Vaping or the use of e-cigarettes increases the risk of asthma in adolescents who have never smoked conventional tobacco products, finds a new study.

E-cigarettes have fewer toxins than regular cigarettes but still contain a mixture of harmful chemicals and raise the risk of respiratory diseases. 

The study, published in the journal Preventive Medicine, identified an association between e-cigarette use and asthma in adolescents who had never smoked conventional tobacco products. 

This demonstrates that vaping increases the risk of asthma independently from conventional tobacco product use in adolescents. 

Researchers analysed the data of 3,000 adolescents aged 13 to 17 in the state of Texas, and more than 32,000 adolescents in the US for comparison.

Researchers asked the respondents whether they had ever used an e-cigarette and how many days during the previous 30-day period they had used one, whether they had ever been told they had asthma by a healthcare professional. 

The study included information on respondent gender, age, race and ethnicity, body mass index and presence of depression symptoms.

The analysis also included data on the use of other substances, such as conventional cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs.

“Increasing knowledge about the harmful effects of e-cigarette use, implementing stricter regulations, and promoting alternative coping mechanisms for mental health are potential interventions to mitigate e-cigarette use,” said Dr. Taehyun Roh, lead author of the study. 

The study highlights a need for strategies to tackle the increasing prevalence of e-cigarette use and its adverse health effects.