Recent Research About Vaping

When vaping and e-cigarettes first appeared on the market several years ago, they were often promoted as a safe way to help cigarette smokers quit smoking. However, instead of putting an end to smoking, a vaping epidemic ensued—especially among younger crowds. The number of vape users has rapidly increased from approximately 7 million in 2011 to 35 million in 2016. It is estimated that by the year 2021 there will be roughly 55 million vape users.

This increase of vapers has come with a number of serious consequences. After a teenage boy’s lungs collapsed, allegedly caused by his Juul vaping device, he was left fighting for his life. The primary concern today is that the exact mechanisms causing harm and the extent of the injuries that vaping can cause are still unknown. Doctors and scientists alike are struggling to identify whether vaping injuries are caused by a byproduct, the vapor itself, or a combination of the two. Although little is certain about the true extent of damage that vaping can cause, recently there has been a huge increase in the number of respiratory and pulmonary diseases that are suspected to be linked to vaping.

Every day Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his top rated team of Buffalo, New York vaping injury attorneys at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. strive to provide the highest level of personal injury service to people who suffered vaping injuries in Western New York. Jed Dietrich, Esq. has witnessed the terrible effects that vaping and e-cigarette use can have on a person’s life, ranging from severe lung complications to untimely death, and the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. is here to help. Insurance companies have paid Jed Dietrich, Esq. over $175,000,000.00 in verdicts and settlements to resolve personal injury claims. Contact us today at 716-839-3939 for your free consultation to find out how we can help you after your vaping injury.

Researchers have been fighting to keep up with the ever-increasing popularity and use of vape devices. Scientists have only just begun to understand the impact of vaping, and data on its health effects is still in the preliminary stages and it remains far from conclusive. Vaping research has been and continues to be hindered by the novelty and diversity of vaping products.

The fact that vaping has only been around for a relatively short period of time means that there is no long-term research to consult. It could take researchers several more years to link specific diseases to vaping. A further issue arises, in that, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of vaping products on the market. Every vaping product works a little differently and each contains varying levels of nicotine and other chemicals. Every week approximately 25 new studies on the health effects of vaping are published. One thing we can be sure of, however, is that no research has concluded that vaping is harmless.

Studies recently published raise fears about vaping chemicals. Researchers at Duke University revealed that under different conditions, certain chemicals in vape liquids go through chemical reactions that can negatively affect the user’s health. These chemical changes can occur even in cases where the liquid was not exposed to any heat. Additionally, after the nicotine, flavoring and solvents are all mixed together, further chemical reactions add to the number of chemicals. Yale University researchers, examining Juul vapes, found that the vapes produced a number of chemicals that were not listed on the product’s packaging. Some of these chemicals being widely known irritants.

Investigations are ongoing as to the full extent of the dangers of vaping, however, if you believe that you may have suffered an injury caused by vaping, contact our team of vaping injury lawyers in Buffalo, New York today. We will take immediate action to investigate your injury, determine who is liable to you and file a claim to preserve your rights. Contact us today, so that we can help you! We are available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week at 716-839-3939.

While vaping and electronic cigarettes were marketed as safer than traditional cigarettes, this does not mean that they are actually safe. Researchers have been finding that e-cigarettes are more dangerous than previously believed, particularly for the user’s vital organs.

Based on the most current research, some serious potential side effects of vaping include:

1. An Increased Risk of Seizures: Vaping has been connected to an increased risk of seizures. The FDA issued a warning that nicotine-induced seizures are a potential side effect of vaping. Unexpected and overpowering disturbances in the brain of some vapers persist even after they stop using the product.
2. Cardiovascular Issues: E-cigarettes can put additional pressure on the vaper’s cardiovascular system. Nicotine operates in the same manner, whether it is vaped or smoked in a traditional cigarette. A professor at the University of California San Francisco that has been researching the link between vaping and heart health discovered that vaping can raise adrenaline levels in our bodies and stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. This often leads to an increase in blood pressure, which causes the heart to race—triggering blood vessels to constrict the blood flow. Another study recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that vaping liquids damaged cells and led to endothelial dysfunction, which often signals cardiovascular disease.
3. Strokes, Heart Attacks and Coronary Artery Disease: Regular vaping has been linked to an increased risk of strokes, heart attacks and coronary artery disease. Researchers see a potential for cardiovascular toxicity because e-cigarettes emit tiny aerosol molecules, pollutants and ultrafine particles that can go deep into the lungs and eventually be absorbed into the circulatory system. The same is true for many of the other toxic chemicals commonly found in vapes, such as acrolein, acrylamide, formaldehyde, crotonaldehyde and acetaldehyde. According to Dr. Daniel Conklin, a professor at the University of Louisville Medical School, there is evidence that demonstrates the fact that vaping leads to heart disease. Even in cases where vapes did not contain nicotine, data demonstrated that vaping resulted in a harmful inflammation in the inner lining of vapers’ blood vessels. This inflammation is similar to the inflammation caused by smoking traditional cigarettes.
4. Lung Irritation: Most of the damage caused by smoking traditional cigarettes results from the smoke deteriorating the cell lining of the lungs and making them more penetrable for the cancer-causing chemicals. Breathing vapors into the lungs irritates them and can cause effects commonly linked with the development of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and wheezing.
5. Increased Smoking Rate: There is strong evidence to suggest that vaping acts as a gateway to traditional cigarettes, especially for young vapers. The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study, found that traditional cigarette use was much higher, at slightly over 20%, among e-cigarette users. Teens that tried vaping were 4 times more likely to smoke cigarettes compared to those who did not try anything. The connection between prior vapers and trying traditional cigarettes was even stronger among youth that were previously in the low-risk smoking group.

Vaporizers and e-cigarettes are still relatively new to the market, but the dangers they pose are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. It is important for vapers who have been experiencing persistent coughing, fatigue, shortness of breath, wheezing or chest pain to inform their doctors. If you, or a loved one, suffered a vaping injury in Buffalo, New York, contact our highly experienced, aggressive, tenacious and hardworking team of Buffalo, New York vaping injury attorneys today so that we can help you!

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 716-839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Buffalo, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!