Smoking: Vaping vs Cigarettes – Differences and Long Term Effects of Both

Smoking includes consumption of tobacco through cigarette, bidi, cigar etc. Both smoking and vaping have dangers and negative side effects. E-cigarettes are not a safer alternative to smoking, according to evidence, even though scientists are still unsure about their long-term health effects.

In the present part, we compare the dangers of smoking and vaping keeping in mind their long term effects.

In an exclusive interview with Zee English, Dr Harshit Shah, Associate Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Fortis Hospital talks about the dangers of smoking tobacco and how it affects your health in the long run.

Vaping vs Cigarettes: Which is Less Harmful?

vaping

Vaping or using e-cigarettes is not smoking, but it provides an experience similar to smoking cigarettes. Vaping involves a single hand-to-mouth action to smoke. There is heating of a substance and thus inhalation of smoke in both smoking and vaping.

E-cigarette or vaping consists of e-liquid with an oily base which is a mixture of nicotine, flavoring agents or aromatic additives. Other substances present are vitamin E which is often used as a thickening and dispersing agent in e-liquid, diacetyl as a flavoring agent, toxic formaldehyde, acrolein etc. Although Vitamin E is a safe supplement when used orally, it acts as an irritant to the lungs. When breathed These excess substances can contribute to damage to the lungs.

Cigarette

In cigarette smoking, tobacco is burned and the smoke is inhaled. Similarly, in vaping, a device (usually a vape pen or a mod) heats a liquid (called vape juice or e-liquid) until it turns into vapor. But vaping is more like a delivery system, similar to a nebulizer, which is used by people with asthma or other lung conditions.

Dr. Harshit says, “Smoking contains tobacco which is a level 1 carcinogen with over 100 harmful chemicals that cause heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetes and dental problems.”

During vaping, the person is exposed to fewer toxic chemicals and at lower levels than when smoking tobacco. But research has shown that the frequency of vaping use is higher among people who use it to quit smoking, because while vaping one breathes in addictive nicotine and dozens of other dangerous chemicals.

According to studies, vaping can affect the way germs in the respiratory tract react to germs and increase the likelihood of infection and illness.

In a nebulizer, liquid medications are turned into a mist that the patient inhales, thus delivering the medication to the lungs. In contrast, in vaping, the mist is not a drug but potentially harmful chemicals that form a layer on the lungs.

long term effects of tobacco

With respect to tobacco, we have six decades of rigorous research to show that thousands of chemicals are inhaled during smoking, and this has a huge impact on the lungs. But as with vaping, the short- or long-term effects have not yet been studied much, and there is limited data to suggest which e-cigarette components are to blame.

However, some lung conditions have been linked to vaping causing serious lung damage such as popcorn lung (another name for bronchiolitis obliterans), lipoid pneumonia, etc. Passive smoking or second hand smoke is also known to have ill effects on health but to a lesser extent.

Similarly, second hand vaping may not affect the lungs, but when someone exhales, the vapor released from it may contain a variety of hazardous substances, which may include nicotine, diacetyl, aromatic benzene, etc.

Smoking tobacco is known to cause carcinogenicity of the aerodigestive tract and lung cancer. There is a concern that vaping may also cause cancer, but since vaping products haven’t been around long enough, there is limited time and research to know whether they cause cancer.


“Use of e-cigarettes is permitted in some parts of the world like USA, UK, Mauritius, Uganda, etc. with certain limitations on sale or advertisement. Production, sale, storage or advertisement of e-cigarettes in India. 2019 Cigarettes have been banned since,” comments Dr Harshit.

Lastly, vaping is touted as an alternative to smoking cessation, but it may prove to be more addictive among younger populations and there are better alternatives than vaping to quit smoking. On the other hand, smoking has adverse health effects that can be avoided by choosing other ways to quit. Therefore one should avoid vaping.