Concerns are mounting over the potential long-term effects of vaping, as e-cigarettes, often promoted as a safer alternative to traditional smoking, may carry significant health risks. Dr Maxime Boidin, who is leading the world's first controlled study into the long-term effects of vaping at Manchester Metropolitan University, has issued a stark warning that regular use of e-cigarettes could lead to severe health issues, including dementia, heart disease, and organ failure.
Despite the NHS's stance that nicotine vapour is "substantially less harmful than smoking," the ongoing study, set to conclude in March, suggests that the dangers could be comparable to those associated with smoking. Dr Boidin points out one of the main concerns with vaping: its ease of continuous use.
Vapers can inhale for extended periods without the interruption required to light another cigarette, potentially leading to excessive consumption without realisation. Initially an advocate for vaping as a safer option, Dr Boidin now believes the findings of his research will surprise many.
The study involves participants aged 18 to 45 and focuses on how vaping affects blood vessel elasticity and cerebral blood flow.
In preparation for the study, participants were required to drink only water and avoid vaping, smoking, and exercise for 12 hours prior to the mediated dilation (FMD) test. Dr Boidin explained that this test yielded particularly significant results: a cuff is put around the participant's arm, inflated to temporarily block blood flow, and then released to observe how much the artery expands when blood rushes back in, reports the Mirror.
The senior lecturer in cardiac rehabilitation attributes the observed damage to inflammation caused by nicotine, along with metals and chemicals commonly found in vapes, such as propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine. Further exacerbating the problem are chemical flavourings, notably carbonyl compounds which induce inflammation and oxidative stress.
These processes have the potential to harm the inner wall of arteries and cause cell death.
Dr Boidin expressed strong concerns about the practice, saying, "When you put this mixture of metals and chemicals into your body you can't expect nothing to happen."
The prevalence of vaping has surged since the first introduction of electronic cigarettes in the UK in 2005. According to the latest statistics from the Office for National Statistics published last year, there are currently an estimated 5.1 million users aged 16 or above across Britain, equating to around one out of ten people.
The highest rate of vaping is seen in individuals between the ages of 16 to 24, which stands at 15.8%.
However, Dr Marina Murphy of the UK Vaping Industry Association counters that the study's results are not supported by existing data, saying: "Millions of people have been using vaping products safely for many years. All the available data suggests that vapes are unlikely to exceed 5% of the health risks associated with cigarettes."
Public Health England's current advice remains that "vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking".
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