Why you should be worried about secondhand vape and its effects on youths
Secondhand smoke (SHS) from vaping aerosols come from burning or heating tobacco through a cigarette, cigar, pipe, hookah, or electronic cigarette. It can also come from the air a smoker exhales through smoking.
Alarmingly, due to the increasing use of electronic cigarettes or vape amongst Malaysians, more children and youths are exposed to secondhand vape (SHV).
Although staunch supporters claim that vaping is safer than combustible or conventional cigarettes mainly due to fewer amounts of chemicals being released, it is a deadly mix that can still reach up to 7,000 chemicals.
Vaping aerosols are most definitely dangerous, as findings in a recent study published by Johns Hopkins University indicated that vaping aerosols contain almost 2,000 chemicals and substances undisclosed by manufacturers, which include industrial chemicals, toxic hydrocarbon-like compounds typically associated with combustible cigarettes, pesticide and flavorings linked with possible toxic effects and respiratory irritation.
Several recently published papers also pointed out the presence of harmful compounds in e-liquids and generated mainstream aerosols, such as Volatile Organic compounds (VOCs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals and tobacco alkaloids.
“When children are exposed to tobacco smoke, they can be acutely exposed to secondhand smoke and/or chronically exposed to thirdhand smoke (THS), which is aged tobacco smoke residue that lingers in dust and on surfaces in indoor environments where tobacco was used previously,” said president of the Malaysian Association of Adolescent Health (MAAH), Prof Dr Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamed.
He said that exposure to SHS occurs up to a few hours after active smoking takes place, and that exposure to THS can occur for days or years after tobacco products have been burned.
President of IKRAM Health Malaysia, Dr Mohd Afiq Mohd Nor said there is now more evidence that people who are exposed to SHV absorb just as much nicotine as those exposed to traditional cigarette smokers.
Studies have found that youths who grew up around smokers have high levels of both SHS and THS exposure, which leads to them having adverse health issues later in life.
Children especially, are vulnerable to SHS. It can lead to an early death and increase the risk of sudden infant mortality syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, as well as severe asthma symptoms.
People including adolescents who are constantly exposed to SHS or SHV are subject to more than 250 carcinogens. Approximately 603,000 of those individuals, many of whom are children, die each year from SHS and SHV exposure.
Haniki also remarked that many vaping aerosols contain unknown chemicals that have yet to be researched, which poses a threat to the already worrying list of health risk issues already prevalent among youths exposed to SHV.
Is it possible for someone exposed to SHV develop a nicotine addiction in the long-term?
“Previous research has shown that exposure to SHS increases the likelihood that children will grow up to become chain smokers which makes quitting more difficult due to them being exposed to it at such an early age.
“Thus, the reported serum cotinine in e-cigarette users is likely to cause physiological changes in nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain that would sustain nicotine addiction,” said Afiq.
For Haniki, prevention is better than cure. “Effective tobacco control strategies need to be enforced to safeguard our children and adolescents from becoming life-long nicotine addicts from combustible cigarettes, e-cigarettes or other similar products.
“Those who are already using such tobacco products must quit as soon as possible,” he added.
He believes that vaping does nothing but normalise the act of smoking, which in turn jeopardises the Health Ministry’s tobacco control efforts to reduce the prevalence of smoking to less than five per cent by the year 2040.
“With the number of vape users in Malaysia amounting to nearly a million, the healthcare costs of treating diseases associated with vape will also be staggering,” he said.
Afiq added that vaping is an unhealthy addiction that harms the person doing it and those around them. Hence, the only viable option is to quit.
He said that it will be an arduous journey, but reminds vape users that quitting is ending an addiction to nicotine, and saving yourself and those you love from potential - and proven - health risks.
A private-public collaboration of smoking cessation services is provided by the government. To join, register online here and set an appointment with the service provider.
