By now, you probably know everything there is about the COVID-19 virus, especially that it’s an illness that affects the respiratory system. This is one of the main reasons why people that suffer from different lung diseases, are often placed in the category of high risk of contracting the virus.
This also means that individuals that engage in activities that can affect the lungs – such as smoking cigarettes or vaping – might be at a higher risk of complications if they contract the Coronavirus. In fact, the CDC has reported that over 20% of people between the ages of 20 to 45 had to be hospitalized because of severe complications that might be caused by the virus combined with vaping.
Hence, it is safe to say that there is a risk that comes with vaping combined with the COVID-19 virus. So, did the pandemic change our vaping habits? Did the number of people vaping increase or decrease? We’ve prepared some information that’ll shed some light on the entire topic, let’s take a look:
1. People Did Vape More During The Pandemic…
The very first thing that you should know about this entire topic is that there was an increase of over 40% of people that considered and took up vaping again since their countries implemented COVID-19 restrictions. Of course, each individual will have different reasons for taking it up, however, in most cases, they have reported that they did it out of boredom. Other people were influenced by other factors.
The lockdowns implemented all over the world left us all feeling isolated, bored, stressed, anxious, and in most cases, completely scared of the virus that we knew nothing about. Additionally, since a lot of brick-and-mortar businesses and shops were closed, it was impossible to buy cigarettes, but vaping was quite easy, mostly because people could browse online stores such as www.dashvapes.com and order the oils that they require for vaping.
2. … But Some Quit Entirely
As we mentioned at the beginning of our article, COVID-19 attacks the whole respiratory system, which is why a lot of people were scared that vaping will increase their chances of getting infected by the virus. Because of this, almost 17.5% of people opted for entirely quitting vaping. It’s worth mentioning that the individuals that quit are, in most cases, teenagers, as well as young adults that have not been vaping for a long time.
3. More Online Purchases
As you know, there are a lot of businesses that deal with selling equipment and oils for vaping, and most individuals did choose to purchase them in brick-and-mortar stores. However, since the restrictions imposed by a wide range of countries required all non-essential stores to close down – which included vape shops – an increasing number of people have opted for purchasing oils from online shops. And, this came with its own perks…
4. It Was a Way to Save Money
Unfortunately, a lot of individuals have lost their jobs because of the global pandemic, and since cigarettes are quite expensive, they opted for a healthier alternative, which is vaping. This means that, although there are some expenses that come with purchasing the device, it’s relatively cheaper for them to buy the oils – that will also last longer than a pack of cigarettes – thus because they could save money, people took up vaping.
5. Stress, Anxiety, And Boredom Relief
In a normal setting, our lives can be quite stressful, but, when you’re isolated for a prolonged period of time, everything becomes even more stressful. And, when you go through all your hobbies, favorite movies, as well as books, you might feel completely bored, stressed, and anxious. One of the things people did to relieve these feelings is smoking their E-cigarette, mostly because they could feel relaxed and calm.
6. Various Flavors to Choose From
There was always a wide range of vaping oils available on the market such as cookies, menthol, and anything in between the two. But, since the pandemic started, there has been an increase of flavors that individuals can choose from, all of which will offer something else. When compared to traditional smoking, this cannot be achieved. Additionally, the entire experience will be more fun and exciting, especially since there are various flavors that people can choose from.
7. It Has Become a Hobby
Did you hear about “cloud-chasing”? Yup, in the United States, as well as other countries, cloud chasing has been referred to as a competitive hobby. As you might have guessed by the name, this hobby will require a vaper to form the biggest and most impressive clouds from the smoke from their vapes. Now, for participating in this hobby, you cannot really use any devices available on the market, instead, it needs to be a specific one.
People must opt for devices that have powerful and durable coils, and bases that were specifically designed for liquids. It’s quite exciting and a wide range of people opted for posting their clouds on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and of course, Facebook. Hence, this particular hobby is yet another thing that has helped thousands of people overcome the feeling of being bored and isolated.
8. An Increase in Medical Uses
Last on our list is the fact that hundreds, if not thousands of people have used their E-cigarettes as a way to alleviate some medical conditions, as well as chronic inflammation or pain. After all, there are hemp vaporizers that they could purchase, thus, instead of them using medicine prescribed by their physicians, individuals opted for an alternative, mostly because they didn’t have to go to the doctor’s office where the risk of infection is higher.
Conclusion
Due to the global outbreak of the Coronavirus, a lot of individuals have changed their vaping habits. Some people decided to entirely quit, others have decided to take it up again, and almost all vapers, all over the world have opted for purchasing the products they need from online stores since physical ones were closed.
Besides this, vaping has also helped a lot of individuals overcome anxiety, stress, as well as the feeling of isolation caused by being quarantined in their homes. Hence, in a way, vaping has eased the drastic changes that the COVID-19 has brought to every single home and life out there.
