E-Cigarettes, also known as vapes, have quickly risen in popularity with 3.9
million people in Canada reporting have tried vaping at least once. According to
a study by researchers at the University of Waterloo 6.3% of
youth reported having used a vape in the past 30 days. With such a large portion of
the youth population using vapes, it is important to ensure people using
e-cigarettes or vapes are aware of the potential health risks involved. There is
still much to learn on the health risks associated with vaping much like
cigarette smoking when it first became popular and more accessible. Now you may
have heard that vaping is a health alternative to cigarette smoking and
this is true as vapes do not contain nearly as much toxic chemical additives
as cigarettes do.
Nonetheless, most vape juices contain nicotine which has been
shown to affect the development of the adolescent brain. Many studies have shown
how nicotine consumption can increase one's risk of psychiatric disorders as
well as having negative effects on cognition function later in life.
Nicotine addiction can also cause a young person to become dependent on
nicotine affecting their ability to concentrate in tasks such as schoolwork.
It is also important to understand that every different flavor of vape juice
contains a unique chemical used to give the vapor its characteristic taste.
Although these chemicals are usually safe to consume in foods it is unknown
what effects they will have when inhaled into the lungs.
For example the butter flavoured vape juices used in many e-cigarettes use a
chemical called diacyl. Diacyl is also known for its use in buttery flavored
popcorn and is notorious for causing a condition called
popcorn lung in factory workers. Popcorn lung, also known as bronchiolitis
obliterans, is a life-threatening condition and is just one example of how
a chemical that is safe to eat is not necessarily safe to inhale. Now it is
important to be clear that although e-cigarette use has its potential health
risk, many studies have shown that they are
useful tool for smoking cessation in long-term smokers. A study conducted on
40 long-term smokers found that they were able to produce cigarette
consumption by 50 percent over a 24 week period. The participants also did not
exhibit the usual withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking. With
this information in mind, it is important to realize that e-cigarettes are a
potential tool for smoking cessation but still has its associated health risk.
This is why it is important to limit the availability of vapes to underage
individuals to avoid exposing them to the negative health effects of nicotine and
vape juice but it may be advantageous to introduce e-cigarettes to an
individual who is addicted to smoking cigarettes as it is relatively less
harmful for their health and can aid them in quitting smoking cigarettes altogether.
Be sure to stay informed and for more information on e-cigarettes and how it
can impact your health visit the american lung association or www.lung.ca