CINCINNATI (WKRC) – One of the largest trials that shows vaping may not be a healthy way to quit smoking has just been released.
This new study found if people quit smoking and switch to vaping instead, they don’t significantly reduce their odds for lung cancer in the long term.
Researchers tracked more than four million people, who were part of South Korea’s national health screening program. They divided them into categories by smoking and vaping habits. They compared those who quit smoking for at least five years to those who quit smoking and took up vaping.
“And when they compared the people who quit and didn’t do anything versus the people who quit and did vaping, that vaping group had a higher incidence of lung cancer than the people who quit entirely,” said Dr. Royce Calhoun, a thoracic surgeon at St. Elizabeth Cancer Center.
He said it’s not yet known which ingredients in vaping products may be risky to the lungs.
“This study was important because it highlighted that there’s definitely an increased risk. So, anybody that vapes and thinks it’s innocuous or it’s not a hard, bad thing, that’s just not the case,” Dr. Calhoun said.
He said for smokers who want to quit, based on this research – switching to vaping is not a healthy, long-term alternative.
Medications, patches, gum and other methods to quit smoking can set a person up for healthier, long-term success.
Source: Local 12
