Ever since the UK government announced its plans to ban disposable vapes from 1 June next year, people have been paying closer attention to the devices.
Whether you're walking through a cloud of fruity smoke, or noticing a number of brightly coloured vapes on the ground, it seems impossible to avoid them.
Just as quickly as they burst onto shelves, they became wildly popular - with a number of people replacing cigarettes with them.
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It's impossible to know the extent of their longterm effects due to their relative newness, but a forthcoming ban has led people to wonder about the potential dangers and question their effects.
One person took to a Reddit forum to ask: "Why do some vapes cause a cold feeling in the back of my throat?
"Not all but some vapes give me like a sharp cold feeling in the back of my throat (kinda makes it burn to breath after) I’ve talked to other people [about] this but couldn’t figure out why. It seems to happen with flavours containing like (ice) or (frozen) in the flavour. Anyone know why?"
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The result isn't pretty, and might make you bin yours.
One person wrote: "Most companies use WS-23 or WS-3, which are both synthetic cooling agents. From my limited understanding it activates the "cold" receptors in your mouth. Just like when you're eating spicy food you feel a hot sensation, because the capsaicin activates certain receptors responsible for feeling warmth."
Essentially, synthetic, chemical ingredients are the root cause of the cold feeling.
Another person said: "The answer is in your question. Ice and/or frozen is what does this. They put cooling agents like WS23 in it to give that cooling effect. Some brands/flavours are available "iced” or just plain without ice."
So, what does the science say about vapes and cooling agents?
A study published on Science Direct backs up the Reddit claims, noting: "Recently, e-cig manufacturers have been using synthetic cooling agents, like WS-23 and WS-3, to provide a cooling sensation without the “menthol taste”.
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"A recent report has showed that e-cigarette flavors with "ice", "chilled", "Cooled", and "Polar" in their name, and other flavors consisting of flavor combinations with fruity and drink flavors like "melon-ice", "blueberry-ice", and "iced-pink punch" contained WS-23 and WS-3 in their formulations."
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Meanwhile, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Jeremy London shared the effects of smoking on the heart. He said: "Smoking directly injures the lining of blood vessels, increases the chance of atherosclerosis [hardening of the arteries] and blockages and causes cancer.
"It’s probably the single worst thing you can do for yourself."
Time to put those cigs (and vapes) down!
Kya Buller