Experts urge parents not to vape around children – as study shows secondhand vape causes build-up of chemicals linked to CANCER
- Researchers from Emory University looked at children whose parents vaped every day
- They had higher levels of cancer-causing chemicals compared to the control group
- READ MORE: The exact effect of vaping compared to cigarettes on the body
Researchers warn of the dangers of secondhand vaping, especially among children.
A new study found that children under the age of 12 who vaped regularly had higher levels of metabolites produced in the body in response to chemicals in e-cigarette vapor.
These chemicals can cause inflammation in the body and lead to cellular damage linked to diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
βMany people who smoke have turned to using e-cigarettes because they believe it is safer for them and others around them,β said Jeannie Rodriguez, an associate professor at Emory University in Georgia and lead author of the book study.
Researchers from Emory University in Georgia found that children ages 4 to 12 who were regularly around vaping had higher levels of metabolites linked to chemicals in vaping, compared to children who did not grow up with vaping.
A study published this month linked vaping to health effects such as asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis. However, smoking has long been associated with serious health consequences, such as lung cancer and heart disease
“However, there are chemicals in the liquids used in a vape that are dangerous to you and those you care about who are exposed to the fumes you exhale.”
The researchers compared a group of children aged four to twelve whose parents vaped daily with a group of children of the same age as parents who did not use vapes or cigarettes.
Blood was taken from the children to assess the risks of passive smoking. The team also tested the children’s saliva and breath to determine what chemicals they had been exposed to.
The children whose parents vaped every day had elevated levels of metabolites, or molecules, that are produced in the body after exposure to chemicals found in e-cigarettes.
These can disrupt dopamine levels in the body and cause cell damage due to oxidative stress, the researchers said.
After the study was completed, a group of parents who had participated were informed of the findings, with many expressing surprise at the results.
About 11 of 19 parent users believed that vaping was a minor health hazard or no health hazard at all, and 12 of 22 parent users did not know whether or not exposure to electronic cigarette fumes was harmful to children.
One parent said, βThe appeal of vaping is that, at least in my mind and I say this all the time to people who ask me, I say, vaping for me is probably about 95 percent better than smoking cigarettes. ‘
“To me it seems like it’s portraying itself as the healthier version,” said another.
Although some doctors claim that vaping nicotine is “about 90 to 95 percent” less harmful than smoking it through cigarettes, it is still not entirely clear how harmful the other effects are.
Originally marketed as a way to quit smoking traditional cigarettes, studies are beginning to suggest that vaping is no less dangerous, citing a mixture of more than 7,000 chemicals in the toxic smoke.
People can also inflate the devices hundreds of times a day, increasing the risk of conditions such as cancer and high levels of inflammation in the lungs, which can damage organs.
About one in 10 high school students now vape, and many are drawn to the habit by the fruity flavors available in brands and teen-targeted ads. Half of these become addicted, figures show.
And even more companies are predicted to adopt the habit, with analysts suggesting the market will almost double from $22.45 billion in 2022 to a whopping $39.1 billion by 2032.