Just want to chime in that "organic" is really a meaningless term. Everything we see or touch is made of molecules. What's a molecule? Well, depending on whether you're a physicist or a chemist the definition varies a bit. But basically, it is when two or more atoms merge to form a chemical bond. This means everything is a chemical. Water is a "chemical." Milk is comprised of chemicals. Apples are comprised of chemicals. Poison Ivy is a "natural" organic plant, but most people want to stay away from it. Arsenic is found in rice. Guess what? This makes arsenic "organic" too. There's a lot of completely natural (or organic) poisons in the world. Does that mean they are safe to consume just because they are "natural?"
Organic foods and products are basically a marketing scheme. Some of the purveyors are sincere, but most are simply misinformed and ignorant. If you took an organic banana and a "regular" banana and put them through thorough chemical analysis, it is doubtful one would see any difference. Penn and Teller did a "Bullchit" episode on this whole topic and it's worth watching.
In any case, this applies to vaping too. Organic juice vendors are often sincere but misguided. Diacetyl, for instance, is found in natural foods and will most certainly show up in custard or buttery "organic" juices because it's found in those foods naturally. Likewise, people who use organic cotton because they feel it's safer are simply ignorant. I am not so convinced that cotton as a wicking material is that safe in the first place (organic or treated). It's thermal properties are not ideal for use as a wick because its heat tolerance is low. Untreated cotton is a known hazard to fabric and yarn workers (inhale it and you get byssinosis). This is often fatal. This happens more often in the third world where there aren't proper safety protocols, but it was a problem in the USA prior to the industrial revolution (and still does occur in isolated cases). So, based on the dangerous nature of raw cotton, it would make more sense to *not* use organic cotton as a wick.
Now, I am not saying vaping off cotton wicks will give you an incurable lung disease but I am saying that it's is reasonable to be concerned about our wicking materials. I know some people have had bad reactions from cotton wicks (some of these people are very well known vapers). I also have bad reactions to it. In my case, it is probably an allergy since I am asthmatic and more susceptible to respiratory irritants than most people (us asthmatics are a strange lot -- some very unsuspecting things can prompt asthma attacks even if such materials do not bother us in other circumstances). I can go years without having asthmatic symptoms but if I get around a known irritant, I can end up in the ER (cats do it for me -- I will get sick if I am around them at all). Since most of us have allergies we don't even know about, then it stands to reason that certain materials can negatively affect some people while not bothering others.
I suspect people who are sensitive to cotton are having some sort inflammatory response (constricting of the airways, much like in asthma). If it were a serious disease like byssinosis I am certain we would have heard of such cases by now.
In my case, I also appear to have reactions to citrus juices (lemons, lime, orange, etc). If I vape a citrus juice, I end up with a very tight chest (radiates to my back), and also feel like my chest is inflammed. It feels just like the asthma attacks I remember as a kid. When I don't vape said flavors, my symptoms mostly disappear. Same with cotton.
TL;DR:
Cotton is probably OK, but does negatively affect some people. Organic cotton doesn't make a whole lot of sense overall because untreated cotton *can* be dangerous if the fibers are inhaled (no, I am not saying you will die if you vape off organic cotton. You probably wont have any problems at all). Silica just makes more sense. It is made specifically to tolerate high heat without degradation. Cotton is not.
Organic foods and products are basically a marketing scheme. Some of the purveyors are sincere, but most are simply misinformed and ignorant. If you took an organic banana and a "regular" banana and put them through thorough chemical analysis, it is doubtful one would see any difference. Penn and Teller did a "Bullchit" episode on this whole topic and it's worth watching.
In any case, this applies to vaping too. Organic juice vendors are often sincere but misguided. Diacetyl, for instance, is found in natural foods and will most certainly show up in custard or buttery "organic" juices because it's found in those foods naturally. Likewise, people who use organic cotton because they feel it's safer are simply ignorant. I am not so convinced that cotton as a wicking material is that safe in the first place (organic or treated). It's thermal properties are not ideal for use as a wick because its heat tolerance is low. Untreated cotton is a known hazard to fabric and yarn workers (inhale it and you get byssinosis). This is often fatal. This happens more often in the third world where there aren't proper safety protocols, but it was a problem in the USA prior to the industrial revolution (and still does occur in isolated cases). So, based on the dangerous nature of raw cotton, it would make more sense to *not* use organic cotton as a wick.
Now, I am not saying vaping off cotton wicks will give you an incurable lung disease but I am saying that it's is reasonable to be concerned about our wicking materials. I know some people have had bad reactions from cotton wicks (some of these people are very well known vapers). I also have bad reactions to it. In my case, it is probably an allergy since I am asthmatic and more susceptible to respiratory irritants than most people (us asthmatics are a strange lot -- some very unsuspecting things can prompt asthma attacks even if such materials do not bother us in other circumstances). I can go years without having asthmatic symptoms but if I get around a known irritant, I can end up in the ER (cats do it for me -- I will get sick if I am around them at all). Since most of us have allergies we don't even know about, then it stands to reason that certain materials can negatively affect some people while not bothering others.
I suspect people who are sensitive to cotton are having some sort inflammatory response (constricting of the airways, much like in asthma). If it were a serious disease like byssinosis I am certain we would have heard of such cases by now.
In my case, I also appear to have reactions to citrus juices (lemons, lime, orange, etc). If I vape a citrus juice, I end up with a very tight chest (radiates to my back), and also feel like my chest is inflammed. It feels just like the asthma attacks I remember as a kid. When I don't vape said flavors, my symptoms mostly disappear. Same with cotton.
TL;DR:
Cotton is probably OK, but does negatively affect some people. Organic cotton doesn't make a whole lot of sense overall because untreated cotton *can* be dangerous if the fibers are inhaled (no, I am not saying you will die if you vape off organic cotton. You probably wont have any problems at all). Silica just makes more sense. It is made specifically to tolerate high heat without degradation. Cotton is not.
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