Chain Vaping: What are the Side Effects?

• January 31, 2020

At some point, many vapers find themselves asking whether they are vaping a little too much. You see, unlike traditional cigarettes, you really can’t tell per se when vaping until you notice the pace at which you are downing your e-liquids.

It takes some getting used to.

Chain vaping is the vaping equivalent of chain smoking. It is the practice of vaping in a chain-like manner, taking multiple draws of your e-cig device within a few seconds of each other.

You do not allow the wick enough time (20 seconds on average) to soak the e-liquid before the next hit.

For this reason, you compromise the quality of your vape as the flavour fades when you don’t give the wick enough time to ‘re-prime’ itself. Worse still, it can lead to faster burn-out of your coils, and no vaper wants to change their coil every day or two.

Is Chain Vaping Dangerous?

Chain vaping is not good for your device, whether it’s the coils or battery. But exactly what effect does it have on you, the vaper?

Several actually. There are a bunch of side effects chain vaping could have on the user.

• Vaper’s Tongue

The habit of vaping non-stop can lead to what is known as vaper’s tongue, a dreaded condition that leads to a loss of sensitivity in the taste buds.

Not that it is harmful to the health, but it means you won’t be able to taste your favourite e-liquid flavours (or food and drinks) until it goes away.

Good thing is, vaper’s tongue vanishes after a couple of days, but it can be a few very vapid days, in every sense of the phrase.

• Dehydration

Chain vaping can cause dehydration. This is particularly so for those who vape e-liquids high in PG (propylene glycol), a key ingredient in e-liquids that is hygroscopic.

This means it is capable of absorbing moisture in your body, which is the reason you may start experiencing dehydration symptoms such as dry mouth, extreme thirst, headache, fatigue and so on.

But note these symptoms could also be signs of nicotine withdrawal, something ex-smokers who were used to smoking a lot might experience when they switch to vaping and small nicotine strengths.

• Allergic Reactions

A lot of nicotine consumption through chain vaping could also trigger common allergies associated with e-liquid ingredients such as PG, which is estimated to affect about 1 in 5,000 people on average.

Other vapers could also be allergic to VG or certain flavourings, which when inhaled in excess can cause associated allergies.

• Nicotine Poisoning

One of the worst side effects of chain vaping is nicotine poisoning.

In theory, it is possible to overdose on nicotine when you vape a lot. Practically, though, this would mean consuming quite a significant dose of nicotine to get there.

Researchers have indicated the lethal dose of nicotine in adults to be in the region of 50mg to 60mg which translates to about 3-4 bottles of 18mg/ml e-liquid. It seems like much, but when you are chain vaping, it’s not beyond reach either.

In extreme cases, nicotine poisoning could trigger breathing difficulties, seizures, respiratory failure, or a coma, with rare reported incidents of fatality.

How to avoid Chain Vaping

While chain vaping has health side effects like we have just outlined, most of them are rather mild.

However, beyond these, it is also important to remember that chain vaping can be an expensive pastime as it requires plenty of e-juice and frequent replacement of vape coils.

Setting about to break the habit will vary from one individual to the next, as with every other habit, since what’s effective for Joe may not work for Angela.

However, there are some general guidelines you can follow:

Set limits – Determine the amount of e-liquid or pods you will allow yourself each day and stick to it. As well, consider setting ‘vape hours’ where you allow yourself to vape certain times of the day.

Take breaks – Just like smoking, it is easy to find yourself vaping more than you should, especially when you got time on your hands. Spend some time away from your vaping gear and make a habit of it. Take a walk, hit the gym…you know, whatever makes it less tempting to take a puff.

Up the nicotine level – Sometimes, the reason you may be vaping a lot could be because you are not satisfying your nicotine cravings when you vape. This can affect ex-smokers in particular. Try increasing the nicotine strength and see if you will feel less inclined to vape as often.

Try higher PG juices – E-liquids high in propylene glycol (PG) pack a more powerful throat hit compared to the milder high VG juices. Try a high PG juice and notice if there is a difference.

At some point, many vapers find themselves asking whether they are vaping a little too much. You see, unlike traditional cigarettes, you really can’t tell per se when vaping until you notice the pace at which you are downing your e-liquids. It takes some getting used to. Chain vaping is…