E-cigarettes and vaping are gaining popularity, particularly among younger adults. A 2022 survey in Canada found that 6 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and older vaped in the last month. Notably, 14 per cent of 15 to 19-year-olds and 18 per cent of those aged 20 to 24 used a vape in the past 30 days.
As the use of vapes increases, an important question is raised. How does this affect our breathing? Third-year respiratory therapy student Kaitlin Reilly spent her summer asking that question and was recognized for her work, receiving a UM undergraduate research award. She connected with Dr. Nicole Brunton, assistant professor of respiratory therapy at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, to better understand how e-cigarettes may be influencing long-term respiratory health.
“We both kind of connected on the fact that, you know, prevention and public health is the cornerstone of what we kind of believe in and in our practice.”
Reilly adds that lung development continues until around age 25, meaning early exposure to inhaled chemicals could affect respiratory maturity. “Young individuals’ lungs are still developing. If they’re vaping while their lungs are growing, we don’t know the long-term effects of that yet.”
Because vaping is relatively new, researchers still lack long-term data on its health consequences, explains Dr. Brunton. However, she says there are some early links between disease and vaping. She references a longitudinal study called The Canadian Lung Outcomes in Users of Vaping Devices (CLOUD) Study, which is looking to better understand the long-term links.
“We’re still not quite at a point where we have longitudinal data yet,” Brunton noted. “So we’re trying to look at early markers that might indicate dysfunction occurring as a result of vaping in young people.”
Both Dr. Brunton and Reilly have a background in kinesiology and aim to provide a clearer understanding of respiratory health. They want to present evidence for the public and healthcare practitioners so they can make informed decisions regarding e-cigarette use and health recommendations. Exercise is a great tool to achieve that.
“Exercise lets us pinpoint weaknesses or areas of limitation,” Brunton explained. “That can help us provide evidence so people can make informed decisions about e-cigarette use.”
Part of the team’s motivation came from misconceptions surrounding vaping. “People think it’s healthier because you’re inhaling vapour instead of smoke,” Reilly said. “But vape juice often contains higher nicotine concentrations, and people can have stronger withdrawal than with conventional cigarettes.”
The accessibility and discretion of vaping also contribute to its popularity. “You don’t need to step outside or be gone for ten minutes,” Brunton added. “The ease of use and availability make it something we really need to understand better.”
A critical pillar of Reilly and Brunton’s approach is ensuring women are fully represented in the research. Many clinical tools and studies have historically relied on male datasets, leading to diagnostic blind spots for women.
Reilly highlighted major gaps: “Our measurement tools are not sensitive to women. Some studies avoid using female participants because of concerns about pregnancy or menstrual cycles affecting results.” This exclusion can have life-or-death consequences. “Women experience symptoms differently,” she explained, citing cardiovascular research where women’s heart attack symptoms were often misdiagnosed.
To avoid these biases, the team plans to recruit balanced numbers of male and female participants. Brunton emphasized intentional design: “Actively including both sexes from the outset is important. Sometimes studies exclude a sex because it’s easier, but that limits the results and who they apply to.”
Although this phase focused largely on a literature review and equipment testing, the researchers see it as the first step toward a larger project aimed at understanding vaping’s early pulmonary effects.
“The goal is to move toward better understanding the impacts of vaping early in life,” Brunton said. “Ultimately, we want to inform public health recommendations and help people make evidence-informed decisions.”
For the team, this study was the first step in a larger initiative to improve information for health care providers and patient outcomes.
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
