In recent times we have heard increased concerns about smoking (and vaping) and some lung diseases. While I’m all for keeping your health as best as you can, it doesn’t mean that you should deprive yourself of everything that someone may say that’s bad for your health. Remember, it’s typically excess everything that causes issues.
And while there are many studies that have related smoking and several lung diseases, there is not a single solid proof other than hear-say that connects the use of electronic cigarettes and lung issues. This article is dedicated to a specific illness that is very severe and modern medicine does not have a solid proof as to what causes it and how to treat it.
The Basics Popcorn Lung Disease
This disease occurs in the lungs is very difficult (almost impossible) to treat is the so-called popcorn lung, otherwise known as Bronchiolitis Obliterans. This disease causes scarring on the lungs, making it difficult to breathe and as the disease progresses, it becomes more difficult for the oxygen to reach the lungs, thus the need to use an oxygen tank and live a very limited life.
It is very difficult to catch it in the early stages, as it mimics the symptoms of other illnesses. Its main symptoms are shortness of breath, wheezing of the lungs and dry cough. Simple symptoms, but a very serious disease.
Who Usually Gets Popcorn Lung Disease?
This disease is rarely seen in people. The most common individual to get this disease are people that have been through some very special circumstances. The biggest occurrence is in people that have had a lung transplant. Also, in people that have undergone a bone marrow transplant.
It is very uncommon for other people to get it, but uncommon does not mean impossible. There have been several occurrences where workers that have been working in specific conditions have been diagnosed with popcorn lung disease. Scientific studies have found a correlation between inhalation of diacetyl and the occurrence of popcorn lung disease.
It is very unfair to lay such claims, especially without any firm proofs. The CDC website and the American Lung Association both claim that they “know” for certain that diacetyl is the cause for popcorn lung, but no one supports this statement with firm, concise evidence.
Anti-Vaping Propaganda
One can easily see a pattern occurring here: diacetyl causes popcorn lung. Diacetyl is found in e-juice used for vaping. Thus, vaping causes popcorn lung. So not true. This is some kind of propaganda, or a common misconception put in motion to scare people and revert them from something that medicine doesn’t have any proof about.
It is true that e-juice (e-cigarettes) contain diacetyl. There was even an extensive study of the chemical composition of 51 e-cigarettes. After I’ve looked over the published data, I can certainly say that yes, they found diacetyl, but only one of these has a diacetyl content of 39 micrograms per e-cigarette, while the other had a very low diacetyl content of about 13 micrograms per e-cigarette.
Indirect Support For The Tobacco Industry
A study conducted on traditional cigarettes has found that the average content of diacetyl in a single cigarette is about 301 micrograms per cigarette. Now compare this to the average amount of diacetyl per e-cigarette that is about 13.9 micrograms per e-cigarette. Seems like a big difference, right? That is why it is a big difference.
Another thing to consider is that a single e-cigarette is usually vaped all day, so even the heaviest smoker that would use two e-cigs a day gets about 28 micrograms of diacetyl per day. That’s not even close to the content of diacetyl that’s found in a single tobacco cigarette.
An average smoker smokes a pack a day, usually equaling to 20 tobacco cigarettes, sometimes more. In terms of inhaled diacetyl, this comes to about 6,720 micrograms of diacetyl daily. That is so, so much more than the diacetyl in e-cigs, but no one mentions this fact. And they neglect to mention all the other unpleasant compounds found in tobacco cigarettes.
Facts About Smoking And Vaping
And there is not a single relation between the popcorn lung disease and the use of cigarettes. In fact, even though an average smoker inhales a large amount of diacetyl, nobody claims that smoking causes popcorn lung.
While all tobacco cigarettes have diacetyl in them – no exceptions, not all e-cigarettes and vape juices contain diacetyl. Many producers of e-liquids have stopped using diacetyl in their products as a result of this claim, based on this it is certain to say that vaping e-juices and using e-cigarettes is much safer than using tobacco cigarettes. Also, there is no way to remove the diacetyl from tobacco cigarettes.
To Wrap Up
The numbers in this article and the facts are drawn from official sources: a respected medical journal and a governmental website. So there are no bogus claims and speculations, or propaganda that supports one side instead of the other.
I have just shared some simple facts and raised a few solid points for you to think about. But, if you have any issues or concerns about smoking, vaping or using e-cigarettes, then feel free to consult your physician for advice on this matter. I’m going to start suggesting that you substitute your smoking and vaping for tinctures, gummies, edibles, and other methods if you’re worried about the impact on your lungs. The good news is that you’ve got plenty of options and we are here to help you find something that’s just for you.
