5 Mistakes People Make When Vaping

People vape for all sorts of reasons. Vaping can be a hobby, a replacement for cigarette smoking, a way to quit smoking, and so on. But whatever the reason, it’s always important to avoid all the mistakes that may lead to vaping health risks — because there are quite a few.

1. Choosing High Nicotine eJuice

E-cig liquids come in all different nicotine levels. For a safer vaping experience, people who vape may want to go for the juices with lower levels — especially if they think they’ll be smoking quite often.

“Those who are [casual smokers] might do themselves damage by switching to an e-cig or vape and using more nicotine than before,” Backe says.

If someone who vapes isn’t sure which nicotine level is right for them, it may be a good idea to choose the lowest nicotine percentage possible, or ask a professional for help.

2. Smoking More Than They Mean To

Because vapor is not nearly as heavy as smoke, it can be difficult for smokers to gauge how much they’re actually inhaling. “Visually speaking, there is often no discernible billow (apart from those who blow a certain type of juice designed to create ‘clouds’),” Hyman says. And there’s no package of cigarettes to watch as they dwindle away.

“One obvious health danger here is that a vaper can overdo it,” Hyman says. And that can mean inhaling more nicotine than they bargained for. Again, it’s important to start off slow until they know what feels right for them.

3. Vaping With An Old Coil

It’s not uncommon for vapers to make a mistake when replacing the coil in their device, which can up the chances of that aforementioned dry hitting. And it’s even more common for them to not replace it all, and vape with a dirty, gross, old coil.

“Advanced vapes … have coils and wicks that need to be maintained and this requires some knowledge as well,” Hyman says. “Again, for a beginner this may result in making mistakes when replacing a coil.”

4. Not Keeping Things Clean

Basic cleanliness can go a long way in vaping, too. “Daily maintenance is essential as well as weekly or monthly full cleans,” Inlow says. It’s important to replace screens and tubes within the e-cig, so that the vapor coming out is as clean as possible.

5. Buying Cheap Equipment

Vaping can be pricey, so it can be mighty tempting to go for the cheaper brands and the cheaper versions of necessary equipment. But this isn’t always a good idea.

Low-cost products may be dangerous for vapers if they contain cheap materials, Backe says.

While the jury is out on whether or not cheap products are more dangerous, vapers should be aware that some products have been known to catch on fire. For example, according to the Surgeon General, one “risk to consider involves defective e-cigarette batteries that have been known to cause fires and explosions, some of which have resulted in serious injuries. Most of the explosions happened when the e-cigarette batteries were being charged.”