A friend of mine gave up smoking 12 year's ago, but was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in August 2023. There is a small chance you had the beginnings of cancer growing in your lung at the time you gave up smoking. Lung cancer cells, from beginning to change and to then form a cancerous lesion can take some years.
I don't vape myself, but if you are vaping the UK regulation graded liquid, that's okay. The UK graded vape liquid contains no carcinogens and what you inhale is vaporous steam, not smoke, hence the term "vaping". It is the non-regularised vape liquid that is being sold that I would find dodgy, it's far cheaper and contains things unapproved by the UK.
As with the research about harmful smoking, research on what vaping does to the lungs is too early to tell, it will take some years yet.
We were both buying from reputable retailers. My concern is lack of transparency on ingredients. I fear there will be catastrophic results from vaping in the future. I would advise anyone not to vape as the safety of it is not proven.
I had lung cancer due to years of smoking - what helped me quit (too late) was vaping. I'm now 2 years cancer free. The liquid I vape is something I'm very fussy about - UK made from UK ingredients, quality tested and independently analysed with results published so that I know what's in it. Not as good as not vaping at all, of course, but if I'm vaping at all then I've reduced the risk as much as I can.
Mine is UK made too but they won't divulge what the ingredients are in the flavouring in the liquid. I don't agree with this as consumers should have a right to know what they are taking into their bodies. From mine and my friends' experiences I have lost trust in vaping. Don't get me wrong, I'm gutted as I loved vaping but it's not worth cancer.
Vaping is a tricky subject as all research and regulation is relatively new. I used to vape until I had my heart attack (8 years ago) and I did a lot of research when I started vaping (13+ years ago) and after my heart attack. I made sure I knew the ingredients and even the execs of the companies I bought from as they were open to discussions with users.
There are a few concerns around vaping I found, but none relating to lung cancer back then. This is what I took away, but I am not an expert or medically qualified etc.
The first is something called popcorn lung. It is a form of lung disease first found in workers who working in popcorn factories. It relates to the oil in the air in those environments and some vapes can have a similar impact on the lung, hence the name. It isn't in any other way related to popcorn.
The second, which hit me, so my cardiologist told me, is about how people vape. Apparently when and how frequently you smoke or vape tobacco, it can have an impact on the arteries and the lungs, reducing the flexibility of blood vessels. Typical smokers have a cigarette (or two), which has an impact, but then don't smoke for another hour or 3. Vapers can vape every few minutes. The gap between cigarettes gives the body some releif from the effects of tabacco. Vapers who vape every few minutes don't give the body this releif which means the blood carrying vessels remain in some form of spasm causing issues.
As I said, the second item is what my cardiologist told me, but I believe the impact of nicotine on blood vessels is well known.
I've not heard of it causing cancer, but I can tell you, having barely survived the heaty attack, it was worth getting the help to give up nicotine completely.
Hi Suea I suspect the question you are asking is will vaping be having an impact on your lungs or health? The truth is probably yes, but no idea how much that is. You need to weigh any potential risk to your quality of life.
I know that as a diabetic with heart failure and a lump in my lung (may or may not be cancer), some of the sweet things I eat will be having a negative impact on me, but I really don't want to give them up, so I don't and I cross my fingers and I limit the times I have them.
I used to be addicted to tobacco via vaping, even after my heart attack and facing quadruple bypass surgery via full open heart chest crack. I ended up getting champx from the doctors and gave up completely. If you are worried, see if you can get the help to finish the progress from smoking, through vaping, to full tobacco freedom. It also saves money :-)
It is about your happiness and your health. Only you can decide, but with an addiction, it has a level of control over you that might be removing your choices.
Hi David , I see you also had Champx to help you stop smoking , I had them to help me stop smoking and found them to be really good , that was 17yrs ago , i never did try vaping , they say it's safe but then we weren't warned in the early years about tobacco either .
I switched to using cleaner dry herb options and found some helpful things on https://www.smokeday.com that made the process smoother. It’s been way easier on my chest, and I don’t get the heavy feeling I used to. Everyone’s body reacts differently, but finding something that felt more natural was a big plus for me.
xx
