It’s becoming a popular trend. Smokers are stomping out their cigarettes and picking up their vapes. “We see so many patients switching from traditional cigarettes to electronic cigarettes,” said Mini Mathew, an advanced provider with Lee Health.

With a multitude of flavors, health experts say the new form of smoking is a big attraction for teenagers. “Electronic cigarettes are becoming more popular among the teens. It’s becoming an epidemic,” she said.

An epidemic that many believe to be a “safe” way to smoke. “These chemicals could be containing a high concentration of nicotine, to zero nicotine, and other chemicals like formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and diacetyl, and it has different flavoring ingredients,” said Mathew.

While many of these chemicals are found in certain foods, health experts say that doesn’t mean they’re safe to inhale. “When they are heated to high temperatures, they undergo several chemical reactions. This can cause carcinogen properties. The damage caused by this is called popcorn lung,” she explained.

At this point, health experts don’t have enough evidence to prove the long-term health consequences from vaping—but Mathew says, what they can prove is vaping contains more chemicals than cigarettes.
“It is not a safer option. We need pure air. That’s all our lungs need,” said Mathew.

No matter how you smoke, health experts strongly encourage patients to quit—The safest option to protect your long-term health.

View More Health Matters video segments at LeeHealth.org/Healthmatters/

Lee Health in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of health care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For more than 100 years, we’ve been providing our community with personalized preventative health services and primary care to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries. Lee Health – Caring People. Inspiring Care.

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