Doctors highlight health risks of vaping, urge govt to take quick action

New Delhi(PTI): Lungs of teenagers need protection, not pollution from vapes, medical experts have stressed while highlighting the dangers of vaping and the emergence of new-age gateway devices.

A group of doctors supporting the movement of Mothers Against Vaping, a collective dedicated to raising awareness about the ill effects of vaping and working to eradicate it, said vaping has health implications, including issues like coughing, dry throat, shortness of breath, or headaches.

More alarmingly, it can affect the heart, raising blood pressure, increasing heart rate, and even leading to a heart attack, they said.

Dr K K Handa, chairman, ENT, head and neck surgery, Medanta Hospital, said the common myth that vaping is safer than smoking is totally incorrect.

"Vaping can damage lungs after prolonged use since vapes contain nicotine, which has a serious addictive potential. Over time vape addiction can cause severe and serious mental issues like depression and anxiety. There is also a physical safety concern, as the devices used for vaping can sometimes catch fire. So, vaping is not safe at all," Dr Handa said.

According to Mothers Against Vaping, multiple reputed studies have clearly indicated the health risks of vaping and e-cigarettes.

A recent study in April 2025 by Johns Hopkins Medicine analysed medical data gathered from almost 250,000 people over a four-year period. The findings significantly linked the exclusive use of e-cigarettes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and high blood pressure.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for urgent action to protect children and prevent the uptake of e-cigarettes.

These products are openly available and are aggressively marketed to young people. Children are being targeted and trapped into early nicotine addiction through the use of e-cigarettes.

Dr Harish Bhatia, Director and Head of Respiratory Medicine, MGS Super Speciality Hospital, Punjabi Bagh, said vapes, e-cigarettes, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems(ENDS), Heat-Not-Burn (HNB) devices and other Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) directly damage the lungs.

Lungs of teens need protection, not pollution from vapes. And any teen that is vaping needs immediate course correction. Only with good lungs will there be the beginning of Viksit Bharat, Dr Bhatia said.

Mothers Against Vaping has been consistently highlighting how teenagers and even children are falling prey to vapes, posing a real danger of losing the next generation to these new-age gateway devices.

Dr Rajesh Gupta, Director of Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital, said adolescents often start vaping socially at parties or under peer pressure, believing it is harmless or even better than smoking.

But this is a myth, and even occasional vaping exposes the lungs to harmful chemicals, which irritate and inflame their delicate tissues, often leading to serious problems.

In children whose lungs are still developing, this damage can be very long-lasting. And this damage does not stop at the lungs. Nicotine in the e-cigarettes is highly addictive and affects the brain, altering attention, memory, learning, and emotional regulation, Dr Gupta said.

"Social vaping can quickly spiral into regular addictive use, resulting in lifelong health consequences. As adults, parents, and educators, we must speak openly with children about the risks and act early. We should not assume that it's just a phase because every casual use is a potential gateway to long-term harm," Dr Rajesh added.

On the various ways and means of tackling vaping, Dr Bhavna Barmi, clinical psychologist and founder, Happiness Studio, said, "First of all, it is very important to build emotional literacy because vaping is not just peer pressure; it's also an emotional escape.

"When we teach our kids to name their feelings through journaling, mood charts, and open reflections, they will not need to numb them. There is also a need for guidance and awareness among parents, as most of them miss warning signs or respond with shame. We should provide workshops and conversation guides that encourage calm, curious dialogue. Punishment shuts kids down; understanding opens them up," Dr Barmi stressed.

"We also need to unpack the role of social media. Vaping looks glamorous online, but we should teach who profits and what the hidden agenda is. Teaching media literacy helps kids build critical thinking -- their best defence. Replace, don't just remove, should be our key. Let's give our children healthy alternatives - connection, creativity, and a sense of identity beyond grades or popularity.

"When our children are going to feel valued, they will stop escaping. Also, addiction recovery is not about control; it is about care, building safe, slow, and non-judgmental therapy spaces," Dr Barmi added.

Mothers Against Vaping is a united front of concerned mothers combating the escalating vaping crisis among our youth. The group has also been urgently appealing to the government to take decisive action against the growing and unchecked digital promotion of vapes and e-cigarettes.