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While vaping is often touted as a healthier alternative to tobacco, the American Heart Association has issued a warning about the health risks posed by e-cigarettes. The explanations of Dr Olivier Galera, tobacco specialist at the Saint-Orens clinic in Haute-Garonne.
A new study published by the American Heart Association reports that there is a body of evidence showing that vaping can pose health risks, including the risk of cancer.
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, are battery-powered devices that produce vapor, which is inhaled by the user. Many electronic cigarette liquids contain nicotine, but also humectants such as propylene glycol, vegetable glycerol (which produce vapor), flavorings and other chemicals that can pose significant health risks.
What are the health hazards associated with electronic cigarette use?
The scientists, authors of this work, argue that a growing body of evidence demonstrates that there are many risks to vaping.
According to Dr. Jason J. Rose, assistant professor of medicine and volunteer chair of the Scientific Statements Writing Board, “Vaping products can cause very serious respiratory illnesses. Over 2,800 people have been hospitalized and 68 people have died. Some of the chemicals used to flavor vaping products have toxic effects on people. Nicotine, commonly found in most vaping liquids, has addictive properties and can have acute effects on the cardiovascular system.”
Nicotine, an addictive and dangerous product
“We know that nicotine is addictive and has acute effects on the cardiovascular system. E-cigarettes and vaping liquids also often have identical nicotine strengths to cigarettes.” adds Dr. Rose.
Words confirmed by Dr Olivier Galera, tobacco specialist at the Saint-Orens clinic in Haute-Garonne. “Electronic cigarettes indeed contain nicotine, which cannot be presented as a simple stimulant. It’s not what kills in cigarettes, but nicotine is more physically addictive than heroin. So encouraging electronic cigarettes among young people, on the pretext that it is less “serious” than cigarettes, that bothers me”.
“We don’t really know the dangers”
For Dr. Galera, the hindsight is actually too low to estimate that electronic cigarettes are safe. “Admittedly, there are no tars and carbon monoxide present in cigarettes, but we do not know what the inhalation of these vapors can have as consequences on health. From an epidemiological point of view, it is recommended to wait 30 years, to have sufficient hindsight on the appearance of cancers, in particular, hindsight still insufficient todayExperts therefore recommend avoiding e-cigarettes due to potentially harmful long-term health issues.