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Most vapers can't name a single ingredient in their juice beyond 'nicotine' and 'flavor.' Here's what's actually in there — and what each component does to your body.
The Base: PG and VG
Propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) make up 90% of vape juice. PG carries flavor and produces throat hit. VG produces the visible cloud. Both are 'generally recognized as safe' by the FDA — for ingestion, not inhalation. Heating and inhaling these chemicals creates compounds that don't exist in the liquid form.
Flavorings: The Unknown Variable
The flavorings in vape juice are food-grade — safe to eat. But lungs aren't stomachs. Diacetyl (used in buttery flavors) has been linked to bronchiolitis obliterans ('popcorn lung') when inhaled. Many brands have removed it, but replacement chemicals are understudied.
Nicotine
Modern pod systems deliver 5% nicotine salts — roughly a pack of cigarettes per pod. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, raises heart rate, and rewires your brain's reward pathways.
What You're Not Told
Heavy metals (lead, nickel, tin) leach from the heating coil into the vapor. A Johns Hopkins study found significant levels of these metals in popular devices.
The alternative? Zero chemicals. A CHEWZ Puffer delivers aromatherapy through BPA-free silicone. Three ingredients: silicone, essential oils, nothing else. See how much your current habit costs with the Craving Cost Calculator.