The harm caused by secondhand smoke has been demonstrated repeatedly: it causes asthma and allergy symptoms, irritation of mucous membranes and headaches.
That is because only 20% of the harmful substances enter the smoker's body. The rest — nicotine, tar and chemical carcinogens — spreads into the surrounding air with the tobacco smoke.
Some people instinctively fear vapour, considering it no less harmful. We decided to settle the question once and for all — or at least try.
What does vape vapour contain?
An e-cigarette works on the same principle as an inhaler. Unlike cigarette smoke, vape vapour contains no products of combustion or oxidation.
It does, however, contain:
- propylene glycol and glycerine, the base ingredients of e-liquids;
- sweeteners that give the vapour its flavour;
- nicotine.
While the first two may be dangerous only for people with asthma, the last can be dangerous for everyone.
What do vapers themselves think?
E-cigarettes should not be considered a harmless alternative to conventional cigarettes. This popular misconception leads vapers to overlook whether vaping in public places is appropriate.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed adult vapers about their awareness of the harms of secondhand vaping.
Here is what it found:
- 33% of respondents did not consider secondhand vaping dangerous;
- 40% accepted that it was “slightly” harmful to children.
Vaping is already regulated by law in many countries. But most people associate these restrictions with good manners rather than the harm caused by secondhand vaping.
What do scientists think?
In 2016, Californian researchers found that vapers absorb 94% of the nicotine in vapour. The maximum available to bystanders is therefore 6%.
Researchers cited by the US National Library of Medicine support this in a study of secondhand vaping. Their conclusion was that, to receive a nicotine dose equivalent to one cigarette, a person would have to spend three months in an enclosed space with an active vaper.
Researchers at the UK's Royal College of Physicians also do not consider the harm from secondhand vaping to be serious. In 2016, they stated: “Nicotine from exhaled vapour may settle on surfaces, but in quantities too small to cause any physical harm.”
So can you vape anywhere?
Of course not. The vaping industry is much younger than tobacco smoking, and new research may emerge over time.
Do not vape near people with asthma: propylene glycol and flavourings may irritate their airways and trigger an attack.
There is also still a chance that nicotine will enter the body of someone who never agreed to that exposure. It is particularly dangerous for children because it interferes with the formation of neural connections in their brains.
Young bystanders may therefore receive a dose of harmful substances that affects their health. The negative example also matters: children quickly pick up adults' habits.
Because the long-term effects of glycerine and propylene glycol on young bodies have not been studied, responsibility falls on underage vapers. They have limited money and often buy counterfeits with unknown ingredients.
How can you look after the people around you?
A few simple rules can help:
- Use devices that produce less vapour.
- Do not vape in crowded places.
- Gradually reduce the nicotine strength of your liquids.
- Do not take out your vape around children.
Choose the considerate option: think about the health and comfort of those around you. And remember that, although secondhand vaping is less harmful than tobacco smoke, breathing clean air is much better.
