The High Risk of E-cigarette Dependency Among Adolescents

According to Brazilian media sbtnews, on May 29th, the Heart Institute released data on the impact of e-cigarettes. The study pointed out that a large number of teenagers are unaware of the high risk of dependency faced by smokers after using e-cigarettes, which is concerning.

Research subject Gustavo Evangelista mentioned that reducing smoking is a very difficult thing to do. He stated, "Since I started smoking, I have never had breathing problems, but later on I got pneumonia, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis..." He is trying to quit smoking and is very aware of the negative effects smoking has on health.

Over the past two months, technical staff from the public health supervision department have been conducting a study similar to an oral distribution map at large events, collecting saliva samples from adults and teenagers aged 18 and above.

Researcher Marcelo Filonzi dos Santos explained, "It's like collecting blood, you collect saliva samples and then measure the substances of interest in the study, such as nicotine and aconitine.

However, many people who use e-cigarettes are not aware of the potential harm they can cause to themselves.

Some people start using e-cigarettes because of influence from friends. They believe e-cigarettes are harmless, and they switch from regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes because they are told that e-cigarettes can help them quit smoking," said Elaine D'Amico, regulatory coordinator at the San Paulo Public Health Supervision Center.

However, the results of the study also surprised the researchers themselves.

Elaine Damico explained, "The nicotine levels in e-cigarette users may be six times higher than those in conventional smokers." She also added, "People use e-cigarettes frequently, up to 1200 times a day, far exceeding the 200 puffs in a pack of cigarettes, which increases the risk of developing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.