People also search for answers to the question “Are e-cigarettes bad for animals?”. As 3 million people in the UK vape and no doubt many of them live with a companion animal then surely the question is important. There has been a sharp increase in vaping in the USA.
This is a work in progress subject. People are learning about the possible health consequences of vaping. However, it has been reported in The Times newspaper on August 25, 2019 that an adult in Illinois, USA has become the first person to die from a “mysterious lung illness linked to vaping”.
The American Vaping Association said that it was confident that the illness which killed this person was caused by “devices containing cannabis or other synthetic drugs, not nicotine”.
However, the director of the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) Robert Redfield, said:
“We are saddened to hear of the first death related to the outbreak of severe lung disease in those who use e-cigarette or vaping devices. This tragic death in Illinois reinforces the serious risks associated with e-cigarette products.”
There have been 200 cases of respiratory problems over 22 American states which have been linked to the recent use of e-cigarettes according to CDC.
VETS WARN OF INCREASED PET POISONINGS BY E-CIGARETTES
“From 2017 to 2018, the number of youths who used e-cigarettes went up by 1.5 million, according to the CDC” – USA Today
E-cigarettes are safer than normal cigarettes. Normal cigarettes kill up to half of all lifetime users according to the World Health Organisation. E-cigarettes do not produce carbon monoxide or tar which are the two most harmful elements in tobacco smoke. However, the liquid and vapour of e-cigarettes contain potentially harmful chemicals but at a much lower level than conventional cigarette according to the NHS.
Public Health in England say that e-cigarettes are 95% safer than regular cigarettes. However, the long-term effects are not yet known.
Okay, in returning to the question “is vaping bad for animals?” I have to say that the jury is out but there are a potential health risk to animals. In this instance I have to refer to companion animals namely cats and dogs.
It depends on the standard you are setting in caring for your companion animal. If you are setting high standards you will not smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes in the home. You will stop and not do it around your companion animal. If you set lower standards and want to impose a potential health risk upon your cat or dog then you will continue to vape. Ultimately, it comes down to that decision.
P.S. Conventional cigarettes are a distinct health hazard to cats and dogs due to passive smoking. I have written on this on a number of occasions on this website. Please use the search facility at the top of the page to find these articles if you are interested.
