Titled, “Effects of tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and waterpipe smoking on endothelial function and clinical outcomes,” the study concluded that cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and water pipes, stiffen arteries, damage DNA, and cause inflammation. These factors, said the researchers, increase a person’s risk for lung cancer, COPD, and contracting conditions such as COVID-19.
This review “cannot be described as a study”
They added that the claim that vaping and smoking increase one’s risk of contracting Covid, actually goes against real life evidence and data compiled via other studies indicating that nicotine consumption (even via smoking) is a protective factor against contracting the virus.
In fact research carried out in France has indicated that the daily smokers rate amongst COVID-19 patients was at 5.3%, whilst amongst the general French population, the daily smokers rate was at 25.4%. These findings had led the French researchers to conclude that daily smokers have a significantly lower probability of developing symptomatic or a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, as compared to the general population.
“Disappointed to see” the circulation of such “highly questionable reviews”
Meanwhile, the UKVIA responded to the University of Mainz review, voicing their disappointment. “We are disappointed to see that highly questionable reviews such as this continue to undermine the clear public health potential of vaping. With more than 75,000 people dying of smoking-related diseases every year in the UK, it is vital that harm-reduction tools, such as vape products which have been acknowledged by Public Health England as one of the most successful ways to quit smoking, are evaluated correctly, and not subjected to speculation and scare-stories.”
Dunne added that the response of experts is encouraging. “However, the clear and decisive response of leading UK experts on this matter has been extremely encouraging. Prof John Britton (Nottingham), Prof Jamie Brown (UCL), Prof Jacob George (Dundee) and Dr Nick Hopkinson (Imperial) have all urged caution on the review’s methodologies and findings, variously describing them as ‘unsystematic’, ‘inappropriate’, ‘unclear’ and ‘misleading’.”
“In 2019 the University of Dundee partnered with the British Heart Foundation to investigate vaping’s impact on heart health. Contrary to the University of Mainz review, this study found that cigarette smokers who switch to nicotine containing vapourisers could significantly improve their vascular health within four weeks, including blood pressure and stiffness of arteries.The British Heart Foundation study, which involved 114 people who had smoked at least 15 cigarettes a day for at least two years, was considered to be the largest conducted of its kind,” said Dunne.
The NRTI urges physicians to endorse the use of safer tobacco alternatives
