In the last few years, the trend of e-cigarettes or vaping in place of traditional cigarettes has increased rapidly among the youth. It is often being used indiscriminately considering it as a 'safe alternative' to tobacco cigarettes or an easy way to quit smoking. Especially among metro cities and college going youth, it is seen as a modern trend and status symbol. The various flavors available in the market and its stylish design easily attract people. But are e-cigarettes really safe? Can it cause fatal diseases like lung cancer? It is very important for every person who is either consuming it or is in contact with it to know the answer to this serious question. Well-known pulmonologists and cancer experts of the country have made very shocking and worrying revelations on this subject, ignoring which can be costly for health.
Generally, there is a misconception among the people that e-cigarette does not contain tobacco smoke, hence it cannot cause dangerous diseases like cancer. Doctors completely reject this notion. Experts say that although tobacco leaves are not burnt in e-cigarettes like traditional cigarettes, the aerosol or steam that is formed when the liquid present in it is heated contains many types of carcinogenic (cancer causing) chemicals. When a person vapes, these toxic chemicals go straight into the depths of their lungs. Due to continuous exposure to these chemicals, the DNA of the lung cells starts getting damaged, which further causes mutation and ultimately can take the form of lung cancer. Apart from this, dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde and acrolein are found in the e-cigarette liquid, which badly scorches the lung tissue and increases the risk of chronic respiratory diseases manifold.
It is a big myth that e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes. A traditional cigarette smoker gets tar and carbon monoxide along with nicotine, but e-cigarettes are a different kind of chemical cocktail in themselves. Flavoring agents used in e-cigarettes release highly toxic toxins when heated. For example, the flavoring chemical diacetyl, which is used to give foods a buttery flavor, when inhaled into the lungs through vaping, causes an incurable and serious lung disease called 'popcorn lungs' (Bronchiolitis Obliterans). In this disease, the airways of the lungs shrink and the patient faces severe difficulty in breathing. Doctors clearly say that any kind of smoke or vapor that goes inside the lungs other than natural air, only harms the delicate system of the lungs.
The increasing craze of e-cigarettes among school-college students in urban India and metros has become a matter of great concern for public health experts. Due to the flavorful cloud and attractive design, teenagers are becoming victims of nicotine addiction at a very young age. Nicotine severely affects brain development, especially in adolescents who are not yet fully developed mentally. Its consumption also causes mental problems like weak memory, lack of concentration, and excessive anxiety or depression. Many reports have revealed that youth who have never smoked traditional cigarettes before become addicted to nicotine through e-cigarettes and later get easily attracted to regular cigarettes or other dangerous drugs, which is called the 'gateway effect'.
The harm of e-cigarettes is not limited to the lungs only, but it devastates the cardiovascular and nervous systems of the entire body. When you vape, nicotine and other toxins constrict blood vessels, which increases blood pressure and causes the heart to beat faster. This greatly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and serious problems to blood circulation in the future. In addition, e-cigarette particles weaken the body's immunity, making the body extremely susceptible to influenza, pneumonia and other viral infections. It also has a bad effect on oral health, due to which problems like gum diseases and mouth ulcers become common.
If a person is addicted to e-cigarettes or vaping, it is not impossible to get out of it, although it requires strong willpower and medical support. Doctors advise that if you suddenly quit the addiction, you may experience 'Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms' like headache, restlessness and irritability, in such a situation, you can take the help of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) like patches or gums. Mental cravings can be controlled with the help of behavioral counseling and yoga-meditation. Support from family and friends also plays a very important role in getting rid of this addiction. If someone complains of persistent cough, shortness of breath or chest pain, then immediately contact a good pulmonologist and get CT scan and chest X-ray done so that any major danger can be avoided in time.
