Hey vapers! Secondhand smoke has long been known as a major cause of various health problems, ranging from respiratory issues to the risk of chronic diseases.

However, what about passive vape vapor or smoke? Many people still believe that the dangers of passive vape vapor are the same as secondhand smoke, even though several studies show a very different reality.

Secondhand Smoke: 85% Comes from Sidestream Smoke

In conventional cigarettes, the main danger of secondhand smoke comes from side-stream smoke. This smoke continuously emanates from the lit end of the cigarette, even when it is not being actively puffed.

According to a report by Public Health England (2015), sidestream smoke accounts for approximately 85% of secondhand smoke exposure. This means that people around smokers are still exposed to nicotine and harmful substances even if they are not directly inhaling the smoker's exhaled smoke.

Vape Does Not Produce Sidestream Smoke

Unlike cigarettes, vape does not produce side-stream vapor. Vapor is only formed when the user inhales from the device, and the amount of nicotine released into the air is much lower.

Research shows that the exhaled breath of vape users contains 8 times less nicotine than exhaled cigarette smoke.

Read Also: Myth or Fact: Is Vaping Better Than Smoking!

Passive Nicotine Exposure from Vape is Very Low

Several studies have also examined nicotine residue on surfaces in the homes of smokers and vapers. The results show that residue from vape is 169 times lower than from cigarettes.

In fact, to get 1 mg of nicotine from vape residue, an infant would have to lick over 30 square meters of surface—something that is almost impossible to happen.

In another study, the air in vapers' homes contained six times less nicotine than in smokers' homes.

Partners of vape users also showed cotinine levels (a marker of nicotine in the body) approximately 1,000 times lower than smokers, and almost equivalent to cotinine levels that could arise merely from eating tomatoes.

Summary

• Secondhand smoke contains a lot of harmful nicotine due to sidestream smoke.
• Vape does not produce sidestream smoke, only vapor from the user's exhalation.
• Nicotine exposure from passive vape vapor is very minimal, at a level that poses no health risk to those around.

Read Also: 'Children of God, Don't Vape' Is Vaping Really Worse Than The Dangers of Smoking?

Conclusion

Data from the Public Health England report clarifies that the dangers of secondhand smoke are not the same as passive vape vapor. While further research is still needed, existing evidence consistently shows that the health risk from exposure to vape vapor for people around users is very minimal compared to cigarette smoke.

Source:

@vapeindo_official

E-cigarettes: an evidence update A report commissioned by Public Health England