What you need to know about vaping

The truth about vaping is still very much up in the air, as the studies haven’t been able to run for long enough to be conclusive. This said, there are many things which have demonstrated that vaping is far from benign. It might be healthier than smoking. But it might also be far, far worse. We just don’t know.

If you’d like help quitting, then we’d recommend trying Allen Carr’s programme. It’s worked for millions of people around the world.


This is what we know about vaping:

Vaping’s full consequences are still unknown

A recent study found that smoking cigarettes decreases the gene expression of 53 genes that play a part in fighting viruses and bacteria. Vaping affects an astonishing 358 of them. What’s scary is that we have no idea what this actually means yet.

Vaping will affect your breath
Vaping has been linked to hair loss
Vaping has sadly reversed the decline in nicotine usage amongst the youth
Vaping poses a serious risk to teenagers
Vaping is linked to erectile disfunction
Second-hand vape is dangerous to everyone
Vaping poses a serious risk of poisoning in households with young children
Vaping will cause skin dryness and saggy skin
Vaping will damage your oral health
Vaping is likely to give you cancer
Vape clouds are aerosols, not water vapour

For more information on the Risks of Vaping, please refer to “The electronic cigarettes debate” by Dr. Richard Van Zyl-Smit, Division of Pulmonology and Lung Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/7435/5509