A leading Bahraini practitioner has warned against the detrimental impact of vaping on smokers’ health.
“Carcinogens have been recently discovered in cigarettes and electronic cigarette,” said family medicine consultant physician at Manama Medical Centre Dr Kadhim Al Halwaji.
The Geneva-based World Health Organisation (WHO) does not recognise vaping as a viable way to kick the habit.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not found any e-cigarette to be safe and effective in helping smokers quit.
“The greatest danger lies in the possibility of adding drugs to the electronic cigarette or shisha in the form of oil drops,” warned Dr Al Halwaji.
He rang the alarm bell in an interview conducted by Friends of Health Society chairperson Dr Kawther Al Eid, marking World No Tobacco Day, which was observed last Tuesday under the theme ‘Tobacco is killing us and our planet’.
“Every cigarette that is smoked ultimately has a negative impact on the environment and living organisms,” he said, noting the bad effects of tobacco on the environment at all stages of its cultivation, production, and disposal of its waste.
He warned against severe addiction to nicotine, which exposes heavy smokers to severe illnesses, pointing out that the most important organs affected by tobacco are the respiratory system, heart and arteries.
“Electronic smoking includes e-cigarettes, e-sheesha and e-vaporisers, a small device which has no smell or vapour and is easy to hide”, said Dr Al Halwaji, warning that they could spread among school students.
He stressed the need to conduct a study to find out the extent of its use, noting the possibility of adding narcotic substances to nicotine in the sheesha or vaporisers, in the form of oil drops.
&uuid=(email))