Last Updated on March 8, 2024 by Partha Protim Choudhury
Quitting smoking can be a challenging but immensely rewarding journey. Firstly, it is important to make a firm decision to quit and acknowledge the reasons behind this choice. Next, consider seeking support from friends, family, or support groups for encouragement and understanding. Developing a plan is crucial. You can set a quit date, remove smoking triggers from your environment, and find alternative coping mechanisms for stress. Utilizing nicotine replacement therapy or medications can also help manage withdrawal symptoms. Vaping is also a smoking cessation method. In this article, we discuss whether vaping causes cancer.
What is vaping?
The use of e-cigarettes is known as vaping. Electronic nicotine dispensing systems (ENDS), e-cigs, e-hookahs, vape pens, vapes, and tank systems are different names for e-cigarettes. An e-cigarette contains a cartridge, a heating element (atomiser), a mouthpiece, and a rechargeable battery. The cartridge contains a liquid heated by the atomiser and the person inhales aerosols through the mouthpiece. The liquid in e-cigarettes contains nicotine, flavourings, and other chemicals.
As an innovation, especially in the design of vape pens, teens and young adults took up vaping a lot. Additionally, people consider vaping a safer alternative to tobacco smoking through cigarettes, hookahs, and cigars. Some people thought of it as an option to quit smoking.
Is vaping better than smoking?
Smoking releases 7000 chemicals in the body, some of which are harmful to the body. In comparison to smoking, vaping does not carry so many chemicals in its aerosols. Though they carry fewer chemicals, e-cigarettes are still not harmless. Harmful substances that can be present in e-cigarettes are nicotine, volatile organic compounds, and heavy metals. These can cause the side effects of vaping too much. For instance, flavouring agents like diacetyl may cause serious lung illnesses. Aerosols may contain cancer-causing chemicals or ultrafine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs.
Additionally, a UK government report also states that vaping causes lower risks than smoking in the short and medium term. Nonetheless, it is not risk-free, especially for people who have never smoked.
How can vaping cause lung cancer?
In the liquids of e-cigarettes, manufacturers add sodium nitrates to prevent germ growth. These chemicals can react with nicotine during the formation of aerosols to form nitrosamines like NNK. In a 2021 animal tissue study, scientists showed that NNK has the potential to cause DNA damage. This DNA damage can be cancer-causing in lung and bladder cells. Scientists found the same result about NNK in a study using mouse models.
Manufacturers add propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) to the liquids of e-cigarettes to give the same feel as cigarette smoking. The FDA has approved the use of these chemicals. However, studies show that when liquid is heated in the e-cigarette, these chemicals degrade. They form compounds like acrolein which are cancer-causing compounds. American Lung Association also states the role of acrolein in causing cancer.
Additionally, long-lasting exposure to PG and VG can reduce lung cell volume and membrane fluidity. There could be resulting airway damage.
Smoking is the largest cause of lung cancer. But for non-smokers, second-hand smoke poses a big risk of developing lung cancer. In the same way, aerosols from e-cigarettes become environmental contamination. Thus, vaping can cause cancer of the lungs in non-smokers.
Though the use of e-cigarettes indicates a risk of lung cancer, it is a relatively new device. More studies can suggest vaping side effects in the long term.
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