Lung damage from vaping can result in conditions like lipoid pneumonia and bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung). It also puts users at risk for primary spontaneous pneumothorax, which occurs when air leaks into the chest cavity from the lung. E-cigarettes are small devices that heat a liquid into vapor that users inhale. These vapors coat the lungs with chemicals and toxins.
E-cigarettes
Can vaping cause lung cancer? While it may seem like vaping is less dangerous than smoking, it can be worse for your lungs. E-cigarettes produce an aerosol mist that contains ultra-fine particles of chemicals that enter your lungs when you inhale, especially if the flavoring is flavored. Some of these chemicals can be carcinogens. Others can cause damage to the lung’s tiny air passageways, creating scar tissue or making it harder for you to breathe. A chemical called diacetyl, used to add flavoring to many e-cigarettes, is known to cause a severe lung condition that scars and narrows tiny passageways in the lungs. This condition, also called popcorn lung, can make breathing difficult. The scarring is permanent, and it is often fatal. Another e-cigarette ingredient is acrolein, an herbicide commonly used to kill weeds and linked to COPD, asthma, and lung cancer. It’s unclear how much acrolein in e-cigarette vapor would hurt the human body. Still, researchers found that it caused DNA damage in mice’s lungs and bladder, resulting in 22.5% of them developing lung cancer and 57.5% developing pre-cancerous lesions in the bladder. The authors believe vaping can harm the lungs because it causes inflammation. This problem contributes to chronic inflammatory conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory diseases, including bronchitis and pneumonia. The inflammation can also interfere with the immune system, making you more cancer-prone.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable gas with an unpleasant, pungent smell. It is toxic when inhaled and can cause eye irritation, nose bleeds, chemical burns on the skin, and throat damage. In extreme cases of exposure, it can even poison people. All living cells produce formaldehyde as a regular part of cell metabolism. It is also an essential building block chemical in producing hundreds of everyday products, including food, pharmaceuticals, building materials, and tobacco smoke. Federal agencies, including the FDA and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), have carefully evaluated the safety of formaldehyde and established a safe exposure level. Scientists have extensively researched the potential link between formaldehyde and cancer. Numerous peer-reviewed studies have indicated that exposure to formaldehyde can increase the risk of certain types of cancer. A recent study has discovered that vaping e-cigarettes can increase the amount of formaldehyde in the air, leading to higher levels of DNA damage in human lung cells. This, in turn, can heighten the risk of developing cancers, such as lung and oral cancer. Thankfully, the formaldehyde in e-cigarette vapor is significantly lower than that found in traditional cigarettes. To minimize exposure to formaldehyde, you can opt for pressed wood products that contain phenol resins instead of urea resins and improve ventilation in your home.
Nicotine
Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. It contains a toxic mix of more than 7,000 chemicals, many of which are poisonous, and at least 70 are known to cause cancer in animals or humans. It’s also linked to other health concerns, including heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nicotine is an addictive chemical that activates the brain’s reward centers. It can increase blood pressure, cause the lungs to become inflamed, and damage the tiny passageways in the lungs. It also reduces the immune system, making you more susceptible to illness and infection. When e-cigarettes were first introduced, they promised to help people quit smoking. But it’s unclear that they work for most people, mainly if used consistently. Nicotine replacement therapy is usually more effective at lowering nicotine cravings and helping people quit using tobacco. It’s available as nicotine patches, sprays, lozenges, or as medication such as bupropion.
Smoke
Cigarette smoking is well known to be harmful, but vaping is growing in popularity. This practice involves using an electronic device to heat a liquid (called e-liquid or vapor) until it turns into smoke you can inhale. It’s commonly done with an e-cigarette or, more specifically, a vape pen. The liquid used in vaping is a combination of nicotine, propylene glycol and glycerol, flavorings, and various volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When burned, these chemicals form an aerosol that bathes the lungs with toxic substances. This can cause various health problems, including lung damage and cancer. Some VOCs in vapor can trigger an inflammatory response, leading to cancerous cell development. These include ethyl maltol, used to add a caramel flavor to e-liquids, and diacetyl, an additive in some butter-flavored e-liquids. These chemicals can also lead to severe lung conditions, such as popcorn lung or bronchiolitis obliterans, both caused by scar tissue that builds up in the air sacs and restricts breathing. This type of inflammation is also linked to heart disease and can even cause a collapsed lung.