Vaping Increases Asthma Risk in Some Adolescents

A recent study indicated that vaping increases the risk of asthma in adolescents who have never previously smoked tobacco products. The findings, published in Preventive Medicine, highlight that more awareness is needed around the damaging impact of e-cigarette use.

In this study, researchers analyzed data from a national survey to discern any link between vaping and asthma. They also sought to identify factors that may be linked to e-cigarette use in adolescents. The analysis comprised data on more than 3000 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years in Texas and more than 32,000 adolescents in the United States for comparison.

Survey respondents were asked whether they had ever used an e-cigarette; if they had, how many days during the previous 30 days they had used one; and whether they had ever been told they had asthma by a health care professional. Researchers analyzed data on respondent gender, age, race and ethnicity, body mass index, and presence of depression symptoms. They also assessed data pertaining to the use of other substances, such as conventional cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs.

The study uncovered a correlation between e-cigarette use and asthma in adolescents who had not previously smoked conventional tobacco products. Researchers also found that some demographic factors, behaviors related to substance use, and depressive symptoms were associated with e-cigarette use.

“Increasing knowledge about the harmful effects of e-cigarette use, implementing stricter regulations, and promoting alternative coping mechanisms for mental health are potential interventions to mitigate e-cigarette use,” concluded Dr. Taehyun Roh, lead author of the study.