In recent years, the use of electronic cigarettes, popularly known as vapers, has grown exponentially.
According to the EDADES survey, 10% of the population between 15 and 64 years old (12% of men and 8.9% of women) has used electronic cigarettes at some point. Men present higher consumption rates across all age groups, except between 45 and 54 years old, where women have a higher prevalence. The 15 to 24 age group uses these devices the most in both genders, highlighting the influence of these devices on younger people.
Given these data, many questions arise, as well as great concern regarding the possible medium- and long-term consequences of consuming these new devices.
Vapers: what are they?
Electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, or vapers are battery-operated devices used to heat liquids and produce aerosols that are inhaled.
Although they are often promoted as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco, it is becoming clear that they are equally harmful to health, and there is growing concern about their impact, especially in relation to cancer and respiratory diseases.
The liquids used in vapers, also called e-liquids, can contain nicotine (even in those labeled “nicotine-free”) as well as additives, flavorings, and other chemicals toxic to the body. However, these products have not been on the market long enough for us to know for certain what long-term effects they may have on our bodies.
Health risks of vapers
Electronic cigarettes emit toxic substances that are harmful to both active and passive smokers. Some of these substances have been found to be carcinogenic and cause respiratory irritation and lung damage, raising serious concerns about the cancer risk associated with vaper use.
Furthermore, cases of severe lung injury have been reported, such as EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury), particularly in the United States, where it is linked to the use of products containing THC and vitamin E acetate.
Of course, exposure to nicotine is especially concerning for pregnant women, children, and adolescents. In the case of pregnant women, nicotine can negatively affect fetal development and, in children and adolescents, it can interfere with brain development, causing learning disorders, anxiety, and other long-term mental health issues.
Vapers vs. conventional tobacco
As we already know, tobacco is a highly significant risk factor in the development of lung cancer, with 90% of cases of this type of cancer attributed to tobacco. But is it the same regarding vapers?
Although the long-term effects of electronic cigarette use are not yet fully known, nor whether they affect health to a greater or lesser extent than tobacco, current evidence indicates that, due to their components, these products are harmful to health. In view of this, the WHO states that the safest option is to avoid the use of both electronic cigarettes and tobacco.
Furthermore, the consumption of one and the other is not always mutually exclusive but rather complementary, as nicotine is highly addictive, and its use through vapers can significantly increase the likelihood of young people starting to smoke conventional cigarettes. Epidemiological studies have shown that electronic cigarette use triples conventional tobacco consumption among young non-smokers, suggesting that vapers can be a gateway to smoking.
In conclusion, it is essential to closely monitor the evolution of electronic cigarettes and vapers, as well as to deepen our knowledge of their possible adverse health effects. It is also important for institutions to understand the effects they exert and for increasing measures to be taken to restrict their consumption. In the UK, for example, a Tobacco and Vapes Bill has already been introduced, which bans disposable vapers and presents measures for rechargeable vapers such as banning their sale to minors, regulating labeling, and implementing taxes and fiscal regulations, among others.
Given the current evidence, the most prudent practice is to adopt healthy habits that minimize risk factors, especially those related to cancer, where smoking has a major impact.
When it comes to tobacco and vapers, say no.
