Smokers Who Switched to Vaping Say the Risk of Respiratory Illness Fell Significantly

According to the Daily Mail in the UK, a new study has shown that among smokers who successfully switched to vaping, two-thirds said they suffered from respiratory illnesses less often. Researchers said there is clear evidence that vaping does not cause lung infections in the same way cigarettes do.

Queen Mary University of London conducted an online survey of 941 respondents to assess the subjective changes in lung-related illness among smokers who had switched to vaping for at least two months.

The study report was published in the journal Addiction Research & Theory. The report found that among respondents, 66% said their respiratory symptoms had improved; 29% reported no change, and 5% said they had continued to worsen.

“There is no doubt that e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes, but some smokers still believe they are dangerous. That misinformation includes a study on mice that falsely claimed vaping may increase susceptibility to infection. But these studies of human vapers show that this is not the case.” said Peter Hajek, professor at Queen Mary University of London and lead author of the report: “Because the study is based on self-reported data, it should be interpreted with caution, and further research using objective measures is needed. However, the current results provide substantial evidence that vaping does not increase the likelihood of infection; in fact, it may even reduce the risk of infection.”