Vaping has become a fast-growing alternative to smoking, particularly among youth. But is it safer? Although vaping does not involve burning plant material like cigarettes do, it is still a serious health hazard that we don’t yet fully understand.
Pulmonologist Dr. Edwin Ostrin raises the point that the long-term consequences of vaping are still fairly unknown. He says that though e-cigarettes appear to be less dangerous than traditional tobacco smoking, the harm that they may impart to lung tissue may not yet be apparent for decades. Making matters even more confusing, vape products are regulated less tightly than traditional cigarettes, so consumers commonly have no idea what they’re breathing in.
Perhaps the largest issue linked to vaping is EVALI, or e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury. This illness came into the limelight in 2019 as thousands of individuals landed in the hospital with acute lung injury from e-liquids that include Vitamin E acetate. According to Ostrin, because the vaping world is not significantly regulated, nasty chemicals can be added to a product without one knowing how they will impact the body.
Vaping has also been linked to a host of other severe lung problems, including bronchiolitis obliterans—a condition popularly referred to as popcorn lung—triggered by a chemical known as diacetyl present in some vape juices. And since anybody can produce and refill e-cigarettes, there’s always the danger of harmful contaminants entering products that consumers are inhaling.
Another significant concern is nicotine dependency. Ostrin cautions that teenagers who begin vaping could end up developing a nicotine habit that ultimately drives them to smoking traditional cigarettes, particularly if vape products become heavily regulated. The possibility of vaping producing a generation addicted to nicotine is quite unsettling.
Despite all these unknowns, one thing is for certain: quitting nicotine is a big health win. Improved lung function, better heart health, and financial savings are just a few. Still, Ostrin concedes that quitting nicotine is extremely difficult. It’s one of the hardest struggles he sees his patients endure because nicotine is such a strong addiction.
The American Heart Association emphasizes the necessity for additional research to understand the effect of vaping on the heart and lungs. Although vaping is similar to smoking, e-cigarette aerosols contain a blend of chemical substances that may be harmful, including nicotine, THC, and other chemicals. Although it may be true that vaping fluid typically contains fewer impurities than cigarettes, this does not necessarily mean it is safe.
While the popularity of vaping just keeps going higher, particularly among teenagers, scientists are demanding increased studies to observe what happens in the human body from long-term exposure to vaping. It makes sense to learn the long-term danger now because a significant percentage of young users have probably never held a cigarette in their lifetime.
In the end of the day, though vaping may appear to be the “less bad” alternative to smoking, it’s better to remain cautious and well-informed. The complete story of vaping’s influence on our well-being is still unfolding, and remaining well-informed is the best way to make healthier decisions.
More for you:
- The E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury Epidemic: Pathogenesis, Management, and Future Directions: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report – PMC
- Does vaping cause lung cancer?
- As e-cigarette use grows, more research needed on long-term effects of vaping
- Long-term effects, benefits, and risks