Vapes were once considered a safer alternative to regular cigarettes, but recent scientific evidence shows that vapes and cigarettes are equally harmful and dangerous.

In a new study published in Scientific Reports, scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center described which substances are part of flavored liquids and capsules that are used in vapes. And in experiments on cell and tissue cultures, they established the potential harm to these substances.

Specialists found that these substances are primarily dangerous for lung tissue: they cause inflammatory processes and genetic damage, which in the long run significantly increase the risk of respiratory diseases and even cancer.

Most manufacturers do not disclose what chemical compounds they use to create flavorings. We only know about nicotine, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which form the basis of vape fluids.

Using mass spectrometry, scientists have identified nearly 40 chemicals present in various combinations in 7 vape flavors. Among these substances were hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds, which are often used in industry and can be harmful by inhalation.

Then scientists subjected aerosol vapors from aromatic capsules to human lung tissue, including bronchial epithelial cells (play an important role in gas exchange) and monocytes (cells of the immune system). As it turned out, these substances cause inflammation and destroy the integrity of epithelial cells, which ultimately can lead to acute damage to the lungs and respiratory diseases. Moreover, DNA in cells is also damaged by exposure to vapors, which is potentially a harbinger of cancer.