A new study, published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine, suggests that ex-smokers who continue to use e-cigarettes after quitting may have fewer health benefits than those who give up nicotine completely, YNETNEWS wrote.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 4.5 million ex-smokers in South Korea and found that e-cigarette users had a 56 percent higher risk of developed lung cancer and a 22 percent higher risk of death from any cause, compared to ex-smokers who did not use e-cigarettes.

On the other hand, people who quit smoking and nicotine completely had a 44 percent lower risk of lung cancer and a 37 percent lower risk of death from any cause.

According to experts, the study does not prove that e-cigarettes directly cause lung cancer, but it does show that their use can reduce the benefits of quitting smoking.

According to researchers, e-cigarette vapor contains substances that can promote inflammation and DNA damage, processes linked to the development of cancer.

Another study, published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, has found that former smokers who switched to e-cigarettes had a 24 percent higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a disease that damages the retina of the eye and can lead to vision loss, a 7 percent higher risk of serious eye disease, as well as a 7 percent higher risk of disorders that affect the focus of vision.

According to experts, this study was also observational and does not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship, but the authors say the results call into question the idea that e-cigarettes are a completely safe alternative.

Experts and the World Health Organization (WHO) continue recommend that the ultimate goal be complete cessation of tobacco and nicotine, using proven methods, such as professional counseling and smoking cessation treatments.

Electronic cigarettes, if used, should only serve as a temporary and not a long-term solution.

Source: prizrenpost