One of the first measures taken by the new Spanish Ministry of Health, headed by Monica García, was to further restrict public places where you can smoke and present new rules for vapers. These products, which are thriving, are largely unregulated. There are many countries where even minors can use them, provided they do not contain nicotine. But harm of electronic cigarettes They don’t come down solely to nicotine. In fact, the steam they produce contains many other substances that, when heated, can affect bronchi and lungsboth from vapers and the people around them.
The latter is actually something very important that is hardly talked about. The risks of smoking for passive smokers are well known. What many already know how “passive smoking”. However, they hardly talk about “used pairs”. The danger of electronic cigarettes is much greater than it seems, even if their formula does not contain nicotine. Therefore, measures like those taken by the Spanish Ministry of Health and which have already been adopted by other countries such as the UK are a big step forward.
It is also necessary to find out in more detail in what cases smoking and vaping will be prohibited. Sources in the Ministry of Health said that they will have to analyze each scenario, one by one. You start on terraces and perhaps move on to other locations such as beaches or even private cars. It’s the same with electronic cigarettes. But let’s look at what these lesser-known risks are.
The dangers of electronic cigarettes
Pulmonary experts have been warning about the dangers of e-cigarettes for years. They contain very fine particleswhich can penetrate deep into the respiratory system, causing serious cases bronchitis short term. However, in the long term the consequences can be even worse. For example, it is believed that they may increase the likelihood of cancer.
This is not surprising, because the liquid that is injected into electronic cigarettes, in addition to the aforementioned ultra-fine particles and possible nicotine, contains dangerous ingredients such as diacetyl. This substance is used as flavoring, which is obtained naturally during brewing. In this case there are no risks. However, in warm up and breathe In vapor form, it has been shown to cause serious lung damage.
On the other hand, steam also contains Volatile compoundsfor example benzene or heavy metalsLike nickel, they are all linked to a greater chance of getting cancer.
The short-term effects are more than proven. There are many studies on harm of electronic cigarettes, which link its consumption to worsening asthma, ongoing occurrence of bronchitis, or even chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In the long term, little is known yet, since these products began to be consumed not so long ago. But studying does not bode well.
What happens to the steam used?
Published in the magazine in 2021. rib cage study that revealed the dangers of e-cigarettes to their health. passive smokers.
Higher risk of suffering found bronchitis and breathing problemsespecially among young people who were not tobacco users or vapers.
In this case, the study was conducted with e-cigarettes filled with nicotine. However, similar effects have been found in devices that do not contain this substance.
For example, in the same year it was published in Tobacco control another study that looked at levels of fine particles, especially those PM 2.5, the molecular weight of which is approximately equal to that shown in the figure. They are so small that they can even be inserted through narrower passages of the respiratory system, which can cause serious lung disease. Checking how they accumulate indoors can help determine whether only vapers are affected, or whether there is a real danger in secondary vapor.
And yes, it was. Levels of these fine particles increased significantly in vaping areas. These particles are one of the dangers of e-cigarettes, whether they contain nicotine or not, so some legislationeven minors could disperse them.
Why do you want to expand non-smoking areas?
Leaving aside the dangers of electronic cigarettes, the dangers of regular tobacco are much better known. But what happens outdoors?
Enough research has been done to confirm this. For example, in 2007, several measurements were taken of the levels of tobacco smoke and the substances it contains when smoking cigarettes outdoors under different circumstances. Thus, it was seen that the average concentration of tobacco smoke in the open air was approximately 30 μg m(-3). However, peaks sometimes exceeding 1000 µg m(-3) were also detected at distances within 0.5 m of the source. Some average concentrations during cigarette smoking and within 0.5 m distance exceeded 200 µg m(-3), and some downwind average levels exceeded 500 µg m(-3). smoke level in a constant direction against the wind from the active source of cigarettes were practically zero.
So let us become passive smokers This depends to a certain extent on the position in which we are in relation to the person who actively smokes. The problem is that on a terrace full of smokers, it is almost impossible to find the ideal position without any of them disturbing us. We will easily end up on one of these dangerous peaks. And this shouldn’t happen if we generally take care of ourselves and are healthy people in this regard.
Therefore, a measure to regulate tobacco consumption in outdoor public spacesWithout a doubt, this is in line with science. This doesn’t make the situation any less controversial, but it is reality.
Source: Hiper Textual
