A groundbreaking study from Manchester Metropolitan University has revealed that vaping could pose greater health risks than smoking, with users facing increased dangers of dementia, heart disease and organ failure.
The first-of-its-kind research, released today, found that e-cigarettes may be more hazardous than traditional cigarettes due to their continuous usage pattern and high nicotine content.
The research found that vapers and smokers showed similar patterns of blood vessel damage and impaired blood flow.
"What we have found is the dangers for someone who keeps vaping are no different from smokers," said Dr Maxime Boidin, the study's lead researcher.
The research found that vapers and smokers showed similar patterns of blood vessel damage and impaired blood flow
PADr Boidin explained that vaping poses unique risks as users can consume nicotine more continuously, noting: "With vapes, you just keep going and it's much harder to know how many puffs you've had."
In the study, researchers monitored volunteers with an average age of 27, all with similar fitness levels.
Participants underwent stress tests to measure blood vessel elasticity and brain blood flow, having abstained from vaping, smoking and exercising for 12 hours beforehand.
The mediated dilation test, using an arm cuff to measure artery expansion, revealed both smokers and vapers had damaged artery walls that could no longer dilate - indicating serious future cardiovascular risks.
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The research was carried out by a team at Manchester Met University
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Further tests demonstrated that blood flow impairment was similar in both smokers and vapers, increasing their risk of cognitive dysfunction and dementia.
"When you put this mixture of metals and chemicals into your body you can't expect nothing to happen," Dr Boidin warned.
"The only benefit of vaping is to help people quit smoking, but if they keep vaping the result is going to be the same."
The findings come as vaping rates in Britain reach unprecedented levels, with approximately one in ten adults now using e-cigarettes.
Dr Boidin explained that vaping poses unique risks as users can consume nicotine more continuously
PA
Further tests demonstrated that blood flow impairment was similar in both smokers and vapers, increasing their risk of cognitive dysfunction and dementia
GETTYSurveys have revealed that around 8 per cent of adult vapers have never smoked before taking up the habit.
While e-cigarettes have generally been considered safer than traditional cigarettes and useful for smoking cessation, experts are increasingly concerned about their high nicotine content raising heart rate and blood pressure.
The Government has announced that disposable vapes will be banned from June.
However, Dr Marina Murphy, scientific spokesperson for the UK Vaping Industry Association, defended vaping's safety record: "Millions of people have been using vaping products safely for many years."
"All the available data suggests that vapes are unlikely to exceed 5 per cent of the health risks associated with cigarettes," she added.
