Erin O'Hara: naturopath and wellness expert reveals what vaping can do to your lungs

New studies have shown that vaping may not be the perfect silver bullet set to bring down nicotine consumption.

Recent data shows that people who vape, even without a smoking history, are at a higher risk of developing COPD than non-vapers.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains the research further.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News talks'b.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Had time to talk wellness and I'm joined by Aaron O'Hara.
Good morning, Good morning. Ah. We talked about vaping probably
a couple of years ago now, but it's really interesting
a lot more information coming out about the impacts of vaping.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Yeah, a couple of years ago we talked about it.
I talked about how limited the research was a little
particularly particularly around long term research of the damage. And
I think that you know, people were switching big from
sort of smoking and into vaping, and it was really
recommended that that was the pathway to quitting smoking. And
it's interesting in the new research that's coming out and

(00:46):
actually that the risk. The new studies are showing that
people who vape and if they smoke as well, it's
even more damaging for their lungs. And even people that
vapor have never had a history of smoking at our
higher risk of getting and developing COPD, which, if you
don't know what that is, that is chronic obstructive polmonary disease,

(01:08):
which causes a restriction in the airways, which causes discomfort
with breathing as well as symptoms like a cough and
flem on the chairs, difficulty breathing, wheeziness and tiredness because
you're not getting enough oxygen into the body. So it's
actually a massive problem that causes a lot of long
term problems if people have got into vaping and then

(01:29):
have ended up with COPD, which is really concerning, particularly
in New Zealand at their current rates, New Zealand's vaping
rates that's sitting at nine point seven percent of adults
are daily vapors, where if you compare that to Australia
it's actually only three point five percent, which is huge.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
It speaks to the restrictions that the Australians have put
on to try and protect their citizens as opposed to
assen It's put as many vape stores up as we
possibly can, which is really concerning.

Speaker 3 (01:58):
Like New Zealand's strategy with the vaporing and getting the
smoking being smoke free, but actually now we've got a
huge vaping problem on our hands and they are bringing
more regulation. There's actually more regulation coming in on the
seventeenth of June this year around banning the sale of
disposable vape devices, which is a great thing, but we've

(02:18):
still got a big problem on our hands, which is
going to actually cost our healthcare system huge amounts of
money if there's a whole lot of people that are
getting COPD.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
Do we know a little bit more about the chemicals
that you inhale in vaping.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
Yeah, the chemicals like when you're smoking, you've obviously got
the tobacco, and there's nicotine, and when you look at
the vapin you've got all the chemicals in that, particularly
the diacetyl, which actually scars the tiny sacks in your
airways and actually narrows the airways, and that's what calls
what's commonly known as your popcorn lungs, which actually even

(02:50):
teenagers are getting popcorn lungs. It's really really sad, and
it's mainly from that flavoring in it, but you also
got heavy metals, lead, tin, nickel in them, tiny particles
that sort of work the way into your lungs and
cause the damage and the inflammation. So chronic COPD is
really inflammation in the airways, and it's irreversible, Like, yes,

(03:12):
you can stop vaping, but the damage is already done.
And that's the real concern, all Right.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
If we want to get off the vapes in the cigise,
what's the best way to do it.

Speaker 3 (03:19):
Well, the first thing is not swapping your cigies to
vaping and then being a dual user of maybe still
having the odd CIGI and having the vape on top
of that, because then you've got the double whammy damage.
So I think first not switching across. Actually, usually when
I'm working with people in the clinic who are stopping
smoking I'm like, let's not swap the vaping instead, let's
reduce the smoking and still keep with just the cigarettes,

(03:42):
And that can be a stepping stone. Also, look at
nicotine replacement therapy, which can come in patches, lozenges, or
chewing gum, and that at least you're not getting the
damage to the lungs, but you're still getting the nicotine.
Because the hardest thing about stopping smoking or stopping vaping
is the nicotine is so so addictive and you're not

(04:03):
gonna It's not that easy to go cold turkey with
stop being smoking or vaping. So even having that sort
of softening effect of weaning off the nicotine by using
those options insteads you're at least giving your lungs a
bit of a break by not smoking and vaping and
putting all those chemicals into the lungs, but instead just
allowing the body to adjust to the changes in the nicotine. Also,

(04:25):
get the support around your friends family, tell them, hey,
I'm stopping vaping or I'm stopping smoking, so they can
actually support you on your journey. And also maybe getting
some extra support with accountclor or there's help line as
well that can sort of help you with that transition
coming off the vaping and smoking, and then avoiding being
around people that smoke because and vape because they're just

(04:48):
going to encourage you, and that's the last thing you
need when you want to quit.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
Erin O'Hara, thank.

Speaker 3 (04:52):
You so much.

Speaker 1 (04:54):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin. Listen
live to news talks that'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.