this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2023
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New research underscores the harms of e-cigarettes, showing that vaping increases the risk of asthma in teens who have never smoked cigarettes.

Although e-cigarettes have fewer toxins than regular cigarettes, they still contain a mixture of harmful chemicals and raise the risk of respiratory diseases, researchers say.

"Increasing knowledge about the harmful effects of e-cigarette use, implementing stricter regulations, and promoting alternative coping mechanisms for mental health are potential interventions to mitigate e-cigarette use," lead author Taehyun Roh, of Texas A&M University, said in a school news release.

Asthma causes wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. It can be controlled by taking medicine and avoiding the triggers that can cause an attack, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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[–] fubo 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Nicotine is a bronchoconstrictor; it narrows the lung passages. While vaping nicotine avoids many of the harmful components of cigarette smoke (soot particles, carbon monoxide, resinous "tar") it cannot avoid the effects of nicotine itself on the lungs.

[–] SheeEttin 1 points 1 year ago

It can if there's no nicotine in it. It seems like this should be obvious.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

obviously, inhaling smokes is bad for your health.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (2 children)

My biggest problem with vaping is that there's basically no distinction made between ecigarettes that this article addresses and vaping dry herbs.. would love to read up on it and any possible health concerns but rarely see it discussed

[–] fubo 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

If you mean cannabis, it's worth noting that the active ingredients in cannabis and tobacco have opposite effects on the lungs. THC is a bronchodilator (opens lung passages) while nicotine is a bronchoconstrictor (narrows them).

This difference even shows up in smoking. Just consider the difference between the big lung-emptying coughs of a pot smoker who takes too heavy of a bong hit, and the tight hacking coughs of a cigarette smoker.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Also; very few people vape pot more that once-twice a day. Nicotine vapers are addicted and do it multiple times a day.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

In my experience, there are a lot more than a few people who smoke weed constantly.

Maybe it's just luck, but I know a ton of people do or did this. Personally I'd consider myself to be highly addicted, but that could be due to the constant physical pain I'm in. Once your tolerance maxes out you need to smoke the same amount as nicotine in my mind - the urge is very much the same. I'm also fairly certain the only people who would be able to tell I'm constantly ripped are other stoners (source - employment). If I had to guess, you probably know people like this but they would never tell you due to stigma / fear of getting in trouble.

I switched to vaping / dabbing like 6 years ago as I was having issues with smoking so much. While it's been better using concentrates, I think it's safe to say my lungs are completely fucked 🙂

[–] cmbabul 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have to be completely ripped for anyone to be able to tell at this point. The stereotypes of giggling clueless stoners is really only true for early on in ones weed career or very occasional smokers. After a few years of smoking, functioning normally while high isn’t the problem, at least in my experience. The majority of my coworkers in most of the jobs I’ve had were either stoned all the time, functional alcoholics, or both. Obviously that’s anecdotal, and I do work in tech, but even if the average is just half my experience there are a ton of people working high everywhere

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’ve smoked weed for a long time, not hugely regularly but maybe once a week or something. When I’m high, my masking (ADHD/autism) goes completely out the window, so I talk all sorts of nonsense. Would not be able to pass as sober lol.

[–] cmbabul 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That’s actually wild to me, also ADHD/autism, but if anything I’ve gotten better at masking since I started smoking daily. But everybody’s brain reacts differently, definitely get abstaining in that case though

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I don’t think it’s reason enough to abstain completely, just something I should do at home when i’m chilling and not gotta interact with poor unprepared people who don’t know me hehe.

The two friends I have with ADHD behave in a really similar way. All three of us just have a conversation with ourselves featuring little bits and pieces from the other people’s conversations… meanwhile my neurotypical friends are just chilling quietly.

Could also depend on sativa/indica of course!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If you are talking about cannabis, there is some information out there on how vaping impacts health. I just did a quick Google search and found it...I'm sure there's better evidence available out there, although it may be more anecdotal.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Are they even talking about vaping dry herbs or thc e-cigarettes?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah I guess I meant more it just doesn't get nearly as much attention, but you're right there's some starting and that's quite nice

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

About 3,000 adolescents in Texas, ages 13 to 17, were questioned between 2015 and 2019. The researchers compared the results with responses from more than 32,000 teens in the broader United States.

To me this appears garbled in the usual science journalism way, although it doesn't change the overall gist of it which seems legit. They analyzed each population separately and found significant results in both populations. Reported vaping was associated with an additional chance of asthma of something approximately like 0.1% to 3% at the 95% confidence interval among US adolescents, the exact range depending on numbers not included in the excerpt provided on Science Direct.

Edit: I initially thought the 15-19 age range, being the only one I saw mentioned in the excerpt, was the one studied. That does not appear to be the case. That complicates things in a way that makes it unclear precisely where the bounds of that confidence interval are when described in a way that quantifies the overall public health risk. Read the full study if you need more precise information.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Fucking shocker.

[–] Seudo 1 points 1 year ago

[surprised pickachu face]