Questão 10 - IDOMED RIO e FAMEJIPA 2024/1

How dangerous are e-cigarettes?

 

(1ˢᵗ §) In some countries, electronic cigarettes only started to become widely used recently. In Sweden, for instance, it only became legal to sell over the counter in 2016 and only two percent of the population are users. In the United Kingdom it is much more common, and in the USA the market is exploding, including among young people.

(2ⁿᵈ §) Regular smoking causes chronic arterial stiffness, and the stiffer the arteries, the greater the risk of a heart attack and stroke. Studies have shown that a temporary increase in arterial stiffness could be observed in people exposed to e-cigarettes. The stiffness was apparent following e-cigarettes with nicotine, but not without, so, it is believed that it is the nicotine that is harmful to the arteries. A group of stem cells, called EPC cells, whose task in the body is vascular repair, tends to increase sharply in number after heart attacks and it can be noted that these cells increase after e-cigarette use, which may indicate vascular irritation or damage.

(3ʳᵈ §) Long-term studies are lacking, but by extracting respiratory cells from individuals, it was possible to expose them to e-cigarette vapour for an extended period. It was then observed that the cells exhibited impaired function but also that there was damage to the DNA. Analyses of the e-cigarette vapour were carried out and it could be observed that it contained many harmful particles and also some levels of the so-called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which may potentially have carcinogenic effects.

(4ᵗʰ §) Regular cigarettes are very dangerous and e-cigarettes are probably less harmful. On the other hand, within the tobacco industry, it is believed that e-cigarettes can be used as a way to quit smoking, but it is doubtful whether this works. Findings suggest that most people intending to quit smoking end up using both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Moreover, nicotine is a very addictive substance, so there is a fear that e-cigarettes could act as a gateway to tobacco cigarettes, marijuana and other drugs.

Adapted from: https://ki.se/en/research/how-dangerous-are-e-cigarettes. Accessed September 4 2023.

Consider the following questions: "When did e-cigarettes become popular?" and "Can the use of e-cigarettes increase the risk of other addictions?"

 

Their answers can be found, respectively, in the following paragraphs: