World No-Tobacco Day 2023: How Vaping Can Increase Risk Of Depression And Anxiety In Adolescents- Expert Explains

World No Tobacco Day, also known as Anti-Tobacco Day, is observed annually on May 31 as a worldwide campaign initiated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to promote effective tobacco control laws and increase public awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use.

E-cigarette aerosols contain nicotine, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals like lead, tin, and various cancer-causing chemicals/ pic courtesy: Pexel

World No-Tobacco Day aims to raise awareness among people about the health hazards of tobacco use, including smoking and oral tobacco products. It emphasises the value of quitting and calls on authorities, groups, and people to take action to stop tobacco usage.

The theme for this year's World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), which will be observed on May 31, 2023, is "We need food, not tobacco." The WHO will join forces with public health advocates from all across the world to commemorate WNTD.

In an exclusive conversation with Zee English, Dr Satyanarayana Mysore, HOD & Consultant - Pulmonology, Lung Transplant Physician, Manipal Hospital talks about the ill effects of vaping especially for young adults.

Medical professionals as well as the general public worldwide have expressed concern over the popularity of e-cigarettes, vaping, and related products in recent years.

"Vaping and cannabis smoking have gained widespread popularity in recent years, particularly among young adults. While the two practices are not entirely the same, they can have similar effects on the body," says Dr Satyanarayana.

What are e-cigarettes?

The process by which e-cigarettes, sometimes referred to as vape pens or e-cigs, function involves heating a liquid solution that generally includes nicotine, flavourings, and other compounds.

What is vaping?

The act of inhaling and exhaling aerosol produced by an electronic cigarette or other similar device is referred to as vaping.

Is Vaping Less Harmful than Cigarettes?

While vaping is often considered less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes, it still carries numerous risks. E-cigarette aerosols contain nicotine, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals like lead, tin, and various cancer-causing chemicals. 

Since e-cigarettes contain e-liquid (with a heating mechanism) instead of tobacco combustion, manufacturers claim that using e-cigarettes has less detrimental respiratory effects than smoking tobacco. According to reports, the heating process itself can result in the production of new breakdown chemicals of dubious toxicity.

Effect of Vaping On Physical Health

Dr Satyanarayana says, "Vaping can give rise to EVALI, which stands for e-cigarette, vaping use-associated lung injury. The primary cause of EVALI, according to health officials, is vitamin E acetate (an ingredient in some THC-containing e-cigarettes). "

"Apart from vitamin E acetate, many other substances and product sources in vaping materials are being investigated as potential causes," Dr Mysore further remarks.

Some of the symptoms include shortness of breath, fever and chills, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, dizziness, rapid heart rate, and chest pain. The treatment varies from medical management on an outpatient basis to hospitalization in severe cases.

According to a Spanish study, a comparison of e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes shows that both cause an increase in the inflammatory state and oxidative stress in the body. This has a direct causation with various respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, and immunological problems - COPD, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, lung cancer, hypertension, heart attacks, stroke, and infertility. The use of flavours in e-cigarettes is linked to marked toxic effects on pulmonary fibroblasts.

The World Health Organisation suggests that e-cigarettes can’t be considered as a viable option to quit smoking, due to a lack of evidence. Currently, both FDA and CDC are actively examining the cases of severe respiratory symptoms linked with the excessive use of vaping.

American Lung Association says, smoking marijuana damages the human lung. It causes chronic bronchitis and marijuana smoke has been proven to injure the cell linings of the major airways, which may explain why smoking marijuana leads to symptoms including chronic cough, phlegm production, wheezing, and acute bronchitis. 

Among young to middle-aged adults, who are heavy marijuana smokers, there are also cases of air pockets in both lungs, between the lungs and the chest wall, as well as emphysema (huge air bubbles) in the lungs.

Effect of Vaping on the Brain in Young Adults

"Nicotine works as a depressant whereas tetrahydrocannabinol or THC works as a partial agonist at the cannabinoid receptor. Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC smoking can cause lung irritation and inflammation, as well as adversely affect mental health. Pleasant marijuana experiences are far from universal," said Dr Satyanarayana.

Some people experience anxiety, fear, panic, or distrust instead of relaxation and enjoyment. Repeated exposure to nicotine may desensitize the brain’s reward pathways by altering the release of dopamine – a neurotransmitter that acts as a messenger between nerve cells. 

It can have negative effects on the brain, particularly in young people whose brains are still developing. These effects include impaired cognitive function, memory problems, and difficulty learning, as well as mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety among people vaping regularly. 

Most of the ongoing research focussing on these aspects has conclusive evidence to suggest that e-cigarettes are in no way safer than conventional cigarettes. 

Furthermore, dual vaping (nicotine and THC) has a potential additive harmful effect on mental and physical health. Considering the physical and mental effects of vaping and e-cigarettes, it can be concluded that there is an urgent need to educate youngsters about the negative effects of these products and request the authorities in rule to have a systematic ban on these agents of addiction.