Here We Go Again: Secondhand Vaping

Just when we thought we’d heard it all, now we’re getting “legitimate” news articles talking about the dangers of “secondhand vaping”. There was a time in vaping history when it wasn’t illegal to vape indoors. Now, vapes are not only banned from indoor use, there are a lot of cities and establishments where you can’t even vape outside legally.

Sure, HandCheck is now largely a compendium of modern vape hysteria, but when there’s literally nothing else in the news about our industry, it’s something we have to talk about, cover, and respond to. So, as much as you hate to hear it, it’s time you learn what they’re saying about the risks of secondhand vaping.

The article that drew our attention to this subject was actually published on WebMD. Somewhat fitting that they’d publish panic-inducing propaganda, given that this is the site people use to hysterically self-diagnose themselves with cancer and ebola at the first sign of a cough. By publishing an article on secondhand vaping, WebMD has truly catered to its core audience: easily alarmed hypochondriacs with a nagging conviction that their own mortality lurks around every sniffle.

In any case, WebMD isn’t the only bearer of this news. CNN and The Chicago Tribune also picked up this story and ran with it, ensuring that every vaper within the United States has to hear about secondhand vaping from their concerned grandpappy.

So what are they saying about the alleged dangers of secondhand vaping? Well, the source of this panic is the U.S. National Youth Tobacco Survey, in which the government compiles data volunteered to them by teenagers. The results of the 2018 study show that something like 30% of middle and high school students were exposed to vaping aerosols. That’s up 5% from the previous studies, or, as every other outlet reports it: 30% above the previous numbers (interesting how two different ways of saying the same thing change its impact considerably).

In any case, that’s basically the entirety of the story. People heard that exposure to “aerosols” is “up 30%” and, from that point, have decided it’s time to make several logic-defying leaps in order to reach their pre-determined conclusions. The co-author of the study, Andy Tan, said this trend is “concerning” due to “possibly hazardous chemicals” being released by e-cigarettes. Oh how the ghosts we thought we’d vanquished continue to haunt us. The old “possibly hazardous” line has been trotted out since vaping’s inception and, in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, this myth continues to be pushed, enhancing the public perception that vaping is filled with all kinds of mysterious and secret ingredients.

 

 

Another brain genius over at Lenox Hill Hospital made the following statement: “The dangers of secondhand cigarette smoke have been well described in recent years, so it comes as no surprise that secondhand ‘smoke’ from vaping may also cause damage.” I don’t know about you, but I nearly suffered a massive brain hemorrhage just reading that sentence. He may as well say, “Look, we know cigarette smoke has carcinogens, and, to me, fog looks a lot like cigarette smoke, so I think we ought to investigate the potential risk of inhaling fog.”

Cigarette smoke and vape aerosols have literally nothing chemically in common. This shouldn’t have to be explained, least of all to a doctor, but here we are. Let’s take a look at what actually makes cigarette smoke toxic. According to the CDC, secondhand cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, of which several hundred are toxic and roughly 70 can cause cancer. Since 1964, 2.5 million deaths have been attributed primarily to regular inhalation of cigarette smoke. Sure, we’ve had 55 years since 1964 to evaluate the impact of secondhand smoke while e-cigarettes have only been around for a decade or so, but let’s look at some more stats.

One effect of secondhand smoke is asthma attacks in children. Another is sudden infant death syndrome. Neither of these linked medical issues requires decades of study to conclusively link to cigarettes. Since the rise of vaping in the late 2000s, it has not effectively been linked to a single case of SIDS or persistent asthma inflammation in children. Why is this?

In e-cigarette aerosol, there are roughly 80 chemicals (versus the 7,000 in cigarettes). Of these 80, e-cigarette aerosol shares some minor similarities with cigarette smoke, namely the production of formaldehyde, cadmium, and lead. Sounds terrifying, right? Crucially, however, studies have concluded that the levels produced by e-cigarettes are dramatically lower than those found in cigarette smoke, to the point where Public Health England (PHE) reported “at normal settings, there was no or negligible” release of these chemicals.

So, once again, we find ourselves back at square one. Hiding behind the specter of “protecting the children”, another vague statistic is being touted and weaponized against the vaping industry. Despite the fact that aerosols are only superficially similar to cigarette smoke, the language of “secondhand vaping” is used to invoke the broad public antipathy towards cigarettes. For a lot of smokers, part of the benefit of switching to vaping (aside from the obvious health benefits) has to do with its versatility. You can vape inside without destroying your entire house, you can vape around other people without subjecting them to offensive cigarette fumes, and you can vape in public without drawing the ire of those around you. Not for much longer, it seems, at least if the anti-vape lobby has their way.

Finally, it’s important to keep an eye on these kinds of studies, since they will be used to form the backbone of a secondary plan to outright banning all vape products. In certain states and cities, failing a national ban, these lobbies will be unable to gain popular support for full vape bans. Instead, they’ll lean on studies and articles, like the ones discussed here, to aggressively and prohibitively restrict the use of vape devices. For an example, look up how southern states circumvented Roe v. Wade. While abortion is still legal in those states, it’s de facto banned due to the incredibly overbearing restrictions they placed on the practice. Sure, vaping isn’t abortion, but the same rules apply.

As always, do your part to speak up on behalf of vaping and help educate those around you. Vapor isn’t smoke, and while we should all do our part to remain respectful and mindful of those around us, that doesn’t mean accepting the bullshit.