DUBAI: Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, can increase the risk of heart disease and cancer, as well as damage DNA, according to a recent study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Despite being promoted as “safer” alternatives to cigarette tobacco, the study claims the battery-driven devices could still pose grave health consequences.
“We propose that ECS (e-cigarette smoke) is carcinogenic and that e-cig smokers have a higher risk than non-smokers to develop lung and bladder cancer and heart diseases,” researchers wrote.
According to tests run on mice, those that were exposed to smoke from e-cigarettes had higher levels of DNA damage in the bladder, heart and lungs as opposed to those breathing regular filtered air.
But the repair systems that protect against cancer in the mice that were exposed to e-cigarette fumes were also damaged.
“It is important to note that many e-cig smokers (who) have taken up the e-cig smoking habit are not necessarily doing it for the purpose of quitting TS (tobacco smoking), rather, it is because they are assuming that e-cig smoking is safe,” the scientists wrote.
Vaping and e-cigarettes could ‘harm your DNA’ and ‘increase risk of cancer’
Vaping and e-cigarettes could ‘harm your DNA’ and ‘increase risk of cancer’
