Vaping-related illnesses rise in Colombia, mostly among men over 45

Research shows that 59 deaths in Colombia are related to vaping, mostly occurring among men over 45 years old.

According to a report by El Tiempo on November 9, a recent study published in the Brazilian Journal of Pulmonology indicates that there are a total of 59 deaths in Colombia that may be related to vaping, with the majority occurring in the provinces of Guaviare (69%) and Boyacá (27%).

This study, titled "Preliminary Signs of Vaping-Related Illnesses in Colombia," indicates that based on data collected from the latest National Survey on the Consumption of Psychoactive Substances (2019), there are 245 cases of illnesses related to vaping.

While global health organizations consider adolescents to be the highest-risk group, data from Colombia shows that vaping-related illnesses mostly occur in men over 45 years old (82%), with the majority of deaths being among men over 60. Researchers suggest that there may be significant underreporting of data for younger populations.