Popcorn Lung - Debunking the Myths Around Vaping

04 October | Hannah Rubery

What is Popcorn Lung and why does it come up in the topic of vaping? Is vaping harmful and are E-Cigarettes as bad as some would have you believe? At Pod Salt, we’re passionate about helping smokers on their journey to quit and make the switch from cigarettes to vaping. But many are dubious because there can be misconceptions about vaping, in the media especially. So, we’ve decided to shed some light on the myths and sort fact from fiction.

Vaping gives you ‘popcorn lung’

First off, what is ‘popcorn lung’?

This nickname was given to a condition called Bronchiolitis obliterans, a condition that damages your lungs’ smallest airways which can make you cough and feel short of breath most of the time. It was caused by breathing in a chemical which used to be commonly used to flavour microwave popcorn – hence the name.

How does this relate to vaping?

This condition can be linked to very high dosages of a chemical called ‘diacetyl’, a chemical which can be used to create a buttery flavouring, mostly used in microwave popcorn. Diacetyl is a by-product of the fermentation process used during the production of dairy products and is used in food and drink to give a sweet, buttery taste. This chemical is not found in the base ingredients of E-Liquids, only trace amounts may be found in certain flavours such as custard or pasty E-Liquids – even this is only a minute amount that would not have a negative impact on the lungs. However, this chemical was banned in the UK in 2016 under the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), so E-Liquids sold in the UK won’t contain diacetyl.

Where did this myth come from?

A US study in 2016 looked at whether E-Cigarette liquids available at the time contained this chemical and found that 39 out of 51 E-Liquid flavours contained some level of diacetyl. But this study did not actually investigate whether there was any correlation between E-Cigarette use and ‘popcorn lung’. Even in the past before the ban, diacetyl had been detected in some E-Liquid flavourings but at levels hundreds of times lower than that in cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke can cause a great number of serious illnesses and diseases including many cancers, but even with the levels of diacetyl within smoking, it is not a major risk factor for this rare disease. According to Yorkshire Cancer Research, there is no evidence that vaping causes popcorn lung.

At Pod Salt we want to empower smokers with the facts of vaping to help shed light on some of the myths of vaping. We hope that this dive into the truth around popcorn lung has given you some food for thought on the topic. Keep posted for more Monday Myth-busting with Pod Salt!


Sources:
●  Cancer Research UK – Does vaping cause popcorn lung
●  Yorkshire Cancer Research – Position Statement on Vaping Products
●  Public Health Matters – Clearing up some myths around E-Cigarettes
●  Vapestore – Popcorn Lung and Diacetyl
●  Vaping Facts – What is Popcorn Lung