Electronic cigarettes, or vape pens, have grown wildly popular over the last decade among young people. Knowing the risk of smoking these devices is important to you and your family’s health. Dr. Shrey Velani, at MercyOne Des Moines Pulmonary & Infectious Disease Care and Dr. Anas Khateeb, at MercyOne North Iowa Specialty Care answer your important questions about vaping.
What is in an e-cigarette?
E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid into an aerosol that is inhaled into the lungs. This is commonly known as vaping.
“Almost all vaping and e-cigarettes devices are still unregulated by any official health agencies,” says Dr. Velani. “This poses risk. There is no oversight on safety or purity of the contents in these devices.”
Most vaping and e-cigarettes consist of nicotine or other potentially toxic substances.
“E-cigarettes contain a number of potentially toxic substances,” says Dr. Khateeb. “Carcinogens, like formaldehyde, glycerol, vitamin E acetate, which can cause harm when inhaled.”
What are the health effects of vaping?
Nicotine is highly addictive. Any form of dependence or addiction impacts your physical and psychological health.
“Nicotine by itself is a harmful substance for your health,” says Dr. Velani. “It can lead to increased risk of heart disease, vascular disease and stroke.”
“Young adults are particularly vulnerable to becoming dependent on nicotine,” says Dr. Khateeb. “The first symptoms of nicotine dependence can develop within days or weeks of occasional use.”
Smoking e-cigarettes also puts you at risk for E-cigarettes and Vaping Associated Lung Disease (EVALI) which is associated with vitamin E acetate. EVALI causes a severe inflammation of lungs possibly leading to hospitalization, many times leading to need for ventilator and long-term disability.
“E-cigarette has been linked EVALI and the development of acute eosinophilic pneumonia in your respiratory system,” says Dr. Khateeb. “Both can lead to respiratory failure and even death.”
While e-cigarettes are relatively new and the long-term effects still being discovered, the short-term effects of vaping can also cause chronic conditions like chronic cough, chronic congestion, phlegm and popcorn lung (chronic bronchitis).
What should young people know about e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are not harmless water vapor. There are numerous harmful effects to your health, development and well-being.
“Nicotine exposure during youth can lead to effects on learning and brain development,” says Dr. Khateeb. “There are well known damaging health effects directly linked to vaping, some can be life threatening even to a healthy adolescent.”
Studies have shown vaping, and the use of e-cigarettes, increases the likelihood of smoking cigarettes.
“We’ve seen that vaping at a young age makes someone more likely to start using conventional cigarettes as they get older,” said Dr. Velani. “Smoking cigarettes is the number one risk factor of developing lung cancer along with other health effects and conditions.”
