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Regular e-cigarette use can have dire health consequences, which were recently demonstrated in computer simulations.
The use of e-cigarettes is becoming more and more common not only globally, but also in our country. This is also contributed to by the disposable e-cigarettes that appeared on the market a few years ago, and although they are considered illegal in Hungary, many people are still able to buy them. Recently, experts created a computer simulation to show the real impact on our lungs when we regularly use these nicotine-containing products.
The first thing you should know about e-cigarettes is that they usually consist of a microprocessor, a battery, a cartridge containing liquid, and a heating element. The battery heats the heating element, turning the liquid into a vapor that people inhale. Initially, they were considered a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, but at the same time, it turns out that there are several things to worry about when using a battery-powered device.
In 2019, more than 1,600 cases of unexplained lung injury were reported in the United States, including 34 deaths, with 92% of patients admitting to using black market THC cartridges.
The illness, now known as e-cigarette-associated lung injury (EVALI), is caused by vitamin E acetate. It is a synthetic substance that is occasionally used in skin creams. However, it is just one of several chemicals found in e-cigarette cartridge liquids, and its use is subject to few legal restrictions. At the same time, the introduction of possible restrictions is made difficult by the fact that the individual ingredients do not appear to be particularly harmful. Most e-liquids contain, for example, propylene glycol, which is commonly found in food and medicines, or vegetable glycerin, a food thickener. However, some chemicals in the liquid may not become toxic when evaporated together.
In many cases, e-cigarettes also contain diacetyl. Buttermilk is a common artificial flavoring compound widely used to flavor coffee, some fruit drinks, and especially buttered popcorn. It’s not too troublesome when swallowed, but more troublesome when inhaled. A sobering and at the same time terrifying computer simulation reveals what happens when diacetyl enters our lungs on a regular basis.
The video shows that mucus formation in the lungs can damage the air sacs, which are important players in gas exchange between the blood and inspired air.
Because diacetyl is not illegal, it is added to most e-cigarettes as a flavoring, regardless of the flavor of the particular liquid. A 2015 study by Environmental Health Perspectives found that 39 of 51 e-liquid flavors tested contained the chemical.
In addition, similar to conventional smoking, the water vapor that enters the lungs has a paralyzing effect on the so-called cilia. According to their function, cilia block bacteria and other viruses so that we can cough them out, but the regrowth of cilia due to smoking can take weeks, during which time the lungs are exposed to various infections.
However, smoking uses a variety of chemicals to “paralyze” the cilia in the lungs, which takes weeks to heal, leaving the lungs vulnerable to infection.
(Cover image: Man smoking. Illustration: Getty Images)
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