To Vape Or Not? That Is The Question

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – In the first of a three-part series, we take a look at vaping. An activity that has become increasingly popular among Bahamian teenagers and young adults in recent years.

Despite vaping’s popularity, it may not be so good for users after all.

You’ve surely seen someone puffing on a device – often no bigger than a kazoo – and blowing out a sweet-smelling haze.

Clinical Director at Mount Olive Medical Center, Ketroya Oliver says, surprisingly most people don’t equate vaping to smoking.

The trend’s popularity with young people is likely due to the wide variety of fruit-flavored vape juices, or e-liquids, available such as watermelon berry, sugar cookie, peach pear, juicy grape and more.

Despite the many fun names and sweet aromas given to the e-liquids, the end result of vaping may be a bitter one.

In February 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 2,807 cases of e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury, also known as evali and 68 deaths attributed to that condition.

The CDC has identified vitamin e acetate, often used in vaping products, as a chemical of concern among people with evali. CDC doctors found e acetate in all lung fluid samples of evali patients examined.

Although vaping is relatively new, Dr. Oliver says it has proven to be as addictive as other similar activities.