8 ways vaping is worse for your health than you think
Vapes (or e-cigarettes) are truly taking the world by storm. Around 1 in 9 Aussies over 14 have reported using a vape once in their lifetime. Despite huge progress and tighter vaping laws in Australia, these laws take time to have an impact and we are still hearing that access to vapes is easy and it’ll take ongoing commitment and enforcement to curb high vaping rates.
But the reality is that vapes are a cocktail of chemicals that can do a lot of harm even if the big vape companies want you to believe they are a ‘healthier’ alternative to smoking. That’s why we’re exploring the health risks of vaping.
Why do people vape?
“Vaping has increased in popularity in recent years. Around 13% of current vapers are young people aged 15 to 24, which is a 2.3% increase from 2019,” says Alecia Brooks, from Cancer Council NSW. “Research shows that around 60% of vape users are under 30 years old. Participating in this harmful trend can have a negative impact on their future health and wellbeing.”
Despite the health risks (more on that in a moment), vaping is popular because:
It’s affordable and convenient: Cancer Council research shows that 80% of young people found it easy to access vapes. We know that ease of access is a key contributor to use, for both young and older people alike.
There’s a perception that vaping isn’t ‘that bad’: Young people believe that vaping is ‘okay’ because they’re seeing other people do it and that they’re inhaling vapour, not smoke. An Australian review of non-nicotine vapes identified 243 unique chemicals in a vape. In fact, 38 of these chemicals were poisonous.
Peer pressure and social media: There have been recent online vaping trends that have hooked young people and adults. In reality, this content is glamorising vaping to make it seem ‘cool’ and ‘fun’ despite the dangers of vaping.
Health risks of vaping
Vaping comes with a bunch of health risks that we know about already but since it’s a fairly new invention the long-term effects are still a bit of an unknown. Some of the known health risks of vaping include:
1. Damage to your respiratory system
Vaping can damage your lungs because you’re inhaling hundreds of harmful chemicals. While marketed as an alternative to try and quit smoking, research indicates that vaping poses similar risks to your lung health as smoking. Here’s a quick breakdown of the different ways vaping can harm your respiratory system:
Short term impacts of vaping include irritation of the mouth and airways, coughing and shortness of breath
Less common and more severe impacts on lung health include going to hospital for e-cigarette, or vaping product, use-associated lung injury (EVALI). This might present as shortness of breath, a persistent cough, or chest pain.
You could get 'popcorn lung', which is a rare lung disease where damage starts in small airways and gradually inflames these airways. This can cause scar tissue and breathing difficulties.
Some substances in e-cigarette vapour have also been linked to cancer. But it’s still too early to work out to what extent.
“Regardless of whether you consume nicotine by vapour or a cigarette, it still increases your risk of respiratory problems,” says Alecia.
2. Increased risk of heart disease
Many vapes contain nicotine, even when labelled as nicotine free, which makes them addictive and can increase your risk of heart disease. Vaping can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, leading to an increased risk of heart disease. On top of that, a study found that vaping can increase your risk of a heart attack by 33%. This highlights just how dangerous vaping can be for your heart health.
3. Vapes can explode while in use
It sounds like an urban myth, doesn’t it? Because vapes contain so many chemicals and batteries to heat the liquids, it might catch fire or explode when you’re using it. They can cause severe burns to the body, especially the face and hands. Vape explosions tend to happen due to the battery short-circuiting.
4. Acute nicotine poisoning
Even if a vape is labelled ‘nicotine-free’, it may still contain traces of nicotine. When present, the nicotine in vapes can be highly concentrated – sometimes reaching toxic levels. In fact, vaping and nicotine use have been linked to serious health risks, including seizures. Even accidental exposure to e-cigarette fluid could cause acute nicotine poisoning.
5. Not safe for pregnancy
Vaping during pregnancy is not recommended as the risks for the mother and unborn child are currently unknown. The chemicals and nicotine in the vape can be harmful to the foetus and can cause complications. These include miscarriage, still birth, pre-mature birth or damaging the baby’s lungs.
How to quit vaping
It can be difficult to quit vaping. But if you’re trying to quit, then it might be best to contact a medical doctor or nurse practitioner through our telehealth partner, hub.health. You can receive personalised advice from the comfort of home. And if you’re an nib member, you may be able to access a range of Extras covers to help you quit. This can include benefits for nicotine replacement therapies ordered by your GP, such as gum, patches, lozenges and mouth spray.
So what’s the good news?
The good news is that we are starting to see early indicators that health knowledge around these products is increasing and that the use of these products is starting to level out for young people. Latest data out from Generation Vape shows that now more than ever young people are looking to quit vaping with almost 60% of 18-24 year olds looking to quit in the next 30 days.
Please note: The information throughout this article serves as broad information and should not replace any advice you have been given by your medical practitioner.