Over the past decade, the use of electronic cigarettes has greatly increased and become a part of mainstream culture, being especially popular with young adults. Electronic cigarettes are promoted to the public as being less dangerous compared to cigarettes due to the fact that they do not contain the carcinogens associated with tobacco. There is ongoing research looking into the effects of electronic cigarettes on the respiratory system, however, since the safety of their use is still under debate. A new study from the University of Rochester Medical Center looked into the relationship between smoking electronic cigarettes and lung health.
The research team performed their study over a wide range of ages, with two main groups: individuals 18-34 and 35-64 years old. In total, the research team collected information from over 45,000 individuals who participated in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) survey. The PATH survey involved a series of questions asking about tobacco use, alcohol consumption, etc. However, the frequency of partaking in these activities was not disclosed in the research paper. The results of the study showed that individuals who vape often developed respiratory symptoms, with the most common one being wheezing. Wheezing is commonly found in people who have difficulty breathing and is heard as a high pitched whistling noise made while breathing. Compared to healthy non-vaping individuals, those who vape were, on average, 1.7 times more likely to develop wheezing or other respiratory complications that increase the likelihood of developing more serious issues like emphysema or lung cancer.
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This finding further supports previous research, which has shown that the emissions from electronic cigarettes lead to the increased presence of lung inflammation due to the creation of free radicals. A free radical is an extremely reactive chemical compound that is generated by natural bodily functions and has the ability to damage tissue if it accumulates in the body. It is hypothesized that the chemicals used to create the artificial flavors of the vape pods (the container that holds the nicotine in a liquid form) lead to the production of free radicals in the lungs that then cause inflammation. Scientists and researchers are still working to determine the full effect that electronic cigarettes have on a person’s health, and this study helps provide this much-needed information.
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