The US study involved two groups of mice. Researchers exposed one group of mice to the vapour of e-cigarettes for a period of two weeks. They found that the group that had experienced this exposure were not as good at clearing bacteria that had been induced into their lungs.
The findings suggest that e-cigarette vapour weakens the immune system, making it harder to clear a bacterial or viral infection from the lungs. The vapour alone caused mild inflammation and protein damage of lung tissue.
E-cigarettes are often thought of as safer than smoking real tobacco. There has been debate over this since they first appeared on the market though, largely centred around how they still include the addictive chemical nicotine.
Several lung charities argue that more research on the impact of using e-cigarettes on the lungs is required. Some manufacturers like Six Vape also agree, admitting “The health risks of smoking e-cigarettes is not always clear.”
The research comes after the US surgeon general’s call for increased transparency on e-cigarette policies. He said that officials are “in desperate need of clarity” as to the public health stance to take regarding the products while adding that the technology should be embraced if it is shown to help people quit smoking, as many claim.
The report by the department of environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins University has been criticised by some though who noted that the mice were exposed to a dose of vapour intended for humans, not mice, thus throwing it out of proportion with their bodies. Amidst the controversy, it is very clear that the e-cigarette market is in desperate need of some clear-cut, official guidelines to explain the health risks — something that could be implemented in the near future.
