Can you get secondhand smoke from vaping?

Secondhand smoke can be harmful because people can inhale the fine particles in the vapor aerosol, which can pose health risks.

Vape aerosol contains nicotine and toxic substances that people can inhale through secondhand smoke.

What are vape pens?

Vape Pens feature a power source that heats a tank or cartridge containing e-cigarette liquid, which the user inhales when breathing in. The user then exhales as normal, creating a cloud of aerosolized e-cigarette liquid. Vape pens are pocket-sized, battery-operated devices that are easily concealed.

What's in a vape pen?

The reports indicate that it contains the following ingredients:

1. Nicotine

2. Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which can increase irritation of the respiratory tract and lungs. Irritation of the throat, nose and eyes, as well as damage to the nervous system, liver and kidneys may occur.

3. Flavorings such as diacetyl, which can cause bronchiolitis obliterans, a serious lung disease

4. Formaldehyde, which can cause cancer.

5. Passive exposure to aerosols from electronic nicotine delivery systems increases the risk of asthma symptoms and asthma attacks in young people.

6. Heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead

7. Benzene (found in car exhaust fumes)

Research support

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 40 percent of U.S. adults believe that exposing children to secondhand smoke from e-cigarettes causes little or no harm—and 5 percent believe it causes no harm at all.

“Vaping and secondhand vaping are just as dangerous,” says Nader Nakhleh, DO, a board-certified pediatric pulmonologist. “Now our mission as experts is to shift the conversation about vaping from a 'better' alternative to smoking to an equally harmful alternative.”

“Aerosols from vaping contain heavy metals and ultrafine particles,” the expert said. “If someone else is vaping in the same area, you breathe them in – these particles enter your lungs where they can cause damage.”

Important points

Secondhand smoke and steam are particularly dangerous for babies and children.

Secondhand smoke increases the risk of early death, lung disease and other health problems in children.

Vapes contain some of the same harmful chemicals as cigarettes.

To reduce the risk, keep your home and car smoke-free.

Secondhand exposure

When a person smokes or vapes, they breathe in the chemicals in the product. People around the smoker or vaper are also exposed to these chemicals. This exposure is called secondhand smoke.

The type and amount of chemicals released by these products depends on several factors, including:

1. The type of product.

2. The chemicals in the product.

3. How much product is used?

4. How long has the product been in use?

Even if a person stops smoking or vaping, some of the chemicals released can remain indoors for a long time.

These chemicals can settle on hard surfaces such as walls, tables and floors, and settle in soft surfaces such as clothing, upholstery, curtains, bedding and carpets.

In some cases, these chemicals can be released back into the air, causing exposure to third parties.

People are exposed to third-hand exposure when they touch contaminated surfaces or breathe the air, where chemicals from surfaces are released back into the air when smoking or vaping.

Why are we concerned about secondhand smoke, third-hand smoke and e-cigarette aerosols?

Cigarette smoke and e-cigarette aerosols are dangerous. Tobacco smoke can cause:

• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Lung damage
• asthma

Tobacco smoke is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and their babies and can increase the risk of premature birth, stillbirth and sudden infant death.

Dangers of evaporative aerosols

Passive smokers can face the same effects as first-hand smokers.

1. Irritation of the respiratory mucosa, which can lead to chronic cough

2. Difficulty breathing

3. Heart disease

4. Lung diseases such as COPD, emphysema and asthma

5. Cancer

6. Respiratory and sinus infections

Passive aerosol can lead to more asthma attacks. Non-consumers are exposed to harmful and possibly carcinogenic chemicals.

How do you protect yourself from the aerosols of electronic cigarettes?

The only way to protect your friends and family from electronic cigarette aerosols is to keep the environment smoke-free.

The best way to do this is to quit smoking completely. If you are not ready to quit yet, make an effort to keep the smoke away from other people and never smoke indoors or in your car.

You should:

1. Always smoke outside

2. Ask your visitors to smoke outside

3. Do not smoke in the car or allow others to smoke

Diploma

People should minimize exposure to vaping, ideally by leaving the area.