Is vaping safer than smoking?

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Hooked Show - Vaping  Vaping may be seen as cool or a safer alternative to smoking. But there are some important facts to consider.

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00:00I couldn't breathe.

00:10My fingers and my lips started turning blue and I collapsed.

00:15And I felt like, yo, what have I done?

00:30Vaping is the process of inhaling vapour through an electronic cigarette, also known as vape.

00:40My name is Dimpo and I'm currently 20 years old and I started vaping when I was 17 years

00:45old.

00:53One out of eight teens in South Africa are unable to go through a day without vaping.

00:59I don't want to say it's peer pressure because I'm the one that took myself to the vape shop.

01:05But it all started when I saw my peers in high school smoking weed, smoking cigarettes.

01:11So I decided I want to vape because everybody looked so cool.

01:24Vaping is marketed as a safer alternative to smoking since it does not use tobacco.

01:30But most vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive.

01:35Its ability to cause addiction is often even compared to that of heroin and cocaine.

01:43When I initially started vaping, I was vaping for like maybe two days and then I'd leave

01:48it alone.

01:50So I was smoking mint, blueberry and strawberry and it smelled really great.

02:01It was like I'm eating sweets continuously.

02:0847% of teens in South Africa who vape reach for a puff within an hour of waking up.

02:14The nicotine reaches our brain in seconds, up to 35 times faster than alcohol.

02:19It causes the release of chemicals that make you feel great, more alert, more focused,

02:25less stressed.

02:26I felt like it relieves me.

02:28Maybe if I have like a certain situation and I just pull two puffs, three puffs, I'd be okay.

02:35The nicotine effect fades quickly and tolerance builds fast.

02:40Soon, the body depends on it to feel good again, increasing stress and anxiety.

02:45As soon as I started getting addicted, that's when like I'd smoke it every day.

02:51I noticed that the disposable vapes are no longer working for me.

02:55I bought the rechargeable vape.

02:58You can increase the percentage of the nicotine.

03:02I kept increasing it, increasing it.

03:05Nicotine can cause lasting changes to developing brains.

03:10There are nicotine-free vapes, but they still carry risks.

03:14Most vapes contain at least some toxic chemicals.

03:18And these chemicals can cause cancer, infertility, heart and lung damage.

03:23My family members didn't know that I am vaping until I ended up in hospital.

03:30On a particular day, I felt like I cannot breathe.

03:35But I used my pumps because I'm asthmatic.

03:40I was in denial, telling myself maybe it's an asthmatic.

03:43And I quickly went on Google to find out why am I suddenly blue.

03:48And Google explained that, no, when you're blue, it means you're out of oxygen.

03:53But then I collapsed.

03:54Oh!

03:56I don't know how I woke up in hospital, but I was in ICU.

04:03My doctor did tell me that it's because of vaping.

04:07But I told my doctor not to inform my mom because...

04:15Me and Dimpo, we are so close.

04:18We talk each and everything because I'm a single parent.

04:23She didn't tell me at first.

04:25Sometimes I would think it's a pen.

04:27I never thought it's a vape.

04:30My mom was really disappointed.

04:32She felt like if I was addicted to something, I could have just told her.

04:37The life, our life, between me and Dimpo has changed because it cost me.

04:46Every time when she goes to hospital, it cost me financially, physically, emotionally.

04:54I'm always drained.

04:57And I'm so happy that she decided to stop.

05:00I recently got diagnosed with pulmonary embolism, which is when you have blood clots on your lungs.

05:12So I often run out of breath.

05:17I'm always wheezing.

05:21Now I'm always in hospital because of me wanting to look cool in high school.

05:28In ten years, I'll be a better version of myself.

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