Vaping and Cigarettes: FAQs You Need to Know

E-cigarette and vaping was invented in 2003 by a Chinese pharmacist and was not available locally until early 2008. They are sometimes called “e-cigs”, “vapes”, “vape pens”, “mods”, e-hookahs” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)”. It is a hand-held, battery powered vaporizer that produces smoke or vapor and is used as an alternative to regular smoking. They come in all shapes and sizes, some as big as power-banks, and some as small as a regular cigarette or may be mistaken as a small USB device. E-cigarettes produce aerosol, mist or vapor by heating liquid which are often flavored, and these aerosols may be inhaled by bystanders when exhaled.

According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2015), 2.8% of Filipinos use e-cigarettes, and these numbers continue to increase on a yearly basis. Due to its unique appeal: variants of flavors and attractive device designs, majority of users are adolescents and young adults.

But are they really safer than regular cigarettes?

As compared to regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes generally contain less toxic chemicals, but that does not mean they are safer. It still has potentially harmful substances including nicotine, lead and other heavy metals, volatile organic compounds and cancer-causing chemicals. Some chemical interactions may also cause potentially harmful reactions to the lungs causing severe respiratory distress.

You may have heard of recent outbreaks of E-cigarette or vaping products use associated lung injury (EVALI). According to CDC, as of November 5, 2019: two thousand fifty-one (2,051) cases have been reported in the US with thirty-nine (39) total deaths.

Other ill-effects of vaping include delays in brain development among adolescents, impaired growth of babies among pregnant women, and long term irreversible lung diseases such as COPD and cancer.

Defective devices may also cause explosions and fires, which results to serious injuries to both user and non-users. Swallowing of vape fluid has also lead to poisoning to both adults and children.

Is there less nicotine in vape and e-cigarettes? Can it actually be used as a step to quit smoking?

Nicotine is the substance which makes cigarette smoking addictive. Contrary to popular belief, e-cigarettes and vape products still contain nicotine and cannot be used as Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) as a step to help you quit smoking. Smoking is behavioral, if a person uses an e-cigarette or vape, the act of smoking is still there, and there is still nicotine in them even if they say there are 0% nicotine containing products.

Many adults use e-cigarettes in an attempt to quit smoking, however, most of them end up using both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes.

If you stopped smoking regular cigarettes and switch to vaping, can you already say that you have stopped smoking? The answer is NO. If you will quit smoking, you should just quit and this includes all types of products and devices. Know the FAQs. Know the effects of smoking to your health and to the health of those around you. Seek help: The Medical City, Section of Pulmonary Medicine has developed a program “START ANEW: Smoking and Tobacco Addiction and Relapse Therapy for A Nicotine Free Way of Life” that can help smokers become smoke-free and stay smoke-free by using education, motivation and individual counseling and psychosocial support groups to help them quit and maintain a nonsmoking status for life.

REFERENCES:

CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/index.htm · https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html

DOH · https://www.doh.gov.ph/node/64