Unsettling reason your mouth feels ‘cold’ when you vape

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.

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?

Vaping can lead to a cold sensation in your mouth (Getty Stock Image)

"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?"

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”.

"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."

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!