Vaping FAQs

is secondhand smoke from vaping safe

by Conor O'Keefe Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Yes, second and third-hand smoke and vaping aerosols contain harmful, toxic and cancer-causing chemicals that can be breathed in. They can go into the body through the skin. These chemicals can be swallowed, as many children put their hands or other objects into their mouths.

Full Answer

What are the side effects of second hand vaping?

  • Light-headedness
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Cold sweats
  • Jitteriness or anxiety
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Racing heart

Is second hand smoke more deadly than first hand smoke?

Secondhand smoke was generally believed to be more harmful than primary smoke. Mechanisms for the potency and health effects of secondhand smoke involved the smell of secondhand smoke, secondhand smoke being an infection and affecting the immune system, and personal strength being protective of secondhand smoke.

What is secondhand smoke and why is it harmful?

Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers. Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, of which hundreds are toxic and about 70 can cause cancer. 1,2,3,4

Is secondhand vaping something to be concerned about?

“Vaping and secondhand vaping is just as dangerous,” clarifies Nader Nakhleh, D.O., a board certified pediatric pulmonologist. “Now it is our mission as experts to change the conversation around vaping from being a ‘better’ alternative to smoking to actually being equally as detrimental.”

Why are vapes dangerous for children?

What is third hand smoke?

What percentage of people with asthma report vaping?

What is the chemical in second hand vape aerosol?

How to quit smoking cigarettes?

Is vape aerosol harmful?

Does vaping smell like candy?

See 4 more

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Can you get second hand smoke from a vape?

Islam and his research colleagues have found that exposure to secondhand aerosols from e-cigarettes is associated with increased risk of bronchitis symptoms and shortness of breath among young adults, especially among those who don't smoke or vape themselves, the team reported last year in the journal Thorax.

Is it safe to vape around children?

The long-term health effects to users and bystanders are still unknown. The best way to protect your children is to never smoke or vape near them. Talk with your doctor about quitting all tobacco. Never smoke indoors, in your car, or in places that children spend time.

Is it OK to vape inside the house?

In contrast to the known harm from secondhand smoke, there's no evidence so far of harm to bystanders from exposure to e-cigarette vapour. The many harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke are either not contained in e-cigarette vapour at all, or are usually found at much lower levels.

Can I vape in the same room as my baby?

The bottom line: No amount of vaping around your babies and children is considered safe. So it's important to take the proper precautions to avoid exposure to secondhand vaping and get the help or your partner needs to quit.

How long does vape stay in the air?

While particles from conventional cigarette smoke linger in the air for upwards of 45 minutes, researchers found that those stemming from e-vapor products evaporate within seconds, even indoors.

Can vapes make kids sick?

E-liquids can poison children and adults through swallowing or skin contact. Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include sweating, dizziness, vomiting and increased heart rate.

What happens if a toddler inhales a vape?

Nicotine poisoning often causes nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tremors (shakiness), and sweating, and can make the heart beat much faster than normal. Severe poisoning can cause seizures. It can even cause death.

Does vaping have 3rd hand smoke?

E-cigarettes have been shown to be a potential source of thirdhand exposure to nicotine [4], and therefore need to be evaluated in the same context as thirdhand cigarette smoking.

Can I be Affected by Secondhand Vape Smoke? - A Healthier Michigan

Vape pens and e-cigarettes have become a common sight in the last five to 10 years. We see them used at stores, bars and big events and assume they must be healthier than actual cigarettes.

Mayo Clinic Minute: Secondhand electronic cigarette smoke

Secondhand cigarette smoke is a combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers. Exposure to secondhand smoke has been linked to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. But what about exposure to secondhand electronic cigarette smoke? Watch: The Mayo Clinic […]

How does second hand smoking affect the world?

Secondhand smoking kills tens of thousands of people every year in the United States alone. It can cause sudden infant death syndrome and lung issues in children. In adults, it can lead to serious health conditions later in life, such as stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer—even in people who never smoked themselves. 1

How does an e-cigarette work?

E-cigarette devices use metal coils to heat the vaping fluid, and over time, small amounts of metals can sometimes get into the aerosol after repeated use at high temperatures. 6 . While the person vaping will breathe in the full brunt of these toxins, some will be exhaled into the air.

How many states are banning smoking in 2020?

According to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, as of January 2020, 19 states and over 900 municipalities have included e-cigarettes and other electronic smoking devices in their laws and policies banning smoking in certain environments, such as schools or workplaces. 11 .

Is second hand vaping bad for you?

Secondhand Vaping as a Gateway. In addition to the still uncertain health risks associated with breathing in e-cigarette aerosol, being around people who vape could have other consequences—particularly for adolescents who are more likely to be influenced by social norms and visual cues.

Does vaping hurt your lungs?

Short-term studies didn’t find evidence that secondhand vaping hurts lung function , with one notable exception. Researchers found that people who were around vaping aerosol showed increases in the serum cotinine, which is a marker that someone was exposed to nicotine (an ingredient often found in e-cigarettes). 7  Given the long list of health risks posed by nicotine, more research needs to be done on how this exposure could affect someone’s lungs long-term like it can with secondhand smoke.

Can vaping affect non-vapers?

It’s still not clear how the toxins found in secondhand vaping can affect the health of non-vapers, especially long-term. The limited research available so far has largely focused on immediate health effects. That said, there are some concerns about how repeatedly inhaling e-cigarette aerosol over an extended period of time could affect bystanders’ long-term lung function and risk of allergic reactions.

Can vaping cause lung injury?

UPDATE: Recent illnesses have been associated with use of e-cigarettes (vaping). Since the specific causes of these lung injury cases are not yet known, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends refraining from all vaping products.

What is second hand smoke?

Secondhand smoke is smoke from burning tobacco products, like cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, or pipes. 1,6,7. Secondhand smoke also is smoke that has been exhaled, or breathed out, by the person smoking. 6,7.

What happens if you breathe secondhand smoke?

Babies and children who breathe secondhand smoke are sick more often with bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections than those that are not exposed to secondhand smoke.

How many people died from secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke can cause health problems in children and adults, and can even be deadly. 1,2,6 Since 1964, about 2,500,000 people who do not smoke have died from health problems caused by secondhand smoke exposure. 1. Because more communities and states are adopting smokefree laws, the number of adults exposed to secondhand smoke in public places ...

Why are infants and young children especially vulnerable to health risks from secondhand smoke?

Because their bodies are still growing, infants and young children are especially vulnerable to health risks from secondhand smoke.

How long can you smoke from one cigarette?

Smoke from one cigarette can stay in a room for hours. Don’t smoke at home, even when children aren’t there.

What to do if a loved one smokes?

If a loved one smokes, support them by encouraging them to quit. Get rid of all ashtrays and tobacco products in your home. Don’t let anyone smoke in or around your house. If you have children or if you take care of children in your home, do not allow anyone to smoke there.

How many chemicals are in tobacco smoke?

There are more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, including hundreds of chemicals that are toxic and about 70 that can cause cancer. 1 Here are just a few of the chemicals and poisons in tobacco smoke:

Who studied the dangers of second hand vaping?

Igor Burstyn’s study of the possible dangers of secondhand vaping attempted to “estimate potential exposures from aerosols produced by electronic cigarettes and compare those potential exposures to occupational exposure standards.” His conclusion: “Exposures of bystanders are likely to be orders of magnitude less, and thus pose no apparent concern.”

What is secondhand vapor?

Secondhand vapor (which is technically an aerosol) is the vapor exhaled into the atmosphere by an e-cig user. Like secondhand smoke, it lingers in the air long enough that anyone in the same room (assuming the room is small enough) is likely to inhale some of the exhaled aerosol. As the name indicates, the bystanders are not inhaling secondhand (or passive) smoke—because secondhand e-cigarette vapor simply isn’t smoke.

What is the difference between e-cigarettes and vapor?

E-cigs heat e-liquid with a small metal coil housed in an atomizer , and the heat turns the e-juice into the vapor you see. E-cigarette vapor doesn’t have any carbon monoxide or tar, and the particles in the aerosol are liquid rather than solid. Dangerous chemicals and metals are found in vapor, but only in tiny quantities.

Is third hand nicotine inhaled or exhaled?

What isn’t inhaled falls to the ground quite rapidly. Those concerned with “thirdhand nicotine”—the unabsorbed nicotine that lands on floors and furniture—might make a case for not vaping around kids or pets who might lick the surfaces. But there’s not much nicotine left in the settled residue. According to a 2016 University of California-San Francisco study, 93.8 percent of the inhaled nicotine is retained by the user, and is not part of the exhaled vapor.

Does vaping contain VG?

Aside from propylene glycol and glycerin (PG and VG) —the two glycols that make up the base of virtually all e-liquids—what vapers exhale into the air doesn’t contain high levels of anything. According to Drexel University toxicologist Igor Burstyn, while the contents of e-cig vapor inhaled by users “justifies surveillance,” there is so little contamination in exhaled vapor that there is unlikely to be any risk for bystanders.

Can you vape inside a house?

If you encounter people vaping inside a house, all of the secondhand vapor you see comes out of the mouths of the vapers in the room. There is no side stream “vape smoke” like there is side stream tobacco smoke from cigarettes—no constant emission of vapor pouring from the device when it’s not being used.

Is nicotine in vapor residue?

But there’s not much nicotine left in the settled residue. According to a 2016 University of California-San Francisco study, 93.8 percent of the inhaled nicotine is retained by the user, and is not part of the exhaled vapor.

What to do if you are unhappy with second hand vaping?

If you’re unhappy with secondhand vaping at local restaurants, parks, or other public places, speak up. Ask places you frequent to make their facilities smoke-free, and if you're somewhere that's supposed to be a no smoking zone but patrons aren't following suit, tell someone in a position of authority. And if you're exposed to secondhand vape because someone you love smokes or vapes, talk to them about quitting. (Get the conversation stated with these tips from NoButts.org .)

How long does it take to understand the dangers of second hand smoke?

It took decades for people to fully understand the dangers of secondhand cigarette smoke; hopefully, it won’t take as long to realize just how dangerous all types of secondhand smoke can be.

How much has the use of vapes increased in the past year?

The usage of these electronic smoking devices—AKA e-cigarettes or vapes— has skyrocketed in the past year or so. Among high school teens, for example, there’s been a 78 percent increase in vape usage between 2017 and 2018, a report by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found. And there’s reason to be concerned even if you’re not vaping: Just like cigarettes, e-cigarettes (whether they contain nicotine, marijuana, or something else) emit toxic secondhand aerosol.

How many people die from second hand smoke?

The dangers of secondhand cigarette smoke—in your home and outdoors—are well-established: It kills over 41,000 non-smoking adults in the U.S. every year, according to a Surgeon General report. And secondhand marijuana smoke contains many of the same cancer-causing substances and toxic chemicals as secondhand tobacco smoke (like ammonia and hydrogen cyanide), according to research published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.

How many brands of e-cigarettes are there?

Research on the impact of secondhand aerosol inhalation is still in development, and it doesn’t help that there are over 460 brands of e-cigarettes on the market. “Because these are not regulated, we don’t know exactly what chemicals are even in each kind,” says Dr. Rich.

What are the chemicals in e-cigarettes?

In fact, at least 10 chemicals identified in the aerosol emitted by e-cigarettes are on California’s Proposition 65 list of carcinogens and reproductive toxins, including nicotine, formaldehyde, lead, and toluene (a compound associated with paint thinners). Further, there might be dangers we're still not aware of.

When did California ban smoking?

In 1995 California was the first state to ban smoking in the workplace, and has been a major player in leading the charge against protecting residents and visitors from harms of secondhand smoke through an array of smoking bans that include everything from e-cigarettes and cigarettes to marijuana and hookah.

How many people were exposed to secondhand smoke in 2017?

In 2017, over 14.3 million youth were exposed to secondhand emissions from tobacco products in public places.

How many students in the US are exposed to secondhand tobacco?

In 2017, more than half (55.1%, 14.3 million) of US middle and high school students reported exposure to secondhand tobacco product emissions in indoor or outdoor public places. E-cigarette use may complicate the enforcement of existing smoke-free policies and contribute to the renormalization of tobacco use behaviors. Continued efforts are warranted to reduce the social acceptability of tobacco product use and protect bystanders from all tobacco product emissions.

What are the other tobacco products?

g Other tobacco products were cigarettes; cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars; chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip; pipe filled with tobacco; bidis; snus; dissolvable tobacco; or hookah or waterpipe. Current users reported use of ≥1 of these products on ≥1 days of the past 30-days. Noncurrent users reported using all tobacco products on 0 days.

How long does it take to respond to a secondhand aerosol?

Response options were 0 days, 1 or 2 days , 3 to 5 days, 6 to 9 days, 10 to 19 days, 20 to 29 days and all 30 days. Respondents who recorded a response other than 0 days were considered exposed to SHS. Secondhand aerosol exposure.

What are smoke free policies?

Fully enforced, comprehensive, smoke-free policies for indoor environments that include both combustible and electronic tobacco products can reduce the social acceptability of tobacco product use and protect bystanders from all tobacco product emissions.

Why are e-cigarettes important?

Strongly enforced and comprehensive smoke-free policies that include e-cigarettes have several important benefits such as the potential to reduce the social acceptability of tobacco product use (6), promote smoking cessation (2), and support efforts to decrease smoking initiation among youth (17).

Is secondhand smoke a risk?

There is no risk-free level of SHS exposure (2). Despite progress in reducing SHS exposure in the United States, an estimated 58 million Americans remain exposed, nearly half of whom (25 million) are aged 3 to 19 (3).

What happens if you smoke a second hand?

Babies exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and kids exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to be sick more often with ear infections, colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma and breathing problems.

How old do you have to be to buy a vape?

They were first regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2016, some 10 years after they first hit the market. Now, you must be over 21 to buy vaping products, and manufacturers have to apply for permission from the FDA to sell their product and list in detail every ingredient they use plus exactly how it's made.

What is vaping?

Vaping is the act of using an e-cigarette — specifically, the inhaling of vapor from e-cigarettes such as JUULs, cig-a-likes, vape pens, personalized vaporizers and mechanical mods. The point of vaping is to deliver nicotine, a particularly addictive drug, to the body.

How to quit smoking?

The good news is you’re not alone. In addition to getting help from your practitioner, family and friends, a number of other resources can support your efforts: 1 A “quit plan”: Create one that includes your reasons for quitting, smoking triggers to avoid and strategies to deal with cravings. (Check out the National Cancer Institute’s Smokefree.gov for more info.) 2 1-800-QUIT-NOW hotline: Get free counseling, advice to create a quit plan and information on local cessation resources. 3 The Smokefree Women website: Offers judgement-free information and resources to help mothers quit all nicotine products, including e-cigarettes. 4 Support groups: Nicotine Anonymous, online support groups and local smoking cessation programs can help. 5 One-on-one or group counseling: Moms who get counseling tend to be more likely to quit and less likely to start smoking again later.

What is Smokefree Women?

The Smokefree Women website: Offers judgement-free information and resources to help mothers quit all nicotine products, including e-cigarettes.

What is the minimum age to buy a cigarette?

In December 2019, the minimum age to buy tobacco products, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes, was raised to 21 — a good thing, since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns that any exposure to nicotone, including secondhand exposure from e-cigarettes, may be dangerous for children.

What is the point of vaping?

The point of vaping is to deliver nicotine, a particularly addictive drug, to the body. Vaping devices can resemble traditional tobacco cigarettes, but many look more like pens or, in the case of JUULs, USB drives.

Why are vapes dangerous for children?

Infants and children. Vape aerosols pose an especially high risk for infants and children because of their lower body weight and developing respiratory systems. , being exposed to even low concentrations of the components of vape aerosol can affect brain and lung development.

What is third hand smoke?

Thirdhand exposure is a thing, too. When someone who’s vaping exhales, the components of the aerosol doesn’t just go into the air — they also settle on surfaces. Trusted Source. . This is what’s referred to as thirdhand smoke (or aerosol). You can be exposed to these components when you touch a contaminated surface.

What percentage of people with asthma report vaping?

Based on the results of the 2018 Annual Asthma Survey by the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership, 14 percent of people with asthma reported that vaping or exposure to secondhand vape triggered their asthma symptoms.

What is the chemical in second hand vape aerosol?

Secondhand vape aerosol contains flavorings, such as diacetyl, a chemical that may impair the function of cilia in the airway.

How to quit smoking cigarettes?

Try to taper your nicotine dose gradually if you’re using vaping to help you quit traditional cigarettes. Cutting out nicotine altogether will minimize the risk of nicotine-related side effects for you and others.

Is vape aerosol harmful?

Its long-term effects are still being investigated. What we do know so far is that vape aerosol contains a number of harmful substances, including: There’s evidence that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand vape aerosol absorb similar levels of nicotine as people exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke.

Does vaping smell like candy?

This brief exposure probably isn’t a huge deal, but secondhand vape aerosol (the “smoke” from vaping) is definitely a thing, even if it smells like candy.

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