Vaporizing tobacco

Any form of tobacco vaping product is harmful. These products generate aerosol by heating rather than burning tobacco or nicotine-containing liquids, but this does not mean they are safe.

1. What is tobacco vaping?
"Tobacco vaping" usually refers to the use of electronic devices to heat tobacco or nicotine-containing liquids, generating inhalable aerosol (often mistakenly called "water vapor"). It mainly falls into two categories:

Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs): such as IQOS, glo, Ploom, etc. These products heat real tobacco leaves, not liquids. They heat the specially made tobacco rods, cartridges, or plugs to a certain temperature through electronic heating elements, releasing nicotine.

Electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes / Vapes): such as various vape pens, electronic hookahs, etc. These products heat the liquid (commonly known as e-liquid), which usually contains nicotine extracted from tobacco, as well as other chemicals such as flavoring and volatile organic compounds.

2. Health Risks
Regardless of the form, using tobacco vaping products brings clear health risks.

Not harmless: The aerosol from electronic cigarettes is not harmless "water vapor", it contains nicotine, carcinogens, heavy metals (such as nickel, tin, lead), volatile organic compounds, and many other harmful and potentially harmful substances. The aerosol produced by heated tobacco products also contains nicotine and toxic chemicals.

Nicotine addiction: Almost all tobacco vaping products contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and especially harms the developing brains of teenagers under the age of 25, affecting attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.

More harmful to specific groups: Adolescents, young adults, pregnant women, and non-smokers who use these products face greater health risks.

Second-hand aerosol risk: The aerosol exhaled by users also contains harmful chemicals, exposing others to risks.

Health consequences: Studies have shown that electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products may increase the risk of cancer (such as lung cancer, bladder cancer), respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma), and cardiovascular diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) also shows that IQOS and other heated tobacco products, like cigarettes, can damage vascular function and may lead to oxidative stress and inflammation.

3. Regulation and Current Situation
Major global public health institutions have a clear attitude towards these products.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States clearly states that there are no safe tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes may have potential benefits for adult smokers, but only if they completely replace all other tobacco products, and currently no electronic cigarettes have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a smoking cessation tool.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that claims of "health reduction" for heated tobacco products lack convincing evidence. These claims are mostly based on industry-funded research. Some scientists believe that their hazards are comparable to those of traditional cigarettes. WHO recommends that all new tobacco products should be subject to regulation.

In conclusion, tobacco vaping is not a safe smoking alternative; it also brings health risks, leads to addiction, and may pose hazards to teenagers and bystanders.