Vaping Damages Young People’s Lungs as Much as Smoking, Study Suggests
Last Updated: Tuesday September 10, 2024
(The Guardian) Vaping damages young people’s lungs as much as smoking, according to research that has prompted fresh debate over the health risks of e-cigarettes.
The study compared vapers and smokers in a strenuous exercise test and found both groups emerged as being less fit and much more out of breath than people who have neither habit.
Dr Azmy Faisal and colleagues at Manchester Metropolitan University asked 60 people in their 20s to have their lung capacity recorded by spending time on a static exercise bike. Twenty were non-smokers, 20 others had vaped for at least two years and the other 20 had smoked for at least two years.
The vapers had an average “peak exercise capacity”, which, at 186 watts, was similar to that of the smokers (182 watts) but much lower than that among the non-smokers or vapers (226 watts). The test measures the maximum amount of physical exercise that someone can achieve.