Vaping and Lung Disease
Even though we don't fully understand the health effects of vaping, two statistics are troubling. A 2019 poll shows that 8% of Americans had vaped in the last week. And the newest study reports that one-third of people who vaped had symptoms of damage to the lungs or the respiratory tract. These are large numbers of people using a product that may not be safe. It's even more concerning for high schoolers where a survey shows 28% of them had vaped in the past month
A term called EVALI stands for "e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury". The symptoms are cough, shortness of breath, chest pain or GI symptoms such as nausea. Some people report EVALI symptoms after vaping just a few days and others after a few weeks.
Even though the FDA warns that vaping is "not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women or adults who do not currently use tobacco products", many people believe otherwise. The FDA has also not approved vaping for smoking cessation even though that's how it's marketed.
In a study, 1,400 people who vaped were asked to list the devices and products they used and report any symptoms. More than half had one or more symptoms. Those who used commercial disposable e-cigarettes fared better than users who modify their products or vape flavored ones.
It is not clear what in the vaping liquid is responsible, the nicotine, tetrahydrocannabinol, flavorings and/or additives. So, stop vaping. It cannot be worth your health.
More Information
One-Third of E-Cigarette Users Report Signs of Lung Damage: Study
One of every three people who vape say they have symptoms associated with damage to the lungs or respiratory tract, a new study reports. Specifically, 33% of e-cigarette users reported having one or more of the five symptoms associated with EVALI, or e-cigarette- or vaping-associated lung injury, researchers said...
Can vaping damage your lungs? What we do (and don't) know
The rising popularity of vaping has been dramatic, especially among teenagers. According to a recent study, about 37% of high school seniors reported vaping in 2018, up from 28% the year before. An estimated 2.1 million middle school and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in 2017; that number jumped to 3.6 million in 2018. Certainly, age restrictions - it's illegal to sell e-cigarettes to anyone under 21 (18 or 19 in some states) - aren't preventing use among teens and young adults. And nearly seven million adults 18 or older use e-cigarettes, according to a 2017 survey by the CDC...
Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with the Use of E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products
CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state and local health departments, and other clinical and public health partners are investigating a national outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI)...