CALGARY—Canadian health officials are grappling with potential risks associated with vaping in the midst of hundreds of reports of illnesses in the U.S. that have been linked to e-cigarettes.The Alberta government announced a review of provincial tobacco and smoking legislation Wednesday, with vaping as a key focus for new regulation. No confirmed cases of severe vaping-related illness have been reported in Alberta so far, but officials are watching for problems.As public health officials and governments mull the future of vaping laws, here’s what you need to know about e-cigarettes.How is vaping different from smoking cigarettes?Vaping involves inhaling an aerosol produced when liquid inside a battery powered e-cigarette or vape pen is heated. The liquid usually includes nicotine and solvents like propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, and it can also be flavoured. Vapes can also be used to inhale cannabis products. Smoking a cigarette involves inhaling burning tobacco, which produces tar that poses additional health risks. But Dr. Dilini Vethanayagam, a respirologist and associate professor at the University of Alberta, says any inhalant can pose a risk to your lungs, and vaping can’t be considered risk-free.“We’re not supposed to have oil anywhere near our alveoli,” she said, referring to the small air sacs in our lungs.The risks of cigarette smoking are well established, since they’ve been studied for decades. But there isn’t the same well of data for vaping, especially for people who are regular, long-term users. Health Canada says the potential long-term risks of vaping are still unknown.David Hammond, a professor at the University of Waterloo’s School of Public Health, has extensively studied tobacco control and e-cigarettes.“We’ve had trouble holding two facts in our mind ... (vaping) is much less harmful than smoking, but it’s still harmful,” he said.“People need to re ...
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