Vaping

Larry A. Law

Many people are under the mistaken belief that vaping is safer than smoking traditional cigarettes. However, evidence is accumulating against that idea. According to data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 2.5 million young people utilized vaping products in 2022. This includes 14% of high school students and 3% of middle school students. Most of these students preferred the flavored e-cigarettes, with fruit flavors being the most popular (69%) followed by candy/dessert flavors. Unfortunately, research indicates that flavored e-cigarettes cause the most harm to health. A study published in April 2022 found that vaping with mango- or mint-flavored pods increases the inflammatory process in various organ systems. The most disturbing changes happen in the brain, which likely contributes to behavioral changes and mood disorders. Scientists also discovered early signs of cardiovascular disease after only three months of inhaling flavored Juul e-cigs three times a day.  

Serious Health Risks

While e-cigarettes do not expose the smoker to the thousands of toxic compounds found in conventional cigarettes, research indicates that vaping is likely just as dangerous. A study published in 2018 in BMJ Thorax found that vapor from e-cigs radically boosted the production of chemical responses directly involved in inflammation processes and impaired the activity of immune system cells called macrophages. Because the e-cig vapor disables the ability of the macrophage to engulf bacteria and protect pulmonary function, the entire immune system is damaged and put at risk . This type of injury increases lung cell vulnerability to dust,  bacteria, viruses, and allergens. It dramatically increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A 2019 study found that flavored categories (tobacco, menthol, fruit, etc.) of e-cigs contained higher concentrations of endotoxins (impurities), suggesting that raw materials used during production were the source of contamination. Another 2019 study presented at the 2019 American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session revealed that adult e-cig smokers (compared to nonsmokers) were 34% more likely to have a heart attack, 25% more likely to have coronary artery disease, and 55% more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. 

Toxic Metals and Chemicals

Several studies document that e-cig vapors and aerosols contain unsafe levels of lead, nickel, chromium, and manganese, which are all highly toxic when inhaled. These heavy metals are not in the liquid itself, but come from the heating coils within the e-cig tank. In addition, another study found acetaldehyde and formaldehyde in the vapor produced by several types of e-cig devices, and one brand had over 10 times the level of carcinogens found in a traditional cigarette. 

Protect the Children

Teenagers who start out smoking traditional cigarettes do not usually switch to e-cigs. However, the reverse is regrettably true: smoking e-cigs leads to smoking regular cigarettes. This clearly shows that the marketing hype—suggesting smoking e-cigarettes is a way to stop smoking conventional cigarettes—is false.

Because the vapors don't have a distinct cigarette smell, many parents are unaware that their children are vaping. If their kids get hooked and switch to traditional cigarettes, that will surely increase their risk of disease. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death. Nicotine exposure during adolescence, regardless of the source, increases children's risk of alcohol abuse disorders and other addictive behaviors in adulthood. This occurs because of changes in the nuerological circuitry in the brain within the reward pathway. Helping children engage in physical exercise, healthy eating, and socially or emotionally-connected activity can create biological rewards which can replace the desire to smoke. Of course, the easiest path to not smoking is to avoid starting in the first place.​