Is smoking an e-cigarette actually a healthier choice compared to traditional cigarettes? Dr. Warren Ho, Internal Medicine, debunks 5 commonly believed myths about vaping.
E-cigarettes are sold in a myriad of fanciful shapes and flavors,
going by various names such as e-cigs, vape as well as vape pen. Despite being
banned in Singapore, there have been reports of vaping becoming increasingly
popular, with vape devices and accessories being sold openly on messaging apps
and social media platforms.
E-cigarettes are often marketed as the better and healthier
option compared to conventional cigarettes, but they actually harbor many
negative properties that are harmful to health. A 2018 study conducted in the
United States found that e-cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that can cause
irreversible damage to the lungs.
Some youths see vaping as a harmless activity and pick up
the habit without knowing what they are getting themselves into. We look into
common misconceptions about e-cigarettes and debunk the myths.
Myth #1: E-cigarettes are less addictive compared to tobacco
cigarettes
The truth: The assumption is that e-cigarettes do not
contain nicotine, which is why they’re safer than cigarettes. This may not be
true. The chemical-laden aerosol that’s sold with e-cigarettes, or more
commonly known as e-juices, often contain nicotine. Hence, it’s best not to
assume that the e-cigarettes you purchase are nicotine-free. It is also harder
to determine what chemicals go into these e-cigarettes when you purchase them
locally, given that they are sold illegally without regulations. Despite what
the seller claims, there is no certainty that the “nicotine-free e-cigarettes”
being purchased contain no traces of nicotine.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and can make it
hard for one to break the habit of vaping once it is picked up. Some harmful
effects of nicotine include:
- An increase in blood pressure, which raises heart rate and increases the risk of a heart attack
- Respiratory issues
- Decreasing the body\'s ability to fight against cancer and reducing the effectiveness of cancer treatment
- Affect brain development in people under the age of 25
Myth #2 Nicotine-free e-cigarettes are harmless
The truth: While there are some e-juices that are
nicotine-free, these juices still harbor chemicals that are damaging to health.
Some side effects of these e-juices include mouth and airway irritation;
inflammation of the immune system, and potential cell damage, particularly in
the lungs.
Nicotine-free e-juices are not just flavored water vapor.
These e-juices are aerosol and contain lots of dangerous chemicals such as
formaldehyde, which is linked to risk of cancer and infertility; acrolein and
diacetyl that may cause lung damage; and harmful metals such as lead and
nickel.
Despite the seemingly harmless sweet scent that vape pens emit, they mask the similarly harmful chemicals in the e-juices. Without realizing the potential health risks, youths picking up the vaping fad are putting themselves at risk of severe lung injury.
Myth #3: Vaping can help me quit smoking
The truth: You’ve made the bold step to quit smoking and
that’s great. Though, if you’re hoping e-cigarettes will help you kick the
smoking habit, you should probably know it’s neither the most effective nor the
safest smoking cessation method.
While e-cigarette brands often market their products as an
effective way to quit smoking, this claim is not recognized by the FDA (U.S.
Food and Drug Administration). With insufficient evidence proving that
e-cigarettes are effective in helping smokers quit, e-cigarettes are not
approved as a smoking cessation aid.
As a matter of fact, a study found that 80% of smokers who switched to e-cigarettes as a start to smoking cessation, end up smoking e-cigarettes even after a year later. In other words, the move to switch to e-cigarettes is merely about replacing the addiction with a perceived trendier habit.
The good news is, there are other clinically proven and healthier smoking cessation methods that can help you quit smoking effectively.
Myth #4: Picking up vaping is better than picking up tobacco
cigarettes
The truth: Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which make
them just as addictive as smoking cigarettes. If you think picking up
e-cigarettes is a better alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes, think
again. One study found that those who use e-cigarettes are four times more
likely to start smoking cigarettes than those who have never tried them. You
could end up addicted to both e-cigarettes and tobacco.
Furthermore, vape pens that are sold off the streets or
online are not regulated by the government, which means buyers have no idea
what actually goes into these e-cigarettes. In the states, the CDC (United
States Communicable Diseases Centre) has seen an uptick in lung injury and
respiratory issues linked to vaping, especially among youths. Similarly, in
Singapore, medical authorities have observed more patients coming in with
respiratory issues caused by vaping. Some of the common medical conditions
reported include bronchitis, lung inflammation, and pneumonia.
Underestimating the harmful effects of e-cigarettes can be dangerous, leading the user to abuse the substance and cause harm to their body unknowingly. E-cigarettes are also much newer than tobacco cigarettes, and we may not yet know the full extent of the damage that they can cause. Tobacco cigarettes were released and regarded as a relatively harmless and cool accessory in the early 19th century, and we only learnt of their true dangers during the 20th century.
Myth #5: Vaping is better than smoking because it protects
my loved ones from secondhand smoke
The truth: Although e-cigarettes do not emit smoke like a
lit cigarette, e-cigarette emissions do contain harmful chemicals including
nicotine and volatile organic compounds. Despite the seemingly more pleasant
smell, the effects of secondhand e-cigarette vapor are quite similar to
secondhand cigarette smoke. Children are especially at risk of respiratory
issues from secondhand aerosol as their lungs are still developing. Nicotine
can impair adolescent brain development, causing attention deficit, memory
problems, psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairment.
Despite the potential risks of secondhand aerosol from
e-cigarettes, a CDC study conducted in the United States revealed that about
40% of American adults think that exposure to secondhand aerosol from
e-cigarettes causes minimal harm to children, while another 5% think that it
causes no harm at all. While most people are aware of the risk of secondhand
smoke from tobacco cigarettes, the lack of awareness of secondhand aerosol from
e-cigarettes can be putting children and other loved ones at risk.
A harmful and addictive fad
Vaping comes with a multitude of potential health risks,
similar to smoking cigarettes. This fad that’s spreading among the youths may
have long-term health ramifications. There is also a lack of research on the
long-term effects on health, given that e-cigarettes were only invented in
2003. Only time can reveal the true impact of smoking e-cigarettes.
If you’ve been considering e-cigarettes as a means to quit
smoking, consider seeking professional help instead. If you know someone who
vapes but is unaware of the true extent of the damage, let them know.
Respiratory issues may develop into chronic conditions and
serious complications. If you are an e-cigarette user and experience breathing
difficulties or any other symptoms, consult a respiratory physician to get a
medical assessment.
For more information or to make an appointment with a Specialist, please call us at 400-819-6622.
Article reviewed by Dr. Warren Ho, Internal Medicine
physician at ParkwayHealth.
Copyright: Health Plus an online health and
wellness web resource developed by Parkway Singapore
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