Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola Fact Checked July 03, 2023
STORY AT A GLANCE
- More than 2.5 million youth used vaping products in 2022
- Flavored e-cigarettes appear to be the most harmful.
- Single-use and refillable vaping cartridges have been found to contain fungal contaminants associated with asthma, COPD, reduced lung function and inammation of the lungs
- One of the largest-ever studies conducted on the health effects of vaping found that adult e-cig smokers have a significantly higher chance of heart disease and mental health problems than nonsmokers
While many are under the impression that e-cigarettes or vaping is safer than smoking traditional combustible cigarettes, evidence is heavily stacked against this notion.
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Vaping Has Skyrocketed Among Youth
According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, more than 2.5 million youth used vaping products in 2022, including 14.1% of high school students and 3.3% of middle school students. Most of these children (84.9%) reported using flavored
e-cigarettes, with fruit flavors being the most popular at 69.1%, followed by candy and dessert flavors at 38.3%.
Disturbingly, flavored e-cigarettes appear to be the most harmful, so in addition to appealing to children, they may also cause the most harm to health. For example, research published in April 2022 found that vaping with mango- or mint- flavored pods increases the inammatory process in multiple organ systems, with the most striking changes happening in the brain, which may contribute to behavior changes and mood disorders.
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Illegal Vaping Products Are Flooding the Market
As of August 8, 2016, all cartridge-based e-cigarette products are required to apply for and receive premarket authorization from the FDA’s tobacco authority Since then, the FDA has received some 26 million applications, a volume the agency simply hasn’t been
able to handle. As a result, illegal products have flooded the market. Many manufacturers never even bother to apply for authorization. They simply cash in for as long as they can.
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Vaping Linked to Serious Health Risks
One of the largest-ever studies conducted on the health effects of vaping, presented at the 2019 American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session, revealed that adult e-cig smokers have a significantly higher chance of heart disease and mental health problems than nonsmokers, even after controlling for known risk factors such as body mass index and high blood pressure. Compared to nonsmokers, vapers were 34% more likely to have a heart attack, 25% more likely to have coronary artery disease and 55% more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety than nonsmokers with the same risk factors.
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E-Cigs Contain Toxic Metals and Chemicals
E-cig vapors and aerosols contain unsafe levels of lead, nickel, chromium and manganese, all of which are highly toxic when inhaled. These heavy metals are not necessarily present in the liquid itself but, rather, originate from the heating coils within the e-cig tank.
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Protect Your Children
Previous investigations have revealed that teenagers who use e-cigs are more likely to start smoking regular cigarettes. The reverse is not true, however, meaning teens who start out smoking combustible cigarettes do not tend to switch to e-cigs. This, even though e-cigarettes are often marketed as a way to quit smoking conventional cigarettes. Unfortunately, many parents are unaware that their children are
vaping, as the vapors don’t have that distinct cigarette smell.
“Nicotine exposure during adolescence, regardless
of the source, increases your child’s risk of alcohol
abuse disorders and other addictive behaviors in
adulthood by changing the neurological circuitry in
the brain within the reward pathway.”
Source: blogs.mercola.com/sites
Take Care!
Ben, 2023 4th of July