Both smoking and vaping have side effects and risks. Although scientists and research do not fully understand the long-term health effects of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) it is still not a safe alternative to smoking.

Image Source:Harvard Health Blog April 2020; Molly Wolf

Vaping

People who vape are at risk and harm for the following reasons:

• E-cigarettes can contain a large dose of nicotine, a substance known to slow the development of brains in fetuses, children, and teens.
• The liquid that creates the vapor is dangerous to adults and children if they swallow, inhale, or get it on their skin.
• Vaping also delivers dangerous chemicals, including diacetyl, cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, by early 2020, there had been around 2,800 hospitalizations or deaths total with 68 of those confirmed deaths from vaping.

However, the CDC also acknowledges that since the removal of vitamin E acetate from vaping products, along with other harmful ingredients, the number of symptoms that people experience from vaping declined.

Vitamin E acetate is strongly associated with EVALI. Vitamin E acetate is an oil derivative used in vaping products as a thickener. It is found in about half of the products associated with EVALI. A recent small study found vitamin E deposits in the lung tissue of EVALI patients.

EVALI is a serious medical condition in which a person's lungs become damaged from substances contained in e-cigarettes and vaping products

No one knows why some people get EVALI and others do not, but part of this is probably due to the different ingredients they have inhaled. The most common brand associated with EVALI is Dank Vape, a brand of products containing THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Using products with THC increases risk for EVALI.

Other chemical components, including triglycerides, plant oils, petroleum distillates, and diluent terpenes have been found in bronchoscopy specimens of EVALI patients. But none are present in all patients.

The CDC recommends that people:

• DO NOT use THC-containing e-cigarettes or vaping products
• Avoid using informal sources, such as friends, family or online dealers to obtain a vaping device.
• Do not modify or add any substances to a vaping device that are not intended by the manufacturer.