Vaping and your health - Illawarra Medical Centre

Vaping has been hitting the headlines lately, with Queensland recently announcing an enquiry into the health impacts of e-cigarettes and increasing concerns across Australia around the availability and prevalence of e-cigarettes and vaping products, particularly with younger Australia.

In this month’s blog, we thought we’d take a closer look at vaping and e-cigarettes and how they impact on your health.

What are the current rules/regulations/laws around vaping in Australia?

In Australia, it is illegal to sell, supply or possess an e-cigarette or any liquid that contains nicotine without a doctor’s prescription, including products imported from overseas.

In Western Australia, nicotine is strictly regulated under the Medicines and Poisons Act 2014 and products that are designed to resemble tobacco products are regulated under the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006.

These Acts essentially outline that e-cigarette devices and their components cannot be sold by tobacco or general retailers. It is also illegal for individuals to sell vapes to friends, colleagues or in the community.

It is also illegal to sell, supply or possess nicotine vaping products (or any liquid that contains nicotine) without a prescription from a doctor, including products imported from overseas.

What are e-cigarettes and vapes?

E-cigarettes, or vapes, are electronic, battery-operated devices that have been designed to deliver vapourised liquids into the lungs.

First invented by Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik, in 2003 as an alternative to conventional smoking, e-cigarettes generally comprise a battery component, atomizer and a cartridge for a nicotine or non-nicotine liquid solution.

The battery component is used as a source of energy to power the atomizer, which heats the liquid so that it emits an aerosol or mist. This can then be inhaled through a situs slot luar negeri mouthpiece and exhaled as a fine-particulate smoke. It is similar to turning water into steam.

Vapes have previously been approved and used as a tool to help people quit or reduce smoking, after other methods have been tried and failed.

These days, vapes come in many different styles, shapes and sizes, such as pipes, pens and USBs, which can sometimes make them difficult to spot. The liquid used in vapes also comes in an array of different flavours, from tobacco to fruit flavours and even cola, caramel and lolly flavours.

However, it’s becoming increasingly known that vapes are not safe and may contain harmful and addictive chemicals that aren’t always listed on the pack.

The sleek design and range of sweet flavour options of vapes, coupled with the misconception that vaping is safer than smoking, can often appeal to younger people.

What ingredients are typically found in e-cigarettes and vapes?

The main ingredients that are typically found in vapes include propylene glycol, vegetable glycerol, nicotine, flavours and other chemicals.

Vapes can contain a number of harmful substances, including:

Nicotine, even in e-cigarettes marketed as ‘nicotine-free’;
Cancer-causing chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein;
Harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weedkiller and bug spray;
Heaving metals, such as nickel, tin and lead
Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
Flavouring chemicals, such as diacetyl (which has been linked to serious lung disease); and
Volatile organic compounds

A recent study undertaken by the Telethon Kid’s Institute and Curtin University examined the ingredients of more than 60 over-the-counter ‘nicotine-free’ e-liquids in Australia and found that the majority contained substances with known toxic chemicals. In addition, nicotine was found in nine percent of the liquids tested, despite these products being marketed as ‘nicotine-free’.

What is the impact on health?

Vapes are often cited as being a ‘healthy’ alternative to cigarettes and a useful tool in helping smokers to quit or reduce their smoking.

However, the Royal Australasian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Guidelines note that nicotine vaping products should not be used as a first-line treatment for smoking cessation. Instead, RACGP recommends approved pharmacological therapies combined with behavioural support as a much safer and evidence based approach to stopping smoking.

Where people have tried unsuccessfully to stop smoking through pharmacological therapies and behavioural support, then nicotine vaping products may be considered as a reasonable intervention.

However, the fact is that the long-term health risks of vaping products are simply unknown and there are mixed reports on their actual effectiveness in stopping smoking.

While not all vapes contain nicotine, which we already know is harmful, and we are still learning about the health impacts of vapes, the general consensus is that they are not safe.

It is becoming more evident that vapes can expose people to chemicals at levels that may cause negative health effects.

Vaping has already been noted as the cause of a number of deaths from acute lung disease and an increasing number of studies show that vaping has both short- and medium-term effects on the heart and lungs. There are also growing concerns that e-cigarettes could increase the risk of cancer.

As noted by the WA Department of Health, some of the health concerns around vaping include:

Lung Damage – vaping has been linked to serious lung disease, with one of the commonly used ingredients in vapes – formaldehyde – known to cause irreversible lung damage.
Brain and Physical Development – the consumption of nicotine in children and adolescents can have long-lasting damaging effects on their brain and physical development and potentially lead to learning and anxiety disorders. Nicotine changes the way the brain synapses are formed in young people. Some of the impacts include impaired attention, learning and memory, as well as changes in mood.
Burns – there have been a number of cases reported where e-cigarette batteries or devices have overheated, caught fire or exploded. This can cause serious and potentially life-threatening injury, disability and disfigurement.
Nicotine Addiction and Poisoning – nicotine is highly addictive. One vape can contain the same amount of nicotine found in 50 cigarettes and research shows that young people who vape are three times as likely to take up smoking cigarettes.

The symptoms of nicotine addiction from vapes is the same as cigarettes, and include:
– Increased irritability
– Increased anxiousness
– Intense cravings to vape
– Lack of concentration; and
– Trouble sleeping
E-liquids that contact nicotine when swallowed or absorbed through the skin can result in poisoning, as can too much nicotine from using vapes.
Exposure to harmful substances – as with cigarettes, there are also concerns about the potential health impacts on those who are exposed to the harmful substances found in e-cigarettes – either as a user or a bystander exposed second-hand.
Mental Health – vaping nicotine can increase a person’s risk for depression and anxiety and make existing symptoms worse.

Concerned about the impact of smoking or vapes on your health?

If you have any health concerns regarding smoking or vaping, please make an appointment with your GP, who will be able to provide advice about suitable options to help you quit.

To make an appointment at Illawarra Medical Centre, simply book online or contact us on (08) 9208 6400.