New Study Shows Vaping May Be More Dangerous To Cardiovascular Health Than Cigarettes

Many of the reported cases of vaping-related lung disease and deaths have been among people who used vapes that contained THC (the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana), however, this new study suggests that people who use products containing nicotine may be opening themselves up to some other serious health risks.

These findings come after an NYU study, released last month, found that e-cigarettes were linked to cancer and pre-cancerous legions  in mice. While the study certainly had limitations, it may be the first to link vaping products to cancer.

The new study was presented at the annual American Heart Association Scientific Sessions held this week. Researchers suggested that it was the e-cigarette delivery systems — like the JUUL — that could be behind the increased risk to heart health.

“What makes e-cigarettes so harmful to the heart and lungs is not just nicotine,” senior study author Dr. Florian Rader said in a press release. “It’s the completely unknown bucket of manufactured products used to form vapors that is likely causing the most harm. This is what we believe is underlying the current public health problem.”

The timing of these findings is incredibly important, as reports of vaping-related lung disease and even deaths continue to increase. Just last month, the FDA issued a stern warming urging people who used vaping products that contained THC to stop immediately — but this new study is suggesting that the dangers of vaping go beyond just the THC products.

E-cigarette products originally came on the market as the safer alternative to smoking — a way to satisfy your nicotine craving, while saving your lungs from the damage and cancer risk associated with cigarette use. However, new information — although still in its early stages — is suggesting that these products may not be safer at all, and may present a whole new host of health risks.

One of the really dangerous things about vaping is that these products have not been around long enough for medical researchers to do long-term studies on them, and say with absolute certainty that they are dangerous. However, many of the lung experts featured here on SurvivorNet have said that down the line, the health repercussions from the popularity of these products could be really severe.

Some Insight From A Lung Expert

In a previous conversation with SurvivorNet, Weill-Cornell thoracic surgeon Dr. Brendon Stiles said that he would not be at all surprised if a few years down the line, a significant number of patients began to experience health problems that stem from vaping.

“There’s an urgent need — and it’s very pressing — to start researching this now,” Dr. Stiles said. “If we wait 10 to 15 years until we see the clinical effects in all these people taking up vaping — it’s going to be too late. What effect do these compounds have on the lung health? On lung inflammation? On young people, old people, previous smokers? How does it all play out? There was just a landmark study published in the American Cancer Society about rates of cancer falling, and the death rate of cancer falling the lowest in 25 years. Now with vaping and JUUL, people are worried — could that turn around?”

Dr. Stiles went on to propose that there may be compounds in things like JUUL pods that we don’t yet know about that are not currently being regulated, which could be causing health issues.

“There’s plenty of history of other inflammatory lung conditions causing or triggering lung cancer — so for me, it’s not a great leap to think that inhalation from vaping could trigger lung cancer down the road or other inflammatory lung diseases,” he said.

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