Dr Ben Anderson

VAPING VERDICT

ACCORDING TO STATS FROM THE ALCOHOL AND DRUG FOUNDATION (ADF), VAPING IS ON THE RISE, PARTICULARLY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, AGED 12 TO 17. BUT WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS?

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. Smoking harms nearly every organ in your body, including your heart. Smoking damages the coronary arteries that supply blood to your heart. This can cause the artery to narrow. It can also increase your risk of a blood clot or blockage, which can lead to a heart attack. You might be tempted to turn to e-cigarettes and vape pens as a way to ease the transition from traditional cigarettes to not smoking at all. But is vaping better for you than using tobacco products? The short and long-term health effects and safety of e-cigarettes are still unknown. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavourings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic. While the exact chemicals in e-cigarettes vary from brand to brand, experts believe there’s almost no doubt that vaping exposes you to fewer toxic chemicals than smoking traditional cigarettes. BUT, researchers at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University have delved into the available studies on vaping and concluded e-cigarettes are harmful for non-smokers, especially youth, and when used for purposes other than smoking cessation. There is strong evidence that nonsmokers who use e-cigarettes are three times as likely to go on to smoke combustible tobacco cigarettes as nonsmokers who do not use e-cigarettes, supportive of a “gateway” effect. The researchers also state much is yet to be learned about the longer-term impacts of vaping. Research from The Johns Hopkins University on vape ingredients published in October 2021 reveals thousands of chemical ingredients in vape products, most of which are not yet identified. Among those the team could identify were several potentially harmful substances, including caffeine, three chemicals never previously found in e-cigarettes, a pesticide and two flavourings linked with possible toxic effects and respiratory irritation. Nicotine is the primary agent in regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and it is highly addictive. It causes you to crave a smoke and suffer withdrawal symptoms if you ignore the craving. Nicotine is a toxic substance. It raises your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack. Several key Australian health organisations, such as the Australian Medical Association (AMA), Cancer Council Australia and the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) have published positions on e-cigarettes, sharing the following messages: There is insufficient evidence to promote the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. There is increasing evidence of health harms. E-cigarettes may normalise the act of smoking and attract young people. E-cigarettes should be more properly regulated. From 1 October 2021, all nicotine vaping products – including nicotine e-cigarettes, nicotine pods and liquid nicotine – can only be purchased with a doctor’s prescription. This includes both in Australia and from overseas. So, is vaping bad for you? Emerging data suggests links to chronic lung disease and asthma, as well as associations between dual use of e-cigarettes and smoking with cardiovascular disease. You’re exposing yourself to all kinds of chemicals that we don’t yet understand and that are probably not safe.

More information at adf.org.au