Over the past decade, electronic cigarettes (also known as e-cigarettes or vape pens) have exploded in popularity. One of the primary reasons the use of these devices has increased is because they have been marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. However, new research has called the safety of e-cigarettes into question, and in recent months, a large number of people have experienced lung injuries and diseases after using vaping devices.
Study Links E-Cigarettes to Lung Cancer
While nicotine is the chemical in cigarettes that leads to addiction, it is generally not considered to be a carcinogen, and other substances in tobacco are believed to cause lung cancer for smokers. Because of this, e-cigarettes which are used to deliver nicotine were thought to be safer to use. However, a new study has found that inhaling e-cigarette vapor may also lead to lung cancer.
In the study, mice were exposed to e-cigarette vapor that contained nicotine for 20 hours per week over the course of 54 weeks. 22.5% of the mice developed lung cancer, and 57.5% of the mice experienced abnormal cell growth in the bladder, which is a condition that often leads to cancer. Another group of mice was exposed to e-cigarette vapor that did not contain nicotine, and none of these mice developed cancer. According to the researchers, a human who regularly used e-cigarettes for three to six years would experience a similar level of exposure to what was experienced by the mice.
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