Why vaping can be a very risky habit

With flavours such as honey nut granola yogurt, fresh-picked berries, root beer and strawberry cotton candy, it’s no wonder the popularity of e-cigarettes has grown in leaps and bounds.

Many people have seen the massive clouds emitted from car windows at traffic lights or got a whiff of the sweet or nauseating artificial stench of a vape cloud, which vapers have no problem blowing your way because, well, “it’s not even smoke”.

First touted as the healthy alternative to traditional smoking products such as tobacco, and a means to help nicotine addicts kick their smoking habit, vaping is under the microscope. And it doesn’t look good for e-cigarette smokers.

New research from the American Heart Association (AHA) shows that electronic cigarette use may harm cardiovascular health – adding to the growing list of concerns about their safety.

The study’s findings, which were presented at the AHA’s Scientific Sessions meeting in Chicago in November, investigated the effect that vaping has on the endothelial cells that line the inside of the body’s blood vessels. Endothelial cells produce nitric oxide, a molecule that helps keep blood vessels healthy and controls blood pressure levels.

Of the 400 000 respondents, the AHA found that 66 795 who vaped had a 71% higher risk of stroke. The same group was at a 59% higher risk of having a heart attack or angina, and were at 40% greater risk of developing heart disease.

Although there is no current statistics on exactly how many South Africans are addicted to vaping, US studies prove that the trend is especially popular among young people.

In their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, experts at America’s Centres for Disease Control and prevention noted an upsurge in e-cigarette use among middle and high school pupils.

They say that nationally, between 2011 and 2018, nearly 21 of every 100 high school students surveyed reported e-cigarette use in the past 30 days.

“The rise in e-cigarette use during 2017–2018 is likely because of the recent popularity of e-cigarettes shaped like a USB flash drive.“These products can be used discreetly, they have a high nicotine content, and they come in a variety of flavours that appeal to youths,” the researchers said in their report.

– news@citizen.co.za

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