Letter to the editor: Vaping far less deadly than cigarettes – Washington Times

OPINION:

Jasjit Ahluwalias op-ed argues for nicotine vaping as harm reduction compared to cigarettes, but it fails to explain why vaping is not the devil, cigarettes are (Nicotine is not the devil, cigarettes are, Web, July 28).

Cigarette smoke contains carcinogenic chemicals, which cause lung cancer, and smoke particles, which lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nicotine vaping liquids contain neither of those, although they contain small amounts of mixing chemicals and many contain flavorings. Nicotine itself can exacerbate cardiovascular conditions, but it is not the cause of cigarette-induced lung cancer or COPD. Compared to nearly 500,000 deaths per year from cigarettes, vaping has been associated with a tiny number of deaths, almost all from jerry-rigged vaping devices or home-brewed vaping liquids with toxic chemicals added.

Teenagers should not vape nicotine. Published research from my own lab has shown that nicotine itself can change the fine structure of developing adolescent rat brains, but vaping nicotine is far safer for adults than smoking cigarettes.

BOB SMITH

Fairfax, Virginia

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Letter to the editor: Vaping far less deadly than cigarettes - Washington Times