Vaping and e-cigarettes

I am the mother of a teenager with cystic fibrosis. A few months ago, he started vaping the famous electronic cigarette. What are the risks involved? If there are any, are they less important than the known ones concerning conventional cigarettes? As a mother, I am worried. Could you tell me more about
this subject?

Unlike conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco. These are devices powered by a battery that contain a heating element and a cartridge filled with liquid. Taking a breath, the device heats the liquid, which produces a vapor. Compared to regular cigarettes, this is comparable to the puff that burns tobacco and produces smoke — the great danger for the smoker and the people around them — not to mention the tar and carbon monoxide that the smoker inhales. E-cigarettes may seem less harmful in comparison, but when you take a closer look at what's in the liquid, it raises other concerns. Like conventional cigarettes, many e-cigarette liquids contain nicotine, even though nicotine for e-cigarettes is not officially authorized in Canada. Liquids often contain other ingredients, such as propylene glycol, a popular food additive. Plus, they come in hundreds of flavors, like strawberry, root beer, and chai tea, making these cigarettes very appealing to kids and teens. The manufacture and sale of liquids for e-cigarettes is not yet closely monitored in Canada, which means that the proportions and ingredients listed on the label may not always be accurate. What's more, the e-cigarette industry is still so new that there is no data on the effects of inhaling these liquids in the long term. One of the main similarities between the two types of cigarettes that cannot be overlooked is that electronic cigarettes imitate conventional cigarettes. Public health authorities are now talking about the danger of making smoking acceptable again, which could destroy decades of work done by anti-tobacco campaigns. E-cigarettes should never be seen as a better way to start smoking. Pediatric experts all agree that children, teens, and adults should never get into the habit of smoking, regardless of whether it's e-cigarettes or regular cigarettes.

— Info-Santé specialists. Montreal Children's Hospital (MUHC)

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