- Researchers at 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
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Researchers warn of the dangers of secondhand vaping, especially among children.
A new study found that children under 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 cell damage linked to diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
“Many people who smoke have switched to using e-cigarettes, thinking it is safer for themselves and others around them,” said Jeannie Rodriguez, an associate professor at Emory University in Georgia and lead author of the study. study.
Researchers at Emory University in Georgia found that children ages 4 to 12 who regularly vaped had higher levels of metabolites related to vaping chemicals, compared to children who did not grow up around vapers.
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 vaporizer that are dangerous to you and your loved ones who are exposed to the vapors you exhale.”
The researchers compared a group of children ages four to 12 whose parents vaped daily with a group of children of the same age who did not use vapes or cigarettes.
The children had blood drawn to assess the risks of passive smoking. The team also analyzed the children’s saliva and breath to determine what chemicals they had been exposed to.
Children whose parents vaped every day had elevated levels of metabolites, or molecules that are created in the body after exposure to chemicals found in e-cigarettes.
These can alter dopamine levels in the body and cause cell damage due to oxidative stress, the researchers said.
Once the study was completed, a group of parents who had participated were informed of the findings and many were surprised by the results.
Some 11 of 19 parent users believed vaping was a minor health risk or not at all, and 12 of 22 parent users did not know whether exposure to e-cigarette vapors was harmful to children.
One parent said, “The appeal of vaping is that, at least in my opinion and I say this all the time to people who ask me, I say for me vaping is probably about 95 percent better than smoking cigarettes.”
“To me, it seems like it’s presented as the healthier version,” said another.
While some doctors have claimed that vaping nicotine is “about 90 to 95 percent” less harmful than smoking it through cigarettes, it is not yet fully understood how harmful the remaining effects are.
Originally marketed as a way to quit smoking traditional cigarettes, studies are beginning to suggest that vaporizers are no less dangerous, citing a mix of more than 7,000 chemicals in the toxic smoke.
People can also inhale the devices hundreds of times a day, increasing the risk of diseases such as cancer and high levels of inflammation in the lungs, which can damage organs.
About one in ten high school students now vape, and many are drawn into the habit by the fruity flavors available in brands and teen-focused advertising. Figures suggest that half of them become addicted.
And more people are expected to pick up the habit, with analysts suggesting the market will nearly double from $22.45 billion in 2022 to $39.1 billion in 2032.