To Vape Or Not To Vape?

As the age of technology consumes the world on almost every level, the habits of old have transformed with the rise of these technological advancements. Smoking is no different. While traditional cigarettes have not vanished, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have become increasingly popular among the younger generation. In the United States, more than 2.5 million students in middle and high school use e-cigarettes, with a quarter of them vaping daily, as reported by the FDA in 2022 ("Results from the Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey," FDA, 2022). In Canada, nearly 300,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 reported vaping within the last 30 days of a survey conducted by StatsCan in 2019 with 23.8% of these vaping daily ("Correlates of vaping among adolescents in Canada" Statistics Canada, July, 2022). (Link)   Although e-cigarettes were introduced as an alternative to traditional cigarettes, are they any better? Is there any health advantage to using e-cigarettes compared to tobacco products?

After the boom in tobacco consumption during the 1920s and 60s, the negative effects of cigars and cigarettes have become common knowledge. Pictorial health warnings are seen on cigarette packages showing the impact of smoking on the lungs, which covers at least 50% of the box. Also, a report of the US Surgeon General in 2014 published on the CDC's website concluded with several points on the effects of smoking since 1964 ("The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress," A Report of the Surgeon General, CDC, 2014, p. 7). 

• "More than 20 million premature deaths can be attributed to cigarette smoking." In fact, deaths resulting from smoking have killed ten times the number of Americans who died in all their nation's wars combined.
• "Since the 1964 Surgeon General's report, cigarette smoking has been causally linked to diseases of nearly all organs of the body, to diminished health status, and to harm to the fetus. Even 50 years after the first Surgeon General's report, research continues to newly identify diseases caused by smoking, including such common diseases as diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and colorectal cancer."
• "In addition to causing multiple diseases, cigarette smoking has many other adverse effects on the body, such as causing inflammation and impairing immune function."

Now, I might be preaching to the choir when I say this, but it is obvious that smoking is bad for you—it will kill you! But hey, at least we have e-cigarettes now, right?

Back in 2003, the first commercial e-cigarette was created in Beijing by Hon Lik. Lik was a 52-year-old pharmacist and a heavy smoker. It has been stated that his invention of the e-cigarette was a direct result of his father's death from lung cancer, as he was also a heavy smoker. In 2004, e-cigarettes were introduced to Canada and in 2006 to Europe and the United States. The battery-operated device heats liquid stored in a cartridge, vaporizing it and emitting a mist (aerosol) that is then inhaled. The act of using e-cigarettes has become known as vaping – the result of vaporizing the liquid. The initial marketing for e-cigarettes was to serve as an alternative to traditional smoking—somewhat of a smoking-cessation tool; however, the rise in popularity has not been among those trying to quit smoking, but rather among younger people who have never smoked.

While e-cigarettes can be either nicotine-based or not, the vast majority of users prefer those that contain nicotine. According to a report released by StatsCan in July 2022, around 240,000 adolescents aged 15 –17 vaped in the last 30 days of the survey. About 9 in 10 (89%) of those aged 15–19 use nicotine-based e-cigarettes ("Vaping among adolescents," Statistics Canada, July 2022). In the United States, the CDC found that 99% of e-cigarettes, found in areas assessed, contain nicotine, and has now declared e-cigarettes unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults—who are the primary users ("Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults," CDC, November, 2022). But, why is it unsafe?

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica:

"The safety of e-cigarettes, however, is a major area of concern, since the devices have been subjected to only very limited safety testing, and there is little evidence to suggest that they are safer than regular tobacco products. Preliminary research has suggested that individuals who use e-cigarettes regularly are at increased risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke. . . . It is also suspected that e-cigarette use increases the risk of seizures, particularly in young individuals and in persons who inhale large amounts of nicotine" ("e-cigarette," Britannica, December 2022). 

E-cigarettes produce ultra-fine particles (as they are vaporized) which may include: nickel, tin, lead, diacetyl, nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The chemicals, found in the liquid cartridge containing these particles, are harmful to your lungs and may cause chest pains, trouble breathing, vomiting and fever. ("4 Major Health Risks Linked to E-Cigarette Use," WebMd).

"In 2019 a dramatic rise in lung disease associated with vaping raised concerns about the safety of e-cigarettes and related devices. Of particular concern was the use of e-cigarettes for vaping THC, the active ingredient of marijuana. . . . Research published in 2019 further suggested that e-cigarette use is linked to hard-metal pneumoconiosis, a rare lung disease caused by the inhalation of toxic metals." (Britannica).

Nicotine, whether from a traditional cigarette or in an e-cigarette is harmful to the brain as it negatively affects how synapses are formed, and so you may have difficulty controlling your mood, learning, controlling your impulses or even paying attention. Nicotine also increases your blood pressure and raises your adrenaline levels putting you at a higher risk of a heart attack (WebMD).  

While e-cigarettes are marketed as a smoking-cessation tool, there is little evidence to show it as such. In fact, there are more negative consequences to using it than there are benefits—if there are any benefits at all. It has taken over 50 years to fully understand the impact of smoking a traditional cigarette, with new risks being discussed since. Let us not wait that long to realize that vaping is no different—the  result will be the same.