Men can gain some street credit in recovery based on their build. Not build as in the physique, but the vape they carry. “Building” has become somewhat of a phenomenon in recovery as people spend money and time building the most powerful vape they can- as a healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes. Turning to electronic forms of smoking as opposed to cigarettes does have benefit, though. Cigarettes contain highly toxic chemicals and carcinogens which could be extremely harmful to men’s health overall. Vaping remains a favorite among men and women in recovery on the pursuit for blowing the biggest clouds and a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes.
However, numerous studies have found that vaping isn’t much healthier than smoking and that the habit is still problematic. A study by Johns Hopkins found that the vapor from these electronic cigarettes can contain metals, including lead, reports Men’s Health. Another study cited by the website by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that most electronic cigarettes contain metals as well as aldehydes, which can include formaldehyde.
When vapes were first introduced they resembled small cigarettes. Now, vapes are large handheld machines, custom built to release as much vapor as possible, giving users as much nicotine as possible. One new vape company, JUUL, has packed an extreme amount of nicotine into one small device. As opposed to the large clobbering vapes which are so popular, the JUUL is small and sleek, easily mistakable for a flash drive. In fact, the JUUL plugs into a computer to recharge. Instead of operating on drops of liquid poured into the device, like most other vapes, the JUUL operates on small ‘pods’. Each pod is equivalent to 200 puffs of traditional cigarettes, or about one full pack of cigarettes.
Since the JUUL is new, many of the existing studies on the effects of vaping don’t include the small pods. Such large amounts of nicotine in one small pod can be harmful to someone who decides to abuse the vape. Nicotine use is known to lead to heart attack due to increased production of stress hormones like adrenaline.
Vaping is certainly a smarter decision than turning back to drugs or alcohol or any other kind of self-destructive behavior. Turning to a chronic behavior to cope with stress, which can result in symptoms of withdrawal after quitting, is ultimately problematic for men in recovery. Recovery should set men up to be limitless in their lives, not held back by dependency on any mind altering substances, including vapes and cigarettes.
Your life is based on your health. If addiction has taken your life and health away, its time for a change. At Tree House Recovery in Orange County, we’re transforming beyond sober. Life is meant to be lived to the fullest, without limitations. Our men’s treatment programs helps men find freedom from addiction by creating a total transformation of mind and body, inside and out. For information, call: (855) 202-2138
