Over 35 million across the world are into vapes– a 2019 stat indicates. It’s a big number. You can already imagine how many particles of vape smoke are there in the air and causing us harm.
Yes. The clouds look incredible and fascinating. However, the aftereffects they bring are something you should know.
Vape smoke can stay for around 10 or 40 seconds in the air depending on whether it’s open or closed settings, the type of your device, and juice ingredients.
The longer it stays airborne, the more it can affect your health. So, it’s in your hands whether to extend or shorten the lingering time of vape smoke.
For this, you have to
- Know about vape and how it’s different from cigarettes.
- The factors that affect vape smoke
- How long vape smoke lasts in the air
- Health and safety considerations
Highlights
- It’s the e-liquid ingredients and design that differentiate vape smoke from traditional cigarette smoke.
- Factors like environment, settings, and e-liquid work to influence how long the smoke will stay airborne,
- Health and safety tips for lingering vape smoke would just be to ensure proper ventilation and open space
All About Vape Smoke
Vapes mainly work by heating an e-juice that contains some key ingredients.
Composition of Vape Vs. Cigarettes
Let’s start with the juice of vapes. There’s 95% of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin whereas 5% combines nicotine, flavorings, and other additives.
The device has batteries that power the heating element (read: coil) through a button or direct inhalation. As you take a drag, this coil heats the juice in a small chamber. The juice then turns into a vapor. This vapor gets into your mouth to lungs when inhaled and comes out as a cloud when exhaled. That’s what a vape is.
The density and composition of vapor can vary based on the device and settings used.
Things are different with traditional cigarettes. It’s because when smoking, you have to burn tobacco which produces heavy levels of toxins. These are — carbon monoxide, tar, formaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide. With vaping, the device doesn’t need tobacco to burn. Instead, the vape uses the juice to heat it into aerosol through a coil.
Because vape smoke is generated through vaporization, it significantly reduces the number of harmful substances spread into the air.
A 2020 report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found strong evidence indicating that vaping devices expose you to far fewer potentially toxic substances than tobacco cigarettes.
One study also mentions that some toxicants in vapes have also been reduced by 99%. This means you’ll find it safer than traditional cigarettes.
Not just that! Traditional cigarettes contain nicotine more harmful than the ones used in vapes.
Researchers are trying to formulate safer synthetic nicotine nowadays for vapes. Lab-made nicotine wouldn’t have the risks that tobacco-derived cigars would have.
Differences Between Vapor and Smoke
|
Factors |
Vapes |
Cigarettes |
|
Production Method |
Juice heating into aerosol |
Combustion and Tobacco burning |
|
Harmful Chemicals |
Fewer chemicals, reduced carcinogens. |
Contains many harmful chemicals and carcinogens. |
|
Health Perception |
Less Harmful |
Widely recognized as harmful |
|
Health Risks |
Damage to lungs, heart disease, respiratory disease, etc. |
Damage to lungs, heart disease, respiratory disease, etc. |
|
Popularity Factors |
Among Millennials and Gen Zs |
Among Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials |
|
Secondhand Exposure |
Less Harmful but still present |
Highly harmful |
|
Use Restrictions |
Restricted in many countries |
Less Restricted but banned in some regions |
|
FDA Pre-market Approval |
Required |
Not Required |
3 Factors Affecting Vape Smoke Duration
Environment
Indoor vs. Outdoor
Studies say that vapes tend to dissipate within seconds regardless of whether it’s indoor, outdoor, ventilated, or not ventilated. However, vape smoke still can behave quite differently based on environmental settings.
- Vaping outside means the smoke is going to disappear much faster. Because there’s vast open space and natural air currents.
- If you’re using vapes at home without ventilation, the closed ambient may trap the smoke causing it to stay longer.
Let’s say, the vape smoke may dissipate within 10-15 seconds outside and 20-40 seconds inside without ventilation.
As per a 2018 report, vape smoke dissipates quite quickly in a well-ventilated space. It mentions— “for vapes, the particle concentration returned rapidly to background values within seconds.”
The same study found that even if there was no ventilation in the room, the vape smoke evaporated so fast that the concentration of particles disappeared within a few seconds.
This study was produced by 4 organizations, including Blu’s parent company Fontem Ventures in the Nicotine & Tobacco Research journal.
Role of Ventilation and Air Circulation
Air circulation efficiently helps make the vape smoke disappear faster. So, if you wish to vape at home (in your room), make sure you have all ventilation systems covered. This includes—
- Opened windows
- Exhaust fans
- Regular fans
- Air purifiers or cleaners
A combo of effective mechanical ventilation systems works to dilute and evaporate faster than stagnant air.
Different studies have proven the efficiency of air purifiers and fans. These systems can reduce the concentration of vape smoke particulate matter significantly.
One study says that— indoor air cleaners can remove particulate matter up to 97% within 30 minutes.
Vape Device and Settings
Influence of Device Type
You’ll find various types of vapes— from mods and sub-ohms to pens, disposables, and pods. These types have distinct characteristics and produce different amounts of aerosols.
The amount of vapor production influences how long it’s going to stay in the air.
- Mods like Smok G-Priv produce denser and larger clouds. Because they have higher power output and powerful batteries. Plus, their adjustable settings let you change airflow size.
- Disposables like Swft Meta 3000 can generate lighter and smaller clouds. Because they mainly have simpler settings and lower power.
For instance, denser clouds coming from higher-powered devices like mods linger in the air for longer periods. Meanwhile, lighter clouds out of pods will stay for a few seconds.
Effect of Settings
Settings also affect the density and duration of vape smoke in the air. These include—
- Temperature control
- Wattage
- Airflow adjustment
Temperature control
There’s a temperature control system in many vaping devices. It mostly ranges between 300°F and 600°F. With this, you can set the max temp your vape coils will be heated to. Higher temperature produces more vapor. It can stay longer in the air, especially if the space is closed.
Wattage
The wattage of vapes ranges from 7W-200W or more. However, the device starts to excel when it’s between 40W and 50W. More watts offer more power. Not only does it end up producing more vapor but also leads it to longer persistence in the air,
Airflow Adjustment
This lets you control the amount of vapor you inhale. Increasing the airflow gets you a cooler, smoother hit with bigger clouds. This means the smoke will stay longer in the air. Meanwhile decreasing the airflow makes it warmer and more intense with lighter vapor.
E-Liquid Composition
Variations in PG/VG Ratios
All e-liquids mainly bear ingredients— propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. Although they provide flavorings and nicotine, the difference in their ratios can determine how long the smoke would stay airborne.
PG is thinner whereas VG is thicker.
Higher VG ratios create more stubborn dense vapor. So, it may stay longer in the air. This means a VG/PG of about 70:30 or 80:20.
Lower VG/PG ratios create thinner viscosity. So, the cloud won’t stay airborne for too long. This means, a VG/PG of about 40:60 or 30:70.
Presence of Flavorings and Other Additives
Additives like flavorings in your vape juices also affect the persistence of vape smoke.
Some of them can increase the vapor's density. This can trigger the vape smoke to stay in the air for a longer period.
How Long Vape Smoke Typically Lasts?
Duration of Vape Smoke in the Air
It depends! Vape smoke typically lasts 10 to 40 seconds based on these factors:
- Whether It’s Indoor or Outdoor
- Types of Vapes
- Density or Vapor,
- Ingredients of E-Liquids.
Note that the invisible particulate matter of the vape can remain in the air for a longer period. It’s true mostly for areas that are closed and not ventilated enough.
Visual vs. Invisible Particles
Just because vape smoke disappears before you fast enough doesn’t mean its whole existence disappears. Don’t confuse its quick visible dissipation with lingering particles left behind.
You don’t see them but they stay in the air for some more time.
As per the study, when you use vapes, the indoor air concentration of fine particles and ultrafine particles goes up. Such particles can reach deep into different organs of your body, including the lungs.
The same study reported that— in the second half of 2019, a deadly vaping-related lung injury outbreak claimed over 50 vapers' lives and caused 2500 hospitalizations.
Health and Safety Considerations
Potential Impacts of Lingering Vape Smoke on Air Quality
Lingering vape smoke downright pollutes air quality, especially when it’s indoors. When there’s no ventilation, it accumulates fine particulate matter.
The amount might be trivial and considered less harmful than cigarettes. However, don’t forget, that the smoke still carries threats.
All these come from the chemicals that vapes can give you. Some of them are—
- Formaldehyde
- Acrolein
- Propylene glycol
- Heavy metals
- Carbon monoxide
- Tar
- Hydrogen cyanide
Different studies have highlighted how vapes can cause damage to your lungs, heart disease, and many respiratory diseases. So, people with respiratory conditions and sensitivities are at high risk.
Considerations for People with Respiratory Issues
Check first if you or your close ones have these health conditions—
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Respiratory issues
- Sensitivities
If you have any of them, vaping or exposure to vape smoke can worsen your situation.
No matter if it’s short or long-term, the exposure can lead you to face different symptoms like—
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Fever and chills
- Diarrhea
- Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
- Rapid heartbeat
Safety Tips for Vaping Indoors
- Use fans and exhaust fans
- Keep the windows open
- Opt for High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers
- Vape outside and prevent indoor pollution, if possible
How To Minimize Vape Smoke In The Air?
- Pick vape e-juices with a low VG content like VG/PG ratio of 30:70
- Have proper ventilation
- Vape near open windows and verandas
- Position fans to direct vape smoke or clouds right out of the room
- Get yourself a high-quality air purifier with a HEPA filter
- Frequently clean surfaces and fabrics to avoid vape residue buildups
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Vape Smoke Linger Longer Than Cigarette Smoke?
Not really. Researchers say that vape smoke tends to disappear within 40 seconds whereas you’d find cigarette smoke last up to 45 minutes.
Can Vape Smoke Trigger Smoke Detectors?
Yes. Smoke detectors that use photoelectric sensors can set off false alarms once it detects smoke. Such sensors notice changes in light patterns that vape smoke particles cause. Since vape smoke particles are denser, they consequently trigger smoke detectors.
Is Vape Smoke Harmful To Others In The Room?
Absolutely. Vape smoke carries tiny harmful chemicals that can be risky for different people, beginners, or those with sensitivities, and respiratory conditions. This can affect the lungs to a large extent.
How Can I Reduce The Smell Of Vape Smoke Indoors?
Try these 5 tricks to eliminate the vape odor from your house.
- Use air purifier
- Increase ventilation
- Pick e-juices with incredible flavors
- Vape near open windows
- Get yourself some nice smelling or citrus-flavored air-room freshener
Does The Type Of E-Liquid Affect How Long Vape Smoke Stays In The Air?
Yes, it does. Your e-juice has distinct VG/PG ratios and flavorings. All these affect how long the vape smoke lingers in the air. The higher the VG content, the more denser the vapor, the longer it’ll stay.
Vape Safely Without Affecting The Air
Vapes indeed have fewer health risks. But this doesn’t mean it’s risk-free. Different harmful chemicals of vapes spread and disseminate into the air as you exhale. The longer it moves around, the riskier it becomes.
Usually, visible clouds disappear within seconds. Some invisible particles are left behind that can stay longer to affect the environment and us.
In case you don’t want that, start vaping carefully with a low VG ratio, open windows, and a better ventilation system.