Does Vaping Cause Cancer Like Smoking? A Comprehensive Guide
If you’re a smoker trying to quit, vaping is an option that can help you manage your nicotine cravings. But using the right e-liquid with the correct nicotine strength would be best.
Despite their popularity, e-cigarettes are still not completely safe and deliver some harmful chemicals. They may also cause oxidative stress, increasing respiratory and cardiovascular disease risk.
Nicotine
Nicotine, a highly addictive chemical, is present in all tobacco products. Additionally, it’s a crucial component of many e-cigarettes and nicotine replacement patches.
Once it reaches the brain, nicotine interacts with acetylcholine, a neuronal receptor. Increased dopamine levels produce a good feeling and promote drug use.
Does vaping cause cancer like smoking?
Similar to smoking, vaping is bad for your health. Excessive nicotine use can have adverse health effects, including cancer.
DNA damage is possible in cells, leading to uncontrolled cell division and cancer development. Also, it can change how tumors grow and spread (metastasize).
Cancer can sometimes come back after it’s been treated, even years later. It happens because some cancer cells have a way of regrowing in the body that is different from other cancer cells.
Nicotine also disrupts the acetylcholine receptors in the brain that help us learn and make decisions. It can interfere with brain parts that are still developing, especially in teenagers.
Phosphorous Glycol
A frequent component included in various foods and items is propylene glycol. It’s a widely used additive generally recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
However, it can cause health problems if ingested in high amounts or applied topically. For example, it can lead to skin allergies and dermatitis.
Another concern with propylene glycol is that it can be a hazard for infants and children. It is because the level of an enzyme required for breaking down this compound is low in babies and young kids.
It makes it hard for them to break down and remove propylene glycol from the body as quickly as adults do. It can lead to toxicity and acidosis when the blood becomes more acidic than usual.
It can cause a coma and kidney failure in some cases. The condition is hazardous for people with liver or kidney disease who have trouble with their organs removing them properly. It also affects those with low immune systems or those receiving treatment for major illnesses.
Vegetable Glycerin
Glycerin, derived from vegetable oils like soy, palm, or coconut, is a popular ingredient in products ranging from cosmetics to food and pharmaceuticals. It is odorless and has a syrup-like consistency.
Glycerin is harmless, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), although for some persons, it can irritate their lungs. It can also be dangerous for children because it can be ingested and cause vomiting, stomach upset, nausea, and headaches.
Vegetable glycerin is typically used in skin care products as an emollient. It moisturizes the skin, reduces itching and dryness, eliminates clogged pores, helps prevent breakouts, promotes healthy growth of new skin, and softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
It can also improve hydration, reduce constipation risk, and boost athletic performance in dehydrated athletes. Its effects are believed to be brought on by its capacity to draw water to the muscles and increase fluid retention. According to studies, consuming glycerin before working out will boost your body’s capacity to retain moisture by 50%. These results align with those of other studies, but further research is needed to fully understand glycerin’s effects on the body and its benefits.
Flavorings
If you’re attempting to stop smoking cigarettes, you might be concerned about the safety of vaping. It is essential to know that e-cigarettes contain nicotine and other chemicals, some of which can cause cancer.
Smoking e-cigarettes can also damage your heart, raising blood pressure and narrowing your arteries. It can lead to heart disease and even death.
The heating elements in e-cigarettes release microparticles of metals and other substances into the lungs, damaging your heart. Vox reports that this can cause heart problems and strokes.
Some of the flavorings in e-cigarettes can irritate the airways and cause problems with breathing. They can also cause lung scarring, known as bronchiolitis obliterans or popcorn lung.
Flavorings like diacetyl and formaldehyde are carcinogenic.
They can also irritate the airways and cause lung inflammation, resulting in serious health problems such as pneumonia or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In addition, some of the flavors in e-cigarettes can contain high levels of a chemical called diacetyl, which has been linked to a rare but deadly lung disease. The CDC says that so far, this condition has affected hundreds of people in the U.S. and that it has killed seven.
Carbon Dioxide
E-cigarettes heat up flavored liquid and nicotine to produce vapor that users can inhale. This vapor contains a variety of chemicals that can cause cancer.
These include acrylamide, propylene oxide, formaldehyde, and crotonaldehyde. These substances damage the cells in your lungs, throat, and larynx.
They can also make existing lung conditions, such as asthma, worse. They can even lead to severe lung disease and death.
Smoking cigarettes exposes your lungs, throat, and larynx to dozens of dangerous chemical carcinogens, including acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. These toxins can damage the cell walls of your lungs and accelerate mutations that lead to cancer.
In addition, smokers often develop bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung), which is caused by diacetyl, a chemical in popcorn that damages the small airways of your lungs.
In a small number of cases, carbon dioxide poisoning can occur when a vape cartridge is misplaced in your mouth. It can cause breathing problems, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and nausea. In more severe cases, victims may become unconscious and have convulsions, comas, and death.
