About vaping

On this page

• Vaping
• Vaping devices
• Vaping liquids and substances
• Contents of vaping vapour
• The Mechanics of Vaping (video)

Vaping

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling an aerosol produced by a vaping product, such as an electronic cigarette. Vaping doesn’t require burning like cigarette smoking. The device heats a liquid into a vapour, which then turns into aerosol. This vapour is often flavoured and can contain nicotine.

Vaping devices are usually battery-powered. They may come with removable parts. Vaping products have many names, including:

• mods
• vapes
• sub-ohms
• vape pens
• e-hookahs
• tank systems
• electronic cigarettes / e-cigarettes
• electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)

They may also be known by various brand names.

Vaping devices

Most vaping devices consist of a:

• battery
• mouthpiece
• heating element
• chamber, such as a tank or reservoir to contain a liquid solution

Most vaping devices use electrical power from a battery to heat a liquid solution. The heat causes the solution to become vaporized. The vapour then condenses into an aerosol, which is breathed in by the user through the mouthpiece.

Vaping devices are available in many shapes and sizes. Some are small and look like USB drives or pens, while others are much larger.

There are two kinds of vaping devices:

• open, which means they can be refilled
• closed, which means either the whole product, or the part that holds the vaping substances, can’t be refilled

Vaping liquids and substances

Most vaping substances available for sale:

• are flavoured
• contain nicotine
• are liquids, but some are offered as:
  • wax
  • herbs

In vaping liquids, nicotine and/or flavouring compounds are dissolved in a liquid mixture. This mixture is typically propylene glycol and/or glycerol (vegetable glycerin).

In the vaping substances that contain nicotine, the level of nicotine can vary widely. Some mixtures have:

• very low levels of nicotine
• more nicotine than in a typical tobacco cigarette

Flavouring compounds consist of chemicals and blends of chemicals used to make different flavours.

Contents of vaping vapour

Vaping products produce an aerosol that may contain dozens of chemicals. The ingredients typically found in vaping liquids are also found in the aerosol. They include:

• glycerol
• flavours
• propylene glycol
• nicotine (possibly)

The Mechanics of Vaping (video)