Australia's top doctor says vaping is more dangerous than COVID
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has
released updated national advice on e-cigarettes, warning users they
were being exposed to potentially harmful chemicals and toxins
and saying that vaping could lead to an increase in young people
taking up cigarettes.
"E-cigarettes deliver substances directly to the lungs, and those
substances can be harmful," the NHMRC's chief executive, Professor
Anne Kelso, said (
https://ab.co/3xQz4bR).
"Based on the review of the evidence that our committee has
undertaken, we found that e-liquids can contain nicotine, even if
they're labelled nicotine free."
But Professor Kelso said e-cigarettes could contain any number of
other harmful chemicals as well.
More than 200 chemicals have been identified in these e-liquids used
in e-cigarettes and they have the potential to harm people's health,"
she said.
"So for people who do not currently smoke there are no health
benefits of using e-cigarettes."
Instead, she said vaping could result in seizures, poisoning, lung
injury, headaches and nausea.
"And I frankly don't yet know enough about the potential effects
of e-cigarette use on conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular
disease, reproductive health, respiratory health, mental illness,"
she said.
Health experts have become increasingly concerned about the growing
rate of vaping, particularly among young people, in recent years,
saying research revealed only one in three people who had taken up
e-cigarettes did so as a way to quit smoking.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly echoed Professor Kelso's
message, emphasising that vaping products did not help existing
smokers quit.
He said it was clear many people were using the potentially harmful
products recreationally.
"E-cigarette use is increasing, particularly and specifically in
younger age groups," Professor Kelly said.
"One in five people aged 18 to 24 who have never smoked, reported
having tried e-cigarettes."
