaping? Talk To Frank says it is limited to possible dizzyness, the possibility of a headache or feeling nauseous from too much nicotine or being mildly stimulated and relaxed.

The physiological impact of vaping leads to a short term rise in blood pressure and a slightly increased rate of breathing, which will occur 5 to 10 minutes after having vaped.

Talk To Frank is honest about the limit to the risks from vaping: “Nicotine causes the heart to beat much faster which can make you feel nauseous or even be sick the first time you use it and vomiting for new users. Nicotine is an addictive substance which can be hard to stop using once you’ve started.”

What the service doesn’t mention is that experts believe the addictive quality of nicotine to be far less than from nicotine in cigarette smoke because there appears to be a link between addiction and the toxic mix of chemicals found in cigarette smoke that isn’t present in e-cig vapour.

“When you vape, the nicotine in the vape is what gives you the buzz. This feeling comes from a release of adrenaline which stimulates the body and causes your blood pressure and heart rate to increase, making you breathe faster. Nicotine also activates areas of your brain that are involved in producing feelings of pleasure and reward,” the advice continues.

Being refreshingly honest when compared to advise given to young people in other countries, Frank foes on to point out that people who vape nicotine regularly go on to build up a tolerance to the immediate short-term effects, meaning that they don’t come across the negative effects and only experience mild stimulation, an increased ability to concentrate, relaxation, and a temporary reduction in the urge to vape – which is known by professionals as self-titration (just vaping the amount of nicotine the body needs at that time).

In conclusion, the service highlights the support for the tobacco harm reduction potential of vaping: “Nicotine vaping is recommended by the NHS as a way for adults to stop smoking. But it isn’t recommended for non-smokers, especially children and young people under 18.”

Finishing off with: “Vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking.”

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