ONE in 10 adults are now long-term vapers as the use of e-cigarettes has increased almost tenfold in a decade, a study has found.
Research from University College London found that around 10% of people in England have used vapes for six months or more.
A large number of 18-year-olds – 23% – took up the habit.
It is catching up with traditional cigarette consumption, at 13 percent, and has already surpassed it in younger age groups.
Most people have only started vaping since 2021, during a boom in disposable devices.
Experts fear that non-smokers are risking their health.
For non-smokers, vaping over a prolonged period will expose them to harm
Dr Sarah Jackson
Study author Sarah Jackson said: “Our results show that there has been an exceptionally sharp increase in the number of young adults using vaping for more than six months since new disposable e-cigarettes were introduced to the market.
“While most long-term vapers have a history of smoking, rates have also increased among those who have never smoked regularly.
“For these people, vaping regularly over a prolonged period will expose them to more harm than if they had done neither.”
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, recorded a huge increase in regular vapers compared to 10 years ago.
It is estimated that only 1.3% of adults used an e-cigarette for six months or more in 2013.
That means an increase of about eight times between then and October 2023, according to the latest data.
People who had recently quit smoking were more likely to smoke, with 36% saying they had done so, compared to 6% in 2013.
Rates among non-smokers increased from 0.1% to three%.
Health experts say vaping is safer than smoking and an important way for addicts to quit smoking, but it can be risky for those who have never smoked.
It turns out ministers will ban disposable vaporizers and those with bright, fruity colors, to stifle their appeal to teenagers.
Professor Jamie Brown added: “New vaping policies need to curb vaping among young people, but must be balanced to avoid discouraging smokers from using vaping products to quit smoking.”
Smoking vs. vaporize
VAPING has been touted as an effective tool for helping people quit smoking.
Although vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, the habit is not completely harmless and comes with its own set of risks.
The NHS only recommends it for adult smokers to support smoking cessation.
Doctor and author Dr Philippa Kaye explained to The Sun that the differences between vaping and smoking – and whether one is better than the other – are “complicated”.
“In short, vaping is better than smoking, but breathing air is better than vaping.”
Vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins – and at lower levels – than smoking cigarettes.
Switching to vaping significantly reduces exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and heart and circulatory diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
These diseases are not caused by nicotine, which is relatively harmless to health. But research still links vaping to a higher risk of lung failure and disease.
Health risks of cigarettes
- Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop heart disease, stroke and lung cancer
- Smokers are at greater risk of diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels
- Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging the airways and small air sacs
- Smoking can cause cancer in almost any part of the body
- It also affects general health such as mouth, eyes, immune system and fertility
Health Risks of Vaping
- They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and nausea.
- They can lead to tooth decay
- They can harm heart health
- They can cause lung disease
- They could slow brain development
Read more about how vaping can affect your health here.
Sources: NHS, CDC
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
