Can vaping kill? E-cigarette product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) has killed 68 people in 2019 and 2020 and put thousands in hospitals in the United States alone. There could be much more globally.
In the absence of accurate worldwide figures, people think vaping is less harmful than smoking. That belief also stems from several studies, which show that vaping liquid doesn’t contain cancer-causing tobacco and the most toxic chemicals found in cigarettes and other tobacco products, according to Gulfnews.
Health risk from vaping
That’s not true, says Dr. Ryan Sultan, an assistant professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Centre in the United States. “The aerosol from e-cigarettes contains potentially harmful chemicals, not found in tobacco smoke, like heavy metals or volatile organic compounds. While less harmful substances are produced, the ones that are may still pose health risks.”
Yet vaping’s popularity continues to skyrocket. According to a report published by Emerald Insight in 2023, 82 million people vaped worldwide in 2021, and the number is expected to grow exponentially. Sanjay Agrawal, Britain’s Royal College of Physician’s special adviser on tobacco, said “urgent action” was needed to curb vaping among young people and those who had never smoked.
Teen vaping in the UAE
More distressing is the prevalence among children and teenagers in England, and doctors are calling it an epidemic. There’s not enough data on the UAE, but a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2022 found that about a quarter of college students used an e-cigarette in June.
Teenage vaping is a big worry, Dr Saheer Sainalabdeen says, adding that nicotine inhalation can lead to stunted development. “The human brain continues to develop until the age of 25. Nicotine from vaping can impact the brain, leading to learning issues, memory loss, seizures and mental health problems,” the pulmonologist at the Medeor Hospital, Dubai, adds.
Dubai-based Dr Mohammed Harriss agrees. “Nicotine exposure during adolescence can impair brain development, increase the risk of addiction, and serve as a gateway to other substance abuse. Teens often underestimate the potential health risks of vaping.
The Consultant - Pulmonology at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital in Al Qusais treated a teenage vaper who not only developed cigarette-associated lung injury but also had reduced levels of oxygen circulation. “He was put on medications such as steroids, antibiotics and nebulisation. Once the exposure to vaping ceased, his condition improved, and the medication worked quickly,” Dr Harriss says.
Dr Raiza Hameed feels the young start vaping due to peer pressure. “The trend and social acceptance make it popular. Some start vaping due to curiosity and get addicted. Some people vape for stress and anxiety relief — a calming ritual. The absence of smoke makes it attractive as it’s easy to vape inside offices, cars and rooms, which also leads to increased usage,” the Specialist – Pulmonology at Aster Clinic, Bur Dubai, says.
The long-term effects of vaping
Doctors fear the long-term effects may include recurrent chest infection, lung injury, constriction of airways, lung scarring (popcorn lung or bronchiolitis obliterans), seizure, stroke, heart attack, and oral and lung cancers. The highly addictive nicotine in the vaping liquid can harm the heart and brain, narrow blood vessels, and raise blood pressure.
Dr Harriss says, “While it [vaping] may reduce exposure to certain toxins, vaping is not risk-free and still introduces harmful substances into the body.”
Dr Raiza is convinced that organic compounds like aldehydes released from the vaping liquid cause intense damage to the lungs. “E-cigarettes have not been around long enough; hence, more research is needed to understand the risks. However, preliminary studies have shown that nicotine and other chemicals from vape can stimulate cancer development and growth,” she says.
Is vaping less harmful than smoking? Think again
The bigger danger lies in the unknown, one of which is the food additives that flavour vaping liquids. Dr Sainalabdeen says these flavouring substances are heated and inhaled through the lungs. “Instead of being processed by our digestive system, they are passed into our bloodstream through the respiratory system. And heating could change their chemical composition. We don’t know how harmful that is,” he adds.
Dr Sainalabdeen, who has seen an increase in the number of vapers among his patients in Dubai, says vaping safety is a myth. The misconception has attracted new vapers, the pulmonologist says. That’s troubling.
