Smoking vs. Vaping: Transcript
00:00
Cigarettes and Marijuana and have
been used for centuries, but only
recently has the process of vaporizing
these substances become popular. So,
what does science have to say about
this technology? Is it actually1 better
for you?
00:13
When smoking normally, the heat from
fire causes substances to change from a
solid state to a vapour. In cigarettes,
this releases nicotine which is absorbed
into your bloodstream through the
lungs2, causing increased heart rate3,
constricted blood vessels4, release of
dopamine in the brain and feelings of
alertness. But because nicotine is a
stimulant, once it’s no longer present5
you crash and crave6 more, which
ultimately7 leads to8 addiction in many
people. In the case of marijuana, the
active component THC is aerosolized
and follows the same pathway into
your body, but with different effects
which we explain in our video “Your
Brain on Marijuana” here.
00:48
Smoking only takes 6 seconds for the
active compounds to reach9 your
nervous system, unlike10 chewing11
tobacco or eating edible marijuana
which takes much more time, BUT you
have to inhale smoke in the process.
This smoke consists of partially burned
1 actually – (false friend) really
2 lungs – pulmonary organs
3 heart rate – rhythm of coronary pulsations, the
speed at which the heart beats
4 blood vessels – veins and arteries
5 no longer present – not there anymore
6 to crave – want, desire
7 ultimately – (false friend) in the end
8 to lead to (lead-led-led) – result in
9 to reach – get to, arrive at
10 unlike – in contrast to
11 to chew – masticate (formal)
particles which creates tar12 in your
body, has cancer-causing13 effects,
blackens14 teeth and destroys taste
buds15. This is where vaping comes in16.
01:09
If you can heat the active components
enough to become aerosolized without
starting a combustion reaction with the
other compounds, then you
theoretically get fast effects without
the damage of smoke inhalation.
Vaping typically involves a glass or
metal chamber which has an electrical
current passing through it - this way it
can heat to a controlled temperature
creating a vapour with minimal
combustion, meaning you inhale much
less smoke.
01:31
For marijuana users, vaporizers have
become popular as the plant material
can be heated to a specific temperature
- usually between 185-210º Celsius –
allowing17 just18 the THC containing
vapour to be extracted. For e-
cigarettes, using a liquid solution
instead of19 dried tobacco has become
popular; this e-liquid contains water,
nicotine, a base and occasionally
flavourings, and vaporizes at a much
lower temperature. But this is where
things get tricky20.
01:59
The “e-liquid” contains a base similar to
that used in cosmetics and food which
helps maintain moisture21 without
12 tar – dark viscous substance
13 cancer-causing – carcinogenic
14 to blacken sth. – make sth. blacker/darker
15 taste bud – gustatory lingual receptor cells
16 to come in (come-came-come) – be relevant
17 to allow – permit, enable
18 just – (in this case) only
19 instead of – as opposed to, rather than
20 tricky – complicated
21 moisture – wetness, humidity
