Doctors warn users of 'mysterious harm'

Electronic cigarettes .. “carcinogenic substances” with granular flavors

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Doctors have warned of the dangers of products widely marketed as "electronic alternatives to smoking", stressing the emergence of serious health problems among its users, such as cirrhosis of lung cells, chest infections, and frequent colds, while the long-term risks remain unknown due to the novelty of this type of smoking.

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection confirmed the application of Anti-Tobacco Law No. (15) of 2009 and its executive regulations on electronic tobacco products.

She is working on organizing awareness and warning campaigns, and warns against other tobacco products, in general.

And she stressed that "it is forbidden to smoke electronic cigarettes in offices and closed places, as stipulated by law."

Dr. Bassam Mahboub, a consultant in chest diseases at the Emirates Medical Association, said that "electronic smoking has become common among different age groups, as it does not produce an odor, which enables them to easily keep and use it."

He pointed out that "smoking methods contain unknown ingredients, as each company manufactures its products in a different way, and therefore not all of them adhere to one specification in the manufacturing process."

He stated that "many young users of electronic smoking methods visit clinics because of symptoms such as recurring colds and chest infections, which some doctors in general medicine may overlook that the main reason behind them is electronic smoking, and chest diseases doctors discover it."

He stressed that “flavored cigarettes contain chemicals that medical reports have proven to be very harmful, to the point that they may rupture the lung membranes, and there are reports of young people suffering from lung failure as well as deaths,” noting that “these unknown and unknown subtle ingredients regulated, poses a great danger to the health of its consumers.”

He pointed out that if a person is a tobacco smoker and wants to quit, it can be acceptable to use electronic smoking methods as a transitional stage that helps to quit smoking, whether it is hookah, cigarettes or medwakh.

Consultant Chest Diseases Associate, Associate Professor at UAE University, Dr. Muhammad Al-Hawqani, confirmed the marketing of electronic cigarettes as one of the safer alternatives to traditional smoking, and that it is an aid to quit, “However, studies have proven that those who start using this type of cigarettes continue to It is used in all its forms to obtain nicotine, which causes addiction.

He pointed out that there are many harms resulting from vaping, especially since “most of those who smoke it are young people, knowing that nicotine is one of the most addictive substances.

The companies also provided its products with popular flavors to attract the largest number of users.”

He also confirmed the discovery of harms resulting from vaping, including the occurrence of fibrosis in lung cells, as international reports were published about these cases, a few years after the start of their use, while the long-term harms are still unknown to doctors.

In turn, Dr. Sherina Al Dhaheri, a consultant in chest diseases at the Emirates Medical Association, stated that smokers of electronic cigarettes are prone to pneumonia, and advised not to use them as a substitute for tobacco, and to resort to drug-based treatments and other alternatives, such as chewing gum and medical patches that give nicotine in limited proportions.

She added that most e-cigarette users fall into the category of young adults and teenagers, who are attracted by the flavours.

She confirmed that the chest diseases clinics received patients suffering from health problems resulting from vaping, most of them came to it, thinking that it was safe.

A recent report by the World Health Organization on new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products revealed that in recent years, it has been promoting heated tobacco products as “less harmful products” or products that can help people quit smoking traditional tobacco, stressing that heated tobacco products expose users to emissions They are toxic, many of which cause cancer, and there is currently not enough data that they are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.

"the health":

• «The law prohibits their use in offices and closed areas, and their sale to persons under 18 years of age».

Toxic materials

The World Health Organization stated in a recent report that, “Like other tobacco products, heated tobacco products are toxic by nature, contain carcinogens, and should be treated like any other tobacco product when it comes to setting policies on it,” noting that it “They are products that emit aerosols containing nicotine and toxic chemicals, often enhanced with flavors, that are released when tobacco is heated, and are inhaled by smokers.”

Tobacco control

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection confirmed that the UAE is one of the first countries to join the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and has passed legislation supporting tobacco control measures and adopted international best practices, in the interest of community health.

Tobacco control is one of the most important priorities of the Ministry, which has developed an integrated strategy through the National Tobacco Control Program.

Reducing tobacco consumption was included in the national agenda indicators.

The Ministry explained that the results of the National Health Survey for the year 2018 showed a decrease in the prevalence of smoking among adults from 11.1%, according to the results of the 2010 survey, to 9.1%.

The Ministry also worked in cooperation with the Communications Regulatory Authority to block a number of websites that promote and sell electronic tobacco products for children and youth under 18 years old, as well as launching a training program to enhance the capabilities and skills of doctors to provide smoking cessation services of all kinds and derivatives, based on a unified guideline. Consistent with the latest methods and methods of treatment available globally.

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