E-cigarettes - Good or Bad?
E-cigarettes - Good or Bad?
Male exhaling cloud of e-cigarette vapour

Long-Term Health Effects

Chronic Health Effects Caused by E-Cigarette Use

Male using e-cigarette
  • E-cigarettes contain some of the same toxins as cigarettes, but typically in lower amounts. They may also contain other chemicals that are not found in regular cigarettes. E-cigarette use can put you at risk of long term health effects such as:
  • Increased risk of cancer
    • lung
    • stomach
    • bladder
    • esophageal
  • Increased risk of heart disease
  • Increased risk of respiratory disease
    • emphysema
    • difficulty breathing
    • worsening asthma
  • Popcorn Lung
    • from being exposed to diacetyl
    • diacetyl is a flavouring chemical used to give butter-like and other flavours to food products, as well as vaping products
    • a chronic disease that damages the small airways in the lung
    • the common term for the medical condition known as bronchiolitis obliterans
  • Raised blood pressure and heart rate
  • Can harm the developing adolescent brain, affecting the parts that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control
  • Nicotine can affect memory and concentration
  • Nicotine addiction
  • Increased risk for contraction of unrelated disease
  • Potential to spread infectious diseases

It should be noted that e-cigarettes have not been on the market long enough for scientists to determine exact long-term use effects on the body.

References

Callahan-Lyon, P. (2014, May 1). Electronic cigarettes: human health effects. Retrieved from https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/23/suppl_2/ii36

E-cigarette vapor disables key immune cells in the lung and boosts inflammation. (2018, August 13). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180813190148.htm

Health Canada. (2019, July 31). Government of Canada. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/vaping/risks.html#a1

Health Risks of E-cigarettes, Smokeless Tobacco, and Waterpipes. (2019, November 6). Retrieved from https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/prevention-and-healthy-living/stopping-tobacco-use-after-cancer-diagnosis/health-risks-e-cigarettes-smokeless-tobacco-and-waterpipes 

What’s in E-Cigarettes? (Infographic)

An infographic saying "Does this symbol look familiar? (The skull and bones symbol). You might have seen it on your e-cigarette package, and in case you didn't know, it means the product in your hand is both dangerous and poisonous. What do teens think is in their E-Cig pods? 66% of teens think "it's just flavouring", 13.5% of teens have no idea what they're inhaling, 13.2% of teens think "there's only nicotine", and 5.8% of teens say "it's only marijuana". But did you know...? E-Cigarettes can also contain harmful ingredients like: diacetyl which can cause lung disease, heavy metals like lead, tin, and nickel, fine particles that settle deep into your lungs. You're probably thinking... "But it's better than the 1000s of chemicals in real cigarettes..." According to the government of Canada: smoking conventional cigarettes are the leading cause of preventable premature death and disease, 100 Canadians die everyday at the hands of smoking cigarettes. Think twice before taking a "hit" from your Juul or Vape... it might preserve your quality of life. These standards aren't hard to beat... just about anything is better than smoking cigarettes, that doesn't mean it's good for you. For more information on the dangers of e-cigarettes use visit: https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/default.html https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/vaping/risks.html

Infographic created by University of Guelph medical toxicology students.

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