Mistruth 1 - Vapes are less harmful than cigarettes. Truth: No!
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that vapes are harmful to health and not safer than regular cigarettes.
Studies show that vaping generates toxic substances, some of which cause cancer and increase the risk of heart and lung disorders. For example, Vitamin E acetate found in some vapes is strongly linked to lung injury, such as pneumothorax (collapsed lungs).
Nicotine in e-cigarettes can also impact brain development in young people, affecting their ability to manage attention and learning, mood and impulse control1. It can also adversely affect the development of the foetus in pregnant women2.
Emissions can also pose risks to bystanders. Bystanders may experience irritation of the respiratory tract because of exposure to fine particulate matter from Vaping3.
2. Mistruth 2 – Vapes are just flavoured water with zero health risks. Truth: No!
Ingredients in vape e-liquids may vary widely between different manufacturers, and can contain harmful, toxic chemicals.
Some commonly found ingredients4 include:
As e-liquids come in a concentrated form, you can accidently expose yourself to potentially toxic levels of nicotine and other harmful substances5 from simply refilling the e-cartridges.
3. Mistruth 3: Vape flavourings are not harmful since I’m not eating it. Truth: No!
Vaping devices heat e-liquids or nicotine salts into vapours that are inhaled6.
Some chemicals in e-liquids such as propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, and flavourings are meant to be eaten but not inhaled7. Other commonly found ingredients in vape-liquid include nicotine, benzene, formaldehyde, diacetyl, toulene, metals and more. Some of these components can turn into other potentially dangerous chemicals when heated in vaping devices.
Vaping thus exposes the lungs to a variety of chemicals that can cause serious long injuries8.
4. Mistruth 4: I’m young; I’ll recover from any problems that vapes may cause. Truth: No!
In youths, nicotine impacts brain development, permanently lowering the developing brain’s impulse control, affecting its ability to manage attention and learning1. It can also lead to mood disorders9.
Problems with impulse control (i.e. failure to resist urges) can result in sudden physical or verbal outbursts, an internet addiction, or even compulsive eating.
5. Mistruth 5: Blaming Vapes for lung injuries is just a scare tactic by the media. Truth: No!
It is not a scare tactic - vaping can cause lung injuries.
Vaping can trigger an inflammation that causes small blood vessels in the lungs to close up, leading to impaired gas exchange and potential respiratory complications10.
Vitamin E acetate (found in some e-liquids) is strongly linked to an outbreak of lung injuries in the United States, leading to hospitalisations and deaths11.
Even when no nicotine is involved, inhaling the mist from vapes can damage the lungs due to chemicals present in e-liquids.
Resources for Quitting
If you are looking to quit smoking or vaping, the HPB I Quit Programme focuses on helping smokers and vapers quit their nicotine addiction to achieve a healthier, nicotine-free lifestyle.
Join the I Quit Programme and receive free personalised support tailored to your needs. You can nominate your loved ones as a supporter when you sign up for the programme.
Sources
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, May 15) Why Youth Vape. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth.html
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, May 15) Health Effects of Vaping. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/health-effects.html
3 Visser, W. F., Klerx, W. N., Cremers, H. W. J. M., Ramlal, R., Schwillens, P. L., & Talhout, R. (2019, April 30). The Health Risks of Electronic Cigarette Use to Bystanders. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(9), 1525. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6539638/
4 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee on the Review of the Health Effects of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems. (2018, January 23). Toxicology of E-Cigarette Constituents. NIH.gov; National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507184/
5 Tobacco in Australia (2023, August) 18.4 Safety risks and abuse potential of e-cigarettes. Tobacco in Australia. https://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-18-e-cigarettes/18-4-safety-risks-and-abuse-potential-of-e-cigarettes#x18.4.1.2
6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, October 13). Dual Use of Tobacco Products. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/dual-tobacco-use.html
7 Alexander, L. E. C., Bellinghausen, A. L., & Eakin, M. N. (2020, May 11). What are the mechanisms underlying vaping-induced lung injury? The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 130(6), 2754–2756. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7260008/
8 Woodall, M., Jacob, J., Kalsi, K. K., Schroeder, V., Davis, E., Kenyon, B., Khan, I., Garnett, J. P., Tarran, R., & Baines, D. L. (2020, December 18). E-cigarette constituents propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin decrease glucose uptake and its metabolism in airway epithelial cells in vitro. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, 319(6), L957–L967. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajplung.00123.2020
9 Jones, K., & Salzman, G. A. (2020). The Vaping Epidemic in Adolescents. Missouri Medicine, 117(1), 56–58. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023954/
10 Gotts, J. E., Jordt, S.-E., McConnell, R., & Tarran, R. (2019, September 30). What are the respiratory effects of e-cigarettes? BMJ, 366(5275), l5275. https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l5275
11 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, January 24) Update: Characteristics of a Nationwide Outbreak of E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product Use–Associated Lung Injury — United States, August 2019–January 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6903e2.htm
Credits to Health Promotion Board. Updated as of 31 July 2024 Content Source:
https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/iquit/e-cig/vaping-mistruths#homes