E-Cigarettes: Health Effects and Risks

E-cigarettes are sometimes called e-cigs, vape pens, vapes, etc. Some look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, while others resemble pens and USB sticks. E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs, and bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.

The aerosol produced can contain harmful substances, such as nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals, volatile organic compounds, ultrafine particles, flavorings linked to lung diseases, and heavy metals such as nickel and lead. Some e-cigarettes marketed as containing zero nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.

Scientists are still learning about the long-term effects of these devices. What we do know is that most of them contain nicotine, a substance highly addictive that can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s. Besides nicotine, they can contain other harmful substance, such as cancer-causing chemicals and tiny particles that reach deep into the lungs.

From: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/pdfs/Electronic-Cigarettes-Infographic-p.pdf

E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth in the US. In 2018, more than 3.6 million US middle and high schoolers used them in the past 30 days. The CDC, US Center for Disease and Control and Prevention, says that the use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.

Recently, an outbreak of lung injury was associated with e-cigarettes or vaping products. As of November 13, 2019, there have been 2,172 reported cases of lung injury related to them, with 42 confirmed deaths. It is still an ongoing investigation. However, the CDC says should never be used by youths.

Important to say that, in Brazil, e-cigarettes are forbidden, due to the lack of sufficient evidence of their safety.

Source: Electronic Cigarettes, CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/index.htm