Around 16% of the population smoke or vape and an even higher number of individuals are effected by second and third-hand smoke from these products. Vaping, when first rolled out, was advertised as a "more healthy way" to smoke; that it is less addictive, it's a way to quit smoking, does not effect your lungs, is stylish, it's what people get their friends to do instead of smoking. It was seen in such a positive light, but now that we know it has a very different effect on people.
In the early 90's and 2000's when products started to be introduced into different countries, however, it only took around 5-10 years for countries to try to stop sales and imports of such products. This was for many reasons:
1) WHO provided a press release that states e-cigarettes and other vaping products cannot be advertised as safe and effective options for quitting smoking, especially since early products contained nicotine.
2) New Zealand research found that Ryuan, considered the first modern vaping product, contained carcinogens and other toxicants, though "below harmful levels".
3) Australia and Jordan both puts bands, citing the WHO press release, stating that due to the toxic chemicals, e-cigarettes cause more harm than the nicotine in traditional smoking products.
4) Canada banned the sales, advertising, and import of e-cigarettes, due to products containing propylene glycol , which is a compound used in antifreeze, perfumes, and plastics.
5) After years of battling with drug regulation groups, e-cigarettes are re-categorized as a tobacco product and are required to follow advertising and sales laws to other smoking products.
From here, the companies that make these products and regulation groups have been in a constant back and forth of how e-cigarettes should be classified (medicinal or tobacco) and who should be in charge of regulating the product due to the large number of independent companies. Because of this, the general public and fitness professionals were confused on its actual harms on people. Until now.
What Long Term Research Is Showing
Due to a program in the US military allowing its soldiers to switch to vaping without any additional cost (even though vaping in the long term costs less), research were done on those soldiers and it was found that their performance went down over a one year time frame. And the changes were significant. Vapers took 27-37 seconds longer on their 2 mile run, did 2-4 (averaged at 2) less sit ups, and 4-7 (averaged at 4.5) less push ups. What was even more interesting, was that non-vapers/smokers and smokers did better one these tests.
Vaping has also been shown to be just as bad on the lungs as regular cigarettes. Because you are inhaling a substances, the chemicals can still go into lungs. Developing respiratory diseases is still high for e-cigarette users, even higher for those in a dual use category (use both e-cigarettes and combustible smoking products). This, in turn, could effect your total lung capacity, your VO2 max, which could cause decreases in your weights on the bar, not just your time on your 1 mile run.
Nicotine is also a stimulant, which means that it will increase your heart rate at rest. This can make working out difficult due your higher heart rate, make cooling down difficult, and can increase your of a heart attack significantly. Also, just like other tobacco products, nicotine reduces your oxygen levels in your blood. When you are in a low oxygen state, your muscles are unable to work properly and can reduce muscle strengthening benefits. Nicotine also does the same thing with testosterone, lowering the cells efficiency to produce the muscle growth hormone.
It's All About the Advertising
You'r probably confused now if this is the first time you are hearing of these effects. Similar to the food industry, they want you to think you are doing something a little healthier. Yes, those boxed gluten-free cookies are gluten-free and appear 'healthy' but they are really pumped full of sugar and additives when you read the ingredients.
Still think it isn't as bad as regular cigarettes, take a look at this.
In August this past year, the CDC started investigating way 149 teens and young adults were suddenly hospitalized with similar symptoms. The only link between them was e-cigarettes. They were reporting chest pains, vomiting, GI issues. 14 of these individuals were shown to have significant damage to their lungs.
Studies between early 2017 and mid-2019 have linked vaping with severe kidney disease, starting with studies on mice and now studies in people who are being hospitalized.
Second-hand "smoke" from vaping and youth vaping has also been shown to have significant harms, more than combustible cigarettes, on brain development. If exposed to e-cigarettes, youth have a higher risk of developing mood disorders, addiction, lowered impulse control, and effect learning and attention. The brain takes a long time to develop as well. For most individuals, the brain is finishing growing around age 25, which is much later than many think.
If you are reading this and decide you want to stop vaping, great! In the resources, the last 3 links are tips to help you stop. If you are reading this and decide you don't want to change your vaping habit, you should take a moment to think about how vaping around family, friends, and other loved ones who choose not to smoke or vape effects them.
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