Vaping FAQs

what is secondhand vaping

by Lynn Kiehn Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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What is secondhand vaping? Secondhand vaping is exactly what it sounds like: if you're near a person breathing out vapor from an e-cigarette, you generally breathe in the same air that they're exhaling and can inhale the same vapor. When you breathe the same air as someone using an e-cigarette, you're "secondhand vaping."

Secondhand smoke and vaping aerosols come from burning or heating tobacco through a cigarette, cigar, pipe, hookah, or electronic cigarette. They also come from the air a smoker exhales while smoking.

Full Answer

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.”

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 there such a thing as second-hand vaping?

Secondhand vaping is exactly what it sounds like: if you're near a person breathing out vapor from an e-cigarette, you generally breathe in the same air that they're exhaling and can inhale the same vapor. When you breathe the same air as someone using an e-cigarette, you're "secondhand vaping."

Is secondhand vaping harmful to your health?

This doesn’t mean that e-cigs are completely safe, however. There are trace amounts of chemicals that can be hazardous to your health. But all of the studies to date show that vaping is significantly safer than smoking. This means that the dangers of secondhand vaping are not nearly as bad as those associated with secondhand smoking.

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What is secondhand vaping?

Secondhand vaping is exactly what it sounds like: if you're near a person breathing out vapor from an e-cigarette, you generally breathe in the same air that they're exhaling and can inhale the same vapor.

What to do if someone uses e-cigarettes?

If someone close to you, like a parent, caretaker or coworker, uses e-cigarettes, you can kindly ask them to stop while you're around. Frame it as a way to protect both your health and theirs, and hopefully they'll respect your wishes.

Is vaping a health risk?

E-cigarettes can emit a huge cloud of vapor that can affect an entire crowd of people. Getty Images. When vaping first gained popularity, it was marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. However, a recent surge in illnesses, hospitalizations -- and even deaths -- has shown that there may be much scarier health risks associated ...

Does vaping harm the lungs?

The vapor can also harm bystanders ' lungs and contribute to lasting damage ...

Does vapor contain nicotine?

Another study from 2018 found that the vapor not only contains nicotine, but also heavy metals, aldehyde and glycerin, even though vaporizer companies try to paint these products as healthier in every way. These chemicals contribute to the health risk posed by secondhand vaping.

Is vaping a teenager phenomenon?

E-cigarettes are becoming more and more of a teenage phenomenon. With more teens than ever now vaping, it seems like the younger folks who are more at risk. A third of high-schoolers and middle-schoolers reported that they were exposed to vaping aerosol in 2018.

Can you vape with your friends?

If you really want to avoid the negative health effects of secondhand vaping, you may just want to not hang out with your friends while they're using e-cigarettes. Or, if you're reading this and you are an e-cigarette user who's not ready to give it up yet, at least don't vape around other people (especially kids).

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.

What is acrolein in e-cigarettes?

Acrolein: This is a compound made when glycerin is heated by the coils in an e-cigarette. It can irritate the respiratory tract, including the delicate tissue of the lungs. 4

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.

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