Using e-vaporisers, or vaping, may seem harmless but it can give rise to a serious condition known as 'popcorn lung', among other health issues.
You may have seen the videos of people doing vape tricks on TikTok or Instagram. They seem on trend and look like harmless fun, so naturally they pique your interest. Electronic cigarettes or vaporisers, commonly known as vapes, even look like cool gadgets and come in different colours with enticing flavours like strawberry and vanilla custard. So how dangerous can vaping be?
Vaping entails inhaling an aerosol mist from a vaporiser. Vaporisers were created by cigarette company manufacturers to target youth. Unfortunately, alarming evidence soon surfaced that some vaping devices deliver higher nicotine levels than traditional cigarettes, and all e-cigarettes contain other harmful chemicals.
It is estimated that the number of people vaping has been on the rise worldwide – from 2.6 million in 2013 to 55 million in 2021[1]. Vaping is illegal in Singapore but illicit vaping is still rampant, especially among youths. In 2022, 4,916 people were caught for the offence compared with 1,266 in 2020, according to figures from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA)[2]. And these are only those who got caught.
It is a worrying trend because most vaping devices do not just contain nicotine, the drug that causes addiction, but also have hundreds of other harmful chemicals and irritants.
According to Dr Liu Jiaxuan, Associate Consultant, Department of Respiratory Medicine at Sengkang General Hospital, most vaping liquids contain propylene glycol and glycerol, which are known airway irritants. She also singled out a chemical known as diacetyl found in vaping liquids with flavouring, which when inhaled has been linked to bronchiolitis obliterans, or 'popcorn lung'. Inhaling diacetyl causes inflammation and may lead to permanent scarring and damage of the small airways in the lungs, causing breathing difficulties. The disease is incurable.
What about the claim that vaping is less harmful than cigarette smoking? According to Dr Liu, although vaping is purported to be less harmful than smoking because it does not involve combustion and the inhalation of tar and other chemicals found in tobacco smoke, vaping can lead to several detrimental health effects.
"One of the more well-known lung-related adverse health effects is E-cigarette and Vaping Lung Related Injury (EVALI). There was an outbreak in the US in 2019, which raised the alarm about the harmful effects of vaping as many patients died from it," observes Dr Liu, emphasising that the health implications from vaping can be life-threatening.
"Vaping also causes pneumonia, pneumonitis and worsens pre-existing lung conditions such as asthma. It is also linked to cancer, fits and stroke, cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and elevated heart rate, and increases risk of periodontal and gingival diseases," she adds.
"There was a study conducted in rats that had proven that certain vaping devices deliver higher levels of nicotine compared to traditional cigarettes, hence concluding that vaping can be more harmful than smoking," warns Dr Liu, debunking the marketing hype that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking or that they help smokers quit.
In fact, it is more likely that vaping is the gateway to cigarette smoking. A US systematic review of nine studies involving more than 17,000 youths found that youths who vape were three times more likely to pick up cigarette smoking compared to non-vapers[3]. And nicotine's impact on youths can be extra harmful.
"There is mounting evidence that nicotine can affect adolescent brain development and cognition, and is linked to attention deficit, poor academic performance and risk of mental health issues later on in life," cautions Dr Liu.
Dr Liu believes that quitting smoking effectively requires a user to overcome both psychological and behavioural (habitual) dependence on tobacco, as well as adopt other forms of coping strategies through cognitive behavioural therapy. "It takes courage to quit vaping, but quitting is easier if you prepare and have a plan. If you do fail, seek professional help and try again. The journey to quit is not easy but it is achievable," encourages Dr Liu.
1. Identify your triggers: Be aware of what triggers you to vape. Certain feelings or stressful situations, like the day before a meeting or an examination, may cause you to want to vape.
2. Set yourself up to succeed: Get rid of your vape and avoid the triggers on or before your quit day. This gives you the best chance of staying vape-free.
3. Resist temptations: Avoid places where you know people will vape, and ask your friends not to vape around you or offer you their vape.
4. Do other activities: Keep preoccupied with other activities, such as exercising or other forms of self-care. The endorphin boost from physical activity can combat feelings of cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
5. Picture yourself vape-free: Constantly remind yourself about the risks and consequences of vaping to reinforce your commitment to stay vape-free.
6. Find support: Surround yourself with supportive people who make you feel good about your decision to quit. If you are close to anyone who has quit vaping or smoking, seek his or her support.
7. Focus on the positive: Quitting vaping may take more than one try. Maintain a positive mindset and focus on the benefits of quitting vaping, such as improved health and saving money.
[1] https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/vaping-statistics#:~:text=There%20was%20an%20estimated%2055,cigarettes%20sometime%20in%20the%20future.
[2] https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-caught-using-vaporisers-in-2022-hsa#:~:text=A%20smoking%20and%20vaping%20survey,using%20alternative%20products%20like%20vapes.
[3] https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/lets-get-real-about-vaping#:~:text=Vaping%20can%20be%20a%20gateway%20to%20trying%20traditional%20tobacco&text=A%20US%20systematic%20review%20of,non%2Dvapers%20%5B6%5D.
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the updates to your email inbox...
