Is vaping killing us slowly? -

In 2003, we saw the arrival of an innovative product—the electronic cigarette. The e-cigarette seemed like a seemingly safer alternative to regular cigarettes and the perfect solution to quit smoking.

But soon enough, people from all walks of life started vaping, including teenagers. Using these devices became trendy, and they were quickly adopted by many young adults all over the world.

Despite claims of safety, several Americans were confirmed dead earlier this year due to "e-cigarette illness," with more than 1,000 similar cases existing. Now reports of "popcorn lung" have arisen, also due to smoking e-cigs. This begs the question: how safe is vaping, really?

Click through the gallery and see what we know about vaping, so far.

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What are e-cigarettes? - Vaping was initially marketed as a "healthier" alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes.

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Marketing - Smokers could have the pleasure of smoking and get their nicotine fix, without the harmful chemicals of traditional cigarettes.

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Marketing - Not only have e-cigarettes become a trendy alternative to smoking cigarettes, they have also introduced a whole new generation to nicotine.

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Teen vaping epidemic - Vaping quickly became trendy, and with heavy marketing that it was not as harmful as smoking cigarettes, made it very popular among teenagers.

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Lung disease - In August 2019, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in the US reported 11 cases of teenagers and young adults hospitalized with lung disease. They've all reported vaping.

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Hospitalized teens - But the number has increased this year as more teens have been hospitalized, reports the Illinois Department of Public Health.

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Target audience - E-cigarette company Juul has been heavily criticized for allegedly advertising their products to teenagers. As a result, the US Senate launched an investigation.

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New e-cig users - Two high school students testified that a Juul representative actually visited their school to promote their products and labeled them as "totally safe."

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Juul's response to government - Juul Labs said they never intended their products to be adopted by teenagers and that "combating underage use" is the company's biggest priority.

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How unhealthy is it? - But despite claims that e-cigarettes are not as harmful as regular cigarettes, there are still no studies available on the long-term effects of vaping.

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Research - It might not be until decades later that studies will be able to conclude if vaping is really harmful or not.

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What are people really consuming? - A handheld vaporizer is used to "smoke" a liquid, which may or may not contain nicotine. While in theory it might sound like a safer alternative to smoking, there are a few risks. Let's look at some of them.

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Vaping might increase the risk of seizures - Vaping has been linked to nicotine-induced seizures. Some e-cigarettes deliver an extremely high quantity of nicotine, so people can potentially consume a dangerous amount of it.

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Vaping might stress the cardiovascular system - Nicotine in e-cigarettes can make your heart rate go up, raise blood pressure, and raise adrenaline levels.

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Toxic particles - But it's not just the nicotine in e-cigarettes that carries risks. Those vaping nicotine-free versions are also exposed to tiny toxic particles.

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Toxic particles - Studies have shown that these polluting particles can be absorbed by those vaping.

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Toxic products - Acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and acrolein are other harmful toxic chemicals produced by e-cigarettes.

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Vaping might irritate the lungs - The combustion process of regular cigarettes can be very damaging to our lungs, but vapor from e-cigarettes can also be potentially harmful.

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Vaping might irritate the lungs - Vaping might make wheezing (the sound caused by narrowed airways) worse.

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COPD - Vaping might increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to studies done in mice.

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E-cigarettes can explode - A teenage boy suffered injuries to his face when an e-cigarette exploded.

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E-cigarettes can explode - The U.S. Food & Drug Administration even issued tips on how to stay safe from explosions.

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E-cigarettes can explode - In the US alone, an estimated 2,035 e-cigarette explosion and burn injuries were registered in US hospital emergency departments between 2015 to 2017.

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Can e-cigarettes help smokers quit? - A randomized trial published by the New England Journal of Medicines found that vaping was more effective than nicotine-replacement therapy when it came to quitting smoking.

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Health authorities - In countries such as the United Kingdom, the government advocates the use of e-cigarettes as a tool to help smoking cessation.

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Good and evil - While vaping might help regular smokers quit, it can introduce new users to nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance.

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Regulation - The legal status of e-cigarettes varies depending on each country. These products are even illegal in some countries, such as Japan and parts of India. Cities such as San Francisco in the US have banned them as well.

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See also - If you want to focus on more than just vaping, here are 30 top tips to stop smoking.

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