Vapers are suffering from an annoying cough, and doctors say it sounds different than that of a smoker.
A London-based GP said he has treated e-cigarette addicts who developed a “dry” or “wheezing” rasp. She believes the culprits are cheap devices, which are filled with a liquid containing nicotine and other chemicals.
Meanwhile, a smoker’s cough tends to be “phlegmatic,” rather than dry.
E-cigarette advice pages warn about the “common phenomenon,” saying it is particularly problematic for new vapers who have just given up cigarettes.
Experts believe it could be a sign that the body is recovering from years of tobacco abuse.
Quitting smoking and opting for a vape is said to expose you to fewer cancer-causing toxins, reducing the risk of lung, heart, and cerebrovascular diseases.
Tobacco destroys small hair-like structures in the airways called cilia, designed to keep dirt and mucus out of the lungs.
When these disappear, irritants can settle in the lungs and mucus builds up. This is what triggers “smoker’s cough,” when your body tries to clear your airways.
Once someone stops smoking, the cilia grow back and help expel mucus. This can also cause a cough that can last for months.
Professor Lion Shahab, co-director of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group at University College London, told MailOnline: “Developing a cough is a normal response to quitting smoking as the cilia in the lungs recover and function again.” .
“So if a smoker switches to vaping, something similar may be happening.”
Leading e-cigarette researcher Professor Peter Hajek, of Queen Mary University of London, said the tickling ‘vaper cough’ usually goes away after a few weeks of use.
One trial, published in the respected New England Journal of Medicine in 2019, even found Cigarette addicts who received vapes as a quit-smoking tool coughed less a year later, compared to participants who received nicotine replacement gum, patches or sprays.
Dr Hana Patel, a GP in London, said there is “no clear evidence” that coughs are caused directly by vaping because the devices, sold for as little as £5, have not been around long enough to confirm the bond.
She told MailOnline: ‘They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headaches, coughing and feeling unwell.
‘These tend to reduce over time with continued use.
“We don’t yet know what long-term effects they might have.”
Dr. Patel emphasized that vaporizers should only be used to help you quit smoking or prevent you from returning to smoking.
Dr Nirusa Kumaran, another London-based NHS GP, added: “Vaping can be a useful supplement if you are quitting smoking.”
‘But it’s not something I recommend without a history of smoking. Without knowing the purity of the vaporizer, you could be introducing harmful toxins into your airways.’
GPs say some people come in with a “dry” or “wheezing” cough after vaping. Vaporizers are sold in a variety of flavors and colors and because they contain nicotine they are addictive.
As of February, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has recorded a total of 1,009 reactions to vaporizers. Here are the 10 most common reports.
E-cigarettes allow people to inhale nicotine in the form of vapor, which is produced by heating a liquid that typically contains propylene glycol, glycerin, flavorings and other chemicals.
Unlike traditional cigarettes, vaporizers do not contain tobacco nor do they produce tar or carbon, two of the most dangerous elements.
NHS bosses insist vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking.
But evidence is quickly accumulating to show that the devices pose their own dangers, and multiple studies are raising the alarm about the potential risks of vaping. An academic paper last month even raised fears that e-cigarettes could cause cancer.
Doctors have expressed fears that there could be a wave of lung disease, dental problems and even cancer in the coming decades in people who adopted the habit at a young age.
Last year, MailOnline revealed that e-cigarettes have been linked to five deaths in Britain, although none are proven.
Data were obtained through the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Yellow Card scheme, which allows the public and doctors to report suspected adverse events.
In the same database it can be seen that more than 100 cough complaints have also been recorded.
Dozens of children have been hospitalized because of these devices, including some as young as four years old.
Health charities described the findings as “deeply worrying” as they urged non-smokers not to take up vaping and called on ministers to crack down on unscrupulous sellers.
Ministers have announced they will ban e-cigarette packaging and flavors that appeal to children at one point to prevent them developing a habit.
Rishi Sunak has previously said it is “ridiculous” that vaping is being promoted to children and that he doesn’t want his young daughters to “get seduced by this stuff”.