Vaping involves inhaling aerosols from an e-cigarette. Typically, the e-liquid in the cartridge includes nicotine, flavourings, and other chemicals. Initially, it was popular among teens and young adults for its design innovations. People think of vaping as a safer alternative to traditional smoking methods. However, while vaping releases fewer harmful chemicals compared to smoking, it still poses health risks. Here, we detail whether vaping causes cancer.
What is the list of dangers of vaping?
Vaping can cause side effects, especially in the respiratory system. EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury) is an acute lung disease associated with vaping. The liquid in e-cigarettes contains solvents like propylene glycol and glycerol. When the liquid is heated, the fumes of propylene glycol irritate the respiratory pathways. Additionally, it causes rise for asthma.
Vaping is a fad because of its various flavouring agents. Diacetyl is the flavouring agent commonly used in vape pens. Though it is an approved food additive, studies indicate its health risks. Long-term, diacetyl-exposed factory workers develop a serious form of pneumonia. The common name for this type of pneumonia is popcorn lung. Additionally, according to the CDC, diacetyl has a link to serious lung disease. Moreover, there has been public notice by the FDA about serious lung illnesses and even deaths due to vaping.
Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Studies state that vaping delivers a more concentrated form of nicotine than smoking. E-cigarettes have a higher risk of nicotine toxicity. In addition to being addictive, nicotine harms the brain development of young adults. It is dangerous for pregnant women and toxic to foetuses.
The use of vaping is also harmful to heart health. Chemicals in the aerosols of vape pens raise blood pressure and heart rate. They make the artery walls stiffer. They also inhibit the function of blood vessels by damaging their lining. Together, all these abnormal changes can increase the risk of heart disease.
After seeing so many disadvantages of vaping, we can be sure that quitting vaping will be as useful as quitting smoking.
Is there a likelihood that vaping causes cancer?
There are many chemicals, like nicotine, organic compounds, solvents, and flavourings in the liquid of e-cigarettes. During the mechanism of action of e-cigarettes, these chemicals change form after heating. Studies show that the resultant chemical products, like nitrosamines can cause cancer. In actuality, they damage the DNA of the cell so much that it can become cancerous. Researchers performed these studies on lung and bladder cells.
Additionally, propylene glycol, the solvent for nicotine, degrades on heating. It produces agents like formaldehyde and acrolein. Formaldehyde is a potent cancer-causing agent that increases lifetime cancer risk by 5-15 times. Along with nasal irritation, heart health issues, and lung mucosa damage, acrolein also contributes to vaping cancer cases.
Vaping can even pose a lung cancer risk to non-smokers as a contributor to second-hand smoking. Not only lung cancer, but vaping may contribute to other cancers as well. Scientists documented a case of a young adult developing oral cancer due to excessive vaping.
Generally, researchers have reported the cancer-causing properties of liquids in e-cigarettes. Some tissue and animal studies show that too. Nonetheless, it will take more time and studies to know the long-term implications of vaping.
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