E-Cigarettes and COPD: Cautions if you’re Vaping

How They Work

Before getting into the details about the cautions of vaping, it’s important to understand how these devices work. First, the user inhales through a mouthpiece which switches on a small, battery-powered heater. The heat vaporizes a small cartridge containing liquid nicotine and propylene glycol (PEG), then the user gets a puff of hot gas, exhales and finally releases a cloud of vapor created by the PEG.

Using Them to Quit Smoking

If you smoke or are working on quitting smoking, you already know how important quitting is for your health and well-being. Many people have been turning to vaping to help them quit smoking, but the results and risks vary.

In 2010, an online survey showed that 96% of the 3,587 participants surveyed admitted that using e-cigarettes helped them quit smoking and 92% of participants mentioned it made them smoke less. However, Michael Eriksen, Director of the Institute of Public Health at Atlanta’s Georgia State University, noted that these products are sold as something for you to use in situations where you normally wouldn’t be able to smoke—and this will just encourage you to use more nicotine, not reduce the frequency you smoke.

Carl Philips, PhD, and Scientific Director of Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA), cautions people on how quitting-smoking rates are reported and determined: People who no longer smoke combustible cigarettes and instead use e-cigarettes are considered former smokers. This is because of the keyword: smoke. E-cigarettes, like smokeless tobacco, don’t involve inhaling smoke, meaning results of a near 100% quit rate can be shown because those who vape can call themselves non-smokers.

Immediate Effects

Initial research has been done to determine if there are any immediate effects on individuals who use e-cigarettes and to determine if there is a relationship between e-cigarettes and COPD. Dr. Sofia Vakali, a researcher who helped conduct this study, monitored smokers with COPD, smokers with asthma, smokers with no symptoms and nonsmokers to determine adverse effects of vaping. Below are the symptoms users experienced:

Sore Throat

• 62% of those with COPD
• 91% of those with asthma
• 74% of nonsmokers
• 65% of smokers

Cough

• 69% of those with COPD
• 66% of those with asthma
• 54% of nonsmokers
• 69% of smokers

Other symptoms all groups experienced were eye irritation and dry mouth.

Potential Long-Term Harm

One of the biggest uncertainties with vaping is that the long-term consequences for someone who stops inhaling cigarette tars and just inhales nicotine are unknown.Other sources point out that vaping still allows substances into your lungs that are not meant to be inhaled.

Other Factors to Consider

A research paper in Tobacco Control noted that e-cigarettes are missing important regulations such as proper labeling, health warnings, clear directions and ways to safely dispose the product. The researchers also found that some of the cartridges leaked, which may expose you to a toxic level of nicotine. Since these products are lacking regulation, how much you are able to inhale the substance and the exact substances used are left up to the manufacturer.