Nov 13, 2024
The short-term and long-term health risks of smoking and vaping
Siddhartha JanaYouTuber Chris Notap's experiment visually compares the consequences of smoking and vaping, using cotton balls to represent lungs, demonstrating that smoking leaves a dark, tar-like residue, whereas vaping generates a white cloud with slight condensation but still includes breathing chemicals.
Source: Canva
Short-term effects of smoking include increased mucus, shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing as a result of respiratory tract irritation, whereas vaping can produce throat irritation, dry cough, and shortness of breath owing to heated chemicals.
Source: Canva
Long-term impacts of smoking include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, decreased lung function, and chronic bronchitis, whereas vaping can cause lung inflammation, immunological dysfunction, and vaping-associated lung damage (EVALI).
Source: Canva
While vaping lacks many of the dangerous components found in cigarette smoke, it can contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde and acrolein from heated liquids, which pose dangers, particularly with long-term usage.
Source: Canva
Notap's investigation focuses on physical residue differences, but it does not address the whole biochemical and physiological effects of smoking and vaping, as vaping still entails inhaling small particulates that can harm lung health.
Source: Canva
Vaping may be less dangerous than smoking and can be used as a transitional technique for smokers looking to quit. However, it is not suggested as a long-term solution due to health hazards, particularly for nonsmokers and young people.
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Health experts recommend using vaping just temporarily to reduce harm to smokers, as e-cigarettes have demonstrated some success in supporting smoking quit, but they should be used in conjunction with professional support and licensed aids.
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Both smoking and vaping carry health concerns, and a personalized quit plan that combines several tactics may be the safest and most successful way for smokers to completely quit.
Source: Canva
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