Amid Concerns, Experts Say the Health Risks of Vaping Are Still Hazy

In the wake of recent deaths and illnesses linked to vaping, elected officials have moved to curtail their use and sale. But some people who specialize in public health say that may not be the best course of action.

Six deaths and over 450 lung illnesses in recent months have been traced to vaping, leading public officials nationwide to urge people to give them up altogether. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an emergency order requiring smoke shops to post warning signs about the dangers of e-cigarettes, and even President Trump has called for a ban on the product.

But some public health experts say these are knee-jerk reactions to a threat that is still largely unknown. NYU Social and Behavioral Sciences Professor Raymond Niaura says vaping could even be better than the alternative — smoking real cigarettes.

"If smokers switch exclusively to e-cigarettes, their biological health shows signs of improvement," Niaura told WNYC's Richard Hake, explaining that the bodies of e-cigarette smokers actually begin to look "more and more like nonsmokers." Evidence also shows that people who switch to e-cigarettes are also likelier to stay off of real ones. 

Niaura added that e-cigarettes don't appear to deliver more nicotine than a tobacco cigarette, nor does it seem to work faster, contrary to marketing by manufacturers (including the popular e-cigarette company Juul). But he does urge caution when it comes to what e-cigarette users smoke. While experts have not ruled out any possibilities, findings show that most, if not all, of the reported cases across the country are somehow related to adulterated cannabis products.

Niaura spoke with WNYC's Richard Hake.