The use of e-cigarettes was found to have a negative impact on the heart and lungs as the American Heart Association (AHA) calls for further research into the issue.
“E-cigarettes deliver numerous substances into the body that are potentially harmful, including chemicals and other compounds that are likely not known to or understood by the user,” volunteer chair of the AHA scientific statement writing committee Jason Rose said in a new scientific statement released Monday.
“There is research indicating that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are associated with acute changes in several hemodynamic measures, including increases in blood pressure and heart rate,” he added.
The statement pointed to research that found there was a “significant association” between e-cigarette use and the development of incident respiratory disease over two years, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/COPD, chronic bronchitis, emphysema or asthma. The statement also said that the ingredients of e-cigarettes — even in those without nicotine — can pose health risks.
“There has also been research indicating that even when nicotine is not present, ingredients in e-cigarettes, particularly flavoring agents, independently carry risks associated with heart and lung diseases in animals,” Rose said. “Negative effects of e-cigarettes have been shown through in vitro studies and in studies of individuals exposed to chemicals in commercially available products.”
The statement noted that vitamin E acetate is the ingredient that is likely causing E-cigarette, or Vaping, product use Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) hospitalizations. The statement added that more research is needed to determine the health impacts it can have on heart attacks and strokes.
Is anyone else just astonished that sources almost never discuss the nuance between weed/nic vapes?
The entire EVALI fiasco was 100% correlated with cheap/knock off THC vapes using vitamin E acetate. No normal nicotine vape was ever associated with it, but they always get casually lumped in when these discussions come up.
As for blood pressure and heart rate, duh, nicotine is a stimulant. The exact same thing happens when you drink coffee. Or if you were to chew smoking cessation gum.
It just feels like 99% of the news you hear about vapes now is unadulterated tobacco industry propaganda. Literally everyone who smokes cigarettes would be better off switching to vapes, and in the beginning, that was the where the hype for the product was generally centered
Agreed. As an ex smoker and current vaper for about 6 years, the change in my health was phenomenal and immediately noticed. The real problem with vaping(for me)is how easy it is now to get a nicotine fix on demand in many situations, but that’s a different discussion.
For sure.
I was smoking 2+ packs per day for years, and was able to switch to vaping exclusively. Did that for a couple years and eventually quit nicotine outright by reducing the nic content of my liquid and tapering down.
The improvement to my health switching from cigs to vaping was actually way larger than going from vapes to nothing lol. Vaping caused some dry mouth for me, and I had a little bit of gum irritation that cleared up after quitting, but that was about it. On cigs I couldn’t make it up two flights of stairs without wheezing lol.
I do not miss the mornings waking up coughing and out of breath because I had a cigarette right before bed. When I started vaping to quit, I could take a deep breath in first thing in the morning without coughing. As much hate and vitriol people hold for vapes, I’m happy I used them. Without them, I’d still be smoking cigarettes today.
I mean additionally though, I also don’t care. I’ve made my decision to use vape pens, it feels much better than actual smoke on my day to day life. So take your studies and shove em.
I’m not denying that vaping is harmful but this feels really click baity. Vitamin E acetate is not used in nicotine vapes from reputable sources. This chemical was mainly found in bootleg THC vapes sourced from shady suppliers.
If you read the original statement, the brief commentary regarding Vitamin E was just addressing the previous surge in EVALI and is not related to the more recent research they’re citing–i.e., this statement is about the constituents in evapes both in terms of the particularity of nicotine delivery in this form as well as “e-juice” with no nicotine at all.
Basically, it’s bad for you. They’re not saying it’s worse than smoking (and it’s clearly not worse as far as we know). But, it’s harmful for lungs and heart, over and above (and even without) the effects of nicotine.
I’d really like a more detailed look at the individual components of the e-liquid to see if there is any in particular that is the problem.
Higher heart rate and blood pressure for example just sounds like the nicotine. Could the nicotine also cause COPD? Propylene Glycol and vegetable glycerin are the biggest parts of most juice and both of those are said to be generally safe for human consumption. But that’s in stuff like flavored coffee, not atomized and inhaled and not in the amounts that vapers normally use.
I still think vaping will be found to be less harmful than smoking and I still credit it for helping me stop smoking. I quit vaping around 5 years ago though and one thing I have noticed is that the people I know who started vaping around the same time as me have not stopped or even stepped down the nicotine content in their juice.
I think no matter what you’re going to see adverse effects when you’re inhaling a substance not meant for your lungs, regardless of how harmful it is. Whether it’s tobacco, e-liquid, combusted weed, vaporized weed, or THC concentrate, our lungs were not designed to deal with it and there will be consequences to your health. It’s up to the individual to determine if the trade off is worth it, and to use it in moderation.
My partner vapes as a cessation tool for smoking. I’d rather have them vape then go back to cigarettes. It’s so much better.
Yeah, no shit.
