Scientists and doctors have called for more research to back up a recent study indicating vaping could cause similar damage to mouth DNA cells as smoking tobacco – damage that could lead to cancer.
Researchers at University College London looked at samples swabbed from the cheeks of 4,000 vapers and smokers, to compare the impact of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
Mouths exposed to tobacco and vape smoke were found to be substantially altered, leading to claims vaping may not be as harmless as first thought.
It is still too early to link vaping with cigarettes, but of course, it is still harmful to the lungs
Dr Noordin Wadhvaniya,
Canadian Specialist Hospital Dubai
The changes measured in cheek cells were similar to the DNA methylation observed in cancer tissue, which is usually driven by lifestyle and environmental factors that suppress the genes responsible for preventing cells dividing into tumours.
Although the study does not directly connect e-cigarette use with cancer, it is the first reported study that reveals a potential link to its harmful effects.
“It is crucial to note that, while e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, many do contain nicotine, which is derived from tobacco,” said Dr Soha Abdelbaky, a consultant medical oncologist at Medcare Hospital in Sharjah.
“Although e-cigarettes do not produce smoke like tobacco cigarettes, they may expose users to second-hand aerosol that may contain dangerous toxins.
“Nicotine in e-cigarettes may cause DNA alterations that promote cancer and tumour growth.
“E-cigarettes may also include harmful compounds including formaldehyde and N-nitrosamines, which have been linked to cancer.”
Aerosols
Cigarettes release combusted plant matter, which can send toxic chemicals directly into the lungs, resulting in lung tissue deterioration and cancer.
But while e-cigarettes do not produce a vapour to inhale, the aerosol emitted is made up of microscopic particles that users also inhale.
“The aerosol from an e-cigarette contains some cancer-causing chemicals, but in far lower concentrations than cigarette smoke,” said Dr Abdelbaky.
With few studies on the long-term effects of vaping, some said it is too soon to draw conclusions on a comparison with conventional smoking.
“It is still too early to link vaping with cigarettes, but of course, it is still harmful to the lungs,” said Dr Noordin Wadhvaniya, a pulmonologist at Canadian Specialist Hospital in Dubai.
Meanwhile, in the UK, where public health bodies said e-cigarettes are 95 per cent less harmful than combustible tobacco products, there has been a 26 per cent decline in cigarette use since 2011, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Experts responding to the vaping study, published by Cancer Research, said it lacked the depth required to make a significant link between vaping and cancer, and that e-cigarettes were still a less harmful option to help quit smoking.
“This interesting study shows e-cigarette use is associated with similar damaging changes in methylation in human cells as smoking,” said Professor Andrew Beggs, of the cancer genetics and surgery department at University Hospitals Birmingham
“Although it doesn’t show a direct causal effect, this study shows that further research must be done to understand the effects of e-cigarettes on human health and whether they could be linked to an increased risk of cancer.”
Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable cause of death, costing the National Health Service around £17 billion a year.
Youth crackdown
Tough new measures on vaping are also due to come into force under the UK government’s tobacco and vapes bill, which aims to create a smoke-free generation.
Steps include new powers to restrict vape flavours, packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops, plus on-the-spot fines to clamp down on sales to under-age people.
Figures from UK group Action on Smoking and Health revealed about 14 per cent of children had tried vaping in 2020, but that number had climbed to 20.5 per cent in 2023.
New Zealand is another nation tightening its approach towards vaping.
Those born on or after January 1, 2009, are already banned from purchasing tobacco, with disposable e-cigarettes or vapes also set to be withdrawn from sale.
Retailers selling vapes to those under 18 face fines of up to $60,000 (USD), while other regulations will prevent e-cigarettes being sold with images or names that are appealing to young people.
Despite that action, New Zealand’s health ministry backs e-cigarettes as a key smoking cessation device.
Speaking of the latest research on the potential harm of vaping, Prof Ross Lawrenson, a professor in Population Health at the University of Waikato, said more evidence would be needed to encourage those vaping to quit altogether.
“This new study suggests vaping is associated with epigenetic changes in the lining of the cheek,” he said.
“This could be a plausible explanation for a causal association with cancer, but so far we do not have any evidence that vaping does cause cancer.
“It’s important to note that smoking has been associated not only with lung cancer but also cancer of the larynx, oral cavity, lip, bladder and cervix.
“These findings are from a group mainly concerned with Women’s Health, and provide support for those who believe vaping will prove harmful.
“However the paper does not provide sufficient evidence of harmful outcomes that will be needed before the public will be convinced to stop.”
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Spec%20sheet
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
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PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
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SERIES INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
Table
The top three sides advance to the 2022 World Cup Qualifier.
The bottom four sides are relegated to the 2022 World Cup playoff
1 United States 8 6 2 0 0 12 0.412
2 Scotland 8 4 3 0 1 9 0.139
3 Namibia 7 4 3 0 0 8 0.008
4 Oman 6 4 2 0 0 8 -0.139
5 UAE 7 3 3 0 1 7 -0.004
6 Nepal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 PNG 8 0 8 0 0 0 -0.458
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
MANDOOB
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
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The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
