Is Vaping Really Harmful? What Are the Health Risks?

Are e-cigarettes really harmful? What harm do e-cigarettes have to health? According to the latest statistics from the World Health Organization, the estimated number of smokers worldwide has declined steadily since 2000, from 1.14 billion in 2000 to 1.1 billion now.

But when it comes to e-cigarettes (Vaping for short), it's another matter. We can see in Figure 1 that the number of e-cigarette users (vappers) has been increasing rapidly, from 7 million in 2011 to 35 million in 2016. Market research group Euromonitor estimates that by 2021, the number of adults smoking e-cigarettes will reach nearly 55 million.

For travelers, the joy of traveling is refreshing, but you know what? Bringing e-cigarettes to a country like Thailand may bring you fines or even put you in prison. Many countries, including Seychelles and Brazil, have also banned the sale of e-cigarettes, but this has not stopped the increase in global e-cigarette consumption.

Just on October 10 this year, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam delivered a policy address, proposing to completely ban the sale of e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products. This was a surprising shift because the Hong Kong government had previously advocated restricting the sale of e-cigarettes to minors only. Carrie Lam said: In my policy address, I proposed to completely ban e-cigarettes in order to protect the health of the public, especially children and young people.& rdquo;

Since the launch of e-cigarettes, there has been no interruption of debate and questioning them, and their potential risks and benefits have been the subject of heated debate.

It's time for us to start a debate on e-cigarettes. The theme of this debate is whether we should promote e-cigarettes? rdquo;

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E-cigarettes are harmful to health, we should not promote them

Vaping sounds cool and almost futuristic. Although its sales are increasing year by year, how much is it recognized by the public? A new poll survey surveyed more than 2,000 adults about their opinions on e-cigarettes. In polls, a majority of adults do have doubts about e-cigarettes: 85% said they are concerned that the long-term health effects of these devices are unclear; 83% are at least somewhat concerned about using e-cigarettes by teenagers. On the other hand, only 41% believe that e-cigarettes are healthier than traditional cigarettes, and 42% believe it is a great way to quit smoking.

Can e-cigarettes help you quit smoking? think twice

Since its birth, e-cigarettes have been closely related to people's desire to quit smoking. With so many e-cigarettes and cigarette liquid products, a very important part of dealers 'sales strategy is to vigorously promote e-cigarettes as a substitute for traditional cigarettes and can help quit smoking. But is this really the case? The paper published by Kalkhoran and Glantz in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine tells us that through a study and analysis of more than 40,000 smokers, people who used e-cigarettes actually had a lower smoking success rate than the control group who did not use e-cigarettes.

In June 2018, an article appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine NEJM, A Pragmatic Trial of E-Cigarettes, Incentives, and Drugs for Smoking Cessation by a team of doctors and scientists in Philadelphia. The study focused on e-cigarettes, financial incentives, and the role of drugs in smoking cessation. The entire trial lasted for six months, and the effect of smoking cessation was determined by conducting biochemical tests on blood or urine samples provided by the subjects. Let's guess how many people successfully stayed smoking for six months in such a clinical trial?

The answer is: 80, accounting for 1.3% of the 6006 subjects. Students who want to quit smoking through e-cigarettes should think twice before you act.

E-cigarettes and health

There is solid evidence that the vast majority of e-cigarettes contain multiple potentially toxic substances. In terms of nicotine intake, reports have revealed a large amount of evidence that nicotine exposure to e-cigarettes among experienced adult e-cigarette users can be comparable to combustible tobacco cigarettes.

Nicotine in e-cigarettes may have some negative health effects. Chronic nicotine exposure may lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, although this risk may be offset by nicotine's well-known appetite-suppressing effects.# p#pagination title #e#

Inhaling nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure. Nicotine itself is highly addictive, and it may cause changes in the brain and increase the risk of addiction to other drugs, especially among young people. Nicotine may also impair prefrontal brain development in adolescents, leading to attention deficit disorder and poor impulse control. In view of this, the use of e-cigarettes among young people has soared, and these potential harms of nicotine are really quite worrying.

Nicotine in e-liquids can also be a household hazard. Many e-liquids come with candy and fruit condiments and packaging, making them attractive to children. Cases of nicotine poisoning in e-liquids have soared, with accidental intake of e-liquids among children increasing by 1,500% in the past three years.

Flavoured electronic cigarettes can pose a health threat. They often contain a compound called diacetyl, which is linked to a rare lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans, which can cause permanent damage to the bronchioles. Moderate evidence suggests that e-cigarettes may cause increased coughing and wheezing in adolescents, as well as acute exacerbations of asthma. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology Lung Cell and Molecular Physiology also found that short-term exposure to e-cigarettes was enough to cause lung inflammation similar to or worse than traditional smoking.

Propylene glycol and glycerol are the main components of e-liquids and are not considered dangerous per se. However, they can decompose and convert into toxic compounds such as formaldehyde when heated by the evaporator. This is more common for new evaporators that use high wattage.

The National Academy of Sciences, Schools of Engineering and Medicine has released a report evaluating research on the health effects of e-cigarettes. The committee found solid evidence that drinking or injecting e-liquids can be fatal, exposure to skin or eyes can cause seizures and other serious problems, and that e-cigarette devices can explode and cause burns and other injuries.

Electronic cigarettes also cause cancer

There is no doubt that the nicotine component in cigarettes is closely related to the occurrence of lung cancer. The smoke produced by e-cigarettes contains nicotine flavors and other chemicals. Dr. Wang-Rodriquez and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, published their research in Oral Oncology that e-cigarettes can cause severe damage to human cells and lead to cancer. Cells exposed to e-cigarette smoke extracts are more likely to develop DNA damage and death than unexposed cells.

In detail, the DNA strands of exposed cells develop breaks, which can lead to cancer. In addition, exposed cells are more susceptible to apoptosis and death, both forms of cell death that is triggered by external factors, such as physical injury or poisoning. positive

　　The benefits of e-cigarettes outweigh the disadvantages and should be promoted

You may have read some earlier studies that claimed that e-cigarettes can harm your health. These studies quickly made national headlines, with exaggerated headlines claiming that e-cigarettes were dangerous. You need to know that bad news attracts more attention than good news. People always pay attention to and remember bad things, but forget their good things.

Numerous previous studies have shown how valuable e-cigarettes are, or their advantages over ordinary cigarettes, but such studies have not received the same attention. When looking at such widely publicized research, it's best to first understand his testing method and what it actually claims.

　 Electronic cigarettes are better than ordinary cigarettes

The first thing to be clear is that e-cigarettes are still better for you than cigarettes. Countless studies have proved that there are no carcinogens in e-cigarettes, no second-hand smoke, and the vapor produced by e-cigarettes is much less harmful to cigarette smoke in the lungs.

Last month, the National Academy of Sciences, Schools of Engineering and Medicine reviewed more than 800 studies on the health effects of e-cigarettes. The report found no available evidence whether e-cigarette use was linked to the possible development of human cancer, and limited evidence from animal studies.

The UK Department of Public Health has always been a strong supporter of e-cigarettes because they were one of the first departments to declare that e-cigarettes are better than cigarettes. In their most famous statement, they claimed that e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than cigarettes. A recent study by Martin Dockrell, head of public health tobacco control in the UK, said: E-cigarettes are not 100% risk-free, but they are significantly much less harmful than ordinary cigarettes. rdquo;#p#pagination title #e#

Despite various doubts about e-cigarettes, the Royal College of Physicians still insists on their views on e-cigarettes. They say that e-cigarettes may make a significant contribution to preventing premature health deaths, disease and social inequality caused by smoking.”

　　Compared with cigarettes, electronic cigarettes produce less than 1% of carcinogens

We all know that cigarettes are bad for us, but what most people don't know is that they contain more than 4,000 chemicals and 50 known carcinogens. More importantly, smoking-related diseases are the leading preventable cause of death in the world. Smoking causes many health problems, such as heart attacks, strokes, chronic breathing disorders, cancer, and can greatly reduce someone's quality of life.

In fact, more than 1 million people die every year from smoking-related diseases in China, and more than 800,000 people die every year from smoking-related diseases in the UK and throughout Europe. Due to things that can be completely prevented, more than 24 million people in Europe seek medical care every year.

The UK Department of Public Health recently stated that e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than ordinary cigarettes!

A recent study conducted by the University of St Andrews attempted to measure the difference between the vapor of e-cigarettes, hot non-combustible cigarettes and traditional cigarettes. Specifically, the content of each carcinogen was studied. It was found that less than 1% of carcinogens were present in e-cigarettes than tobacco smoke.

E-cigarettes have only 4 simple ingredients! These include propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (used in candies, candies, chewing gums, soft drinks, fat-free ice cream and cake mixes), food seasonings and nicotine.

So what would you rather suck into your lungs? Do you know of the 4,000 chemicals and carcinogens contained in tobacco or just these four ingredients?

No tar or second-hand smoke

When we smoke, it not only affects us, but also has a huge impact on the people around us. Breathing another person's smoke or passive smoking clearly suggests a connection to cancer. Second-hand smoking increases the risk of lung cancer in non-smokers by 25%, and may also increase the risk of throat and throat cancer. Second-hand smoke can also cause other health problems, including heart disease, stroke and breathing problems.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 people die each year in China from second-hand smoke that causes lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As a result, even for those who do not smoke, having cigarettes around them can adversely affect their lives. Electronic cigarettes do not contain tobacco or tar, and the impact of second-hand smoke is greatly reduced. By eliminating the 4,000 chemicals found in cigarettes and 50 known carcinogens, experts believe e-cigarettes are a safer option.

No lingering smell

One of the biggest complaints we hear about smoking is the smell. The lingering old smell of ashtrays seems to be everywhere. It haunts your clothes, hair, breathing, home and car. No matter how much mints or how much mouthwash you use, it is always there. No matter how much perfume or cologne you spray on your clothes, the smell of cigarettes will still outweigh it.

All the air fresheners in the world don't seem to escape the fear in your house. As a smoker, you will only notice a small portion of the odor. But for those who don't smoke, the stench may be worse. You have to know that e-cigarettes are odorless!

more convenient

Twenty years ago, you could smoke almost anywhere, whether it was on a plane, in the office, or in a bar, smoking was so common. Since the implementation of anti-smoking laws since smoking in public places was banned in 2007, night in bars has become a night of standing outside rather than enjoying a celebration with friends! Smoking is no longer legal in the workplace. Most people don't want you to smoke at home!

Since e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, they are not within the jurisdiction of the smoking ban law. So you can use them without spending most of your time outside! Although some bars and restaurants may not allow you to use your e-cigarette inside, there are still many people who encourage it more.

It helps people quit smoking

One of the hardest things to give up when quitting smoking is the hand-to-mouth movement and the impact on the back of your throat. Many people complain that the downfall of many smoking replacement devices is that they don't give them the same feeling, making it difficult for them to make a switch and stick with it.# p#pagination title #e#

E-cigarettes are designed by former smokers to replicate the same feeling provided by regular cigarettes. So you'll still get a hand-to-mouth motion, a similar throat strike, and even exhaling smoky steam! It looks and feels just as you are used to, which helps make it easier to switch.

According to views published at the same time in 2018 by the British Department of Public Health PHE and the National Institute of Science, Engineering and Medicine NASEM, both departments believe that e-cigarettes help smokers quit ordinary cigarettes and deserve encouragement.

New research from the Universities of Exeter and Melbourne funded by Cancer Research UK suggests that e-cigarettes as a friendly smoking cessation service should be promoted more openly, and says greater use of e-cigarettes has the potential to have a considerable beneficial impact, helping people quit smoking. Both the UK Department of Public Health (PHE) and the National Centre for Smoking Quitting and Training (NCSCT) say that vaping can play a role in smoking cessation services. The continued tension about using e-cigarettes in smoking cessation services can be a major obstacle for people seeking support.

　 Is Vaping good or bad?

There is no clear answer to this. Clinical regulator NICE pointed out that since e-cigarettes have only been sold on the market for about ten years, there is no authoritative research. It may take years for such research to emerge.

This is a debate. No one knows whether the current obvious results achieved on e-cigarettes will be surpassed in the future by the adverse health effects that emerge after detailed study.

What is your best choice? Don't put anything in your lungs that shouldn't be there. Therefore, quitting smoking is your best choice!