Vaping is the use of e-cigarettes using vaporizers. As mentioned here, Vaping makes the bacteria found in the lungs to be more harmful. It also causes more inflammation. The lungs are weakened, and it may cause diseases such as asthma and COPD.
The interplay between the inflammations and infections is complex, and it leads to chronic lung diseases. Besides, cigarette smoke is toxic, and it further complicates the situation. People have switched to vaping because they know cigarettes are harmful to their health. However, they may not be aware that vaping is also harmful to their lungs.
Is vaping better than smoking?
Specialists in this field hold different views on this question. Some believe that vaping is not as harmful as smoking. They maintain that it can be used to help people quit smoking. Public Health England agrees with these specialists.
However, others suggest that e-cigarettes do not help a person to stop smoking but instead undermines their attempt to quit smoking. The European Respiratory Society agrees with these views.
Vaping statistics
Vaping has dramatically increased over the years as more people are turning to e-cigarettes. According to the World Health Organization’s report in 2018, the number of e-cigarette users increased to 41 million, down from 7 million in 2011.
This figure does not solely account for people who quit smoking and turned to vape, rather it represents all people who vape. A recent study in the United States indicated that approximately 27% of students in high school vape but most of them are not smokers.
Vaping is more socially attractive and acceptable to young people because of various reasons. First, e-cigarettes are available in a variety of flavors. Secondly, vaping devices are available in sleek and convenient designs. Finally, social media has made vaping to be more socially acceptable as young people share their experiences through social media.
For the vapers who are non-smokers, they need to understand the effects of vaping on their lungs. Instead of focusing on the comparison between vaping and smoking, it is important to focus on the direct health effects of vaping.
Vaping effects are more virulent
Lung diseases, such as pneumonia and bronchitis, result from smoking. Their development is attributed to the bacteria in the lungs. A research was conducted to investigate bacterial responses attributed to lung infection where laboratory-grown bacteria were exposed to vape and cigarette smoke.
The findings indicated that exposure to vape and cigarette smoke resulted in the formation of biofilms. Biofilms are formed when bacteria exist in large quantities. Treating this infection is quite challenging because biofilms are difficult to remove, relatively more resistant to common antibiotics, and they are not easily tackled by the immune system.
Although the study may be limited due to low accuracy, there are indications that vaping is as harmful as smoking. Exposing bacteria in the lungs to vape showed that it is dangerous, and it has the same effect on the lungs as cigarette smoke.
Final Thought
Although many people regard vaping as safer than smoking, research has proved that it is harmful to the body as well. Therefore, vapers should understand the health hazards associated with vaping. Understanding the effects of vaping will help people make informed decisions before vaping or smoking.