You’ve probably heard all the outcry over the last week about a variety of studies focused on vaping. We talked about one -doctors in the United States talking to patients who currently smoke about vaping.

The most recent study being discussed is making international headlines. Media outlets all over are claiming that this study reveals that vaping is as bad for your heart (and therefore your health) as smoking. However, because it doesn’t make for a good headline or a shocking story, these media outlets aren’t giving all the information.

First, the study has not been peer-reviewed. While a study can be relevant without being published and reviewed, it’s a lot more likely to have issues with the scientific method and proper testing. While it’s still ok to look at and talk about unreviewed studies, they should also be taken with a grain of salt.

Another problem with this study is that it had a sample size of only 24 people, all approximately 30 years old. With a sample size this small, it’s practically impossible to come up with valid, all-encompassing conclusions. It’s also likely that because of the small sample size, the researchers chose candidates for the study that were likely to already have problems that would lead to the conclusions they wanted.

The study was conducted by testing how stiff the aorta was in the smokers. A stiff aortic artery can lead to heart disease and death. It’s also one of the problems that arise for smokers. The study concluded that the stiffness in the group’s aorta after a half hour of vaping was similar to that of smoking a cigarette for five minutes.

When you look at the conclusions of this study, you have to realize that not only does it not follow what scientists need to do to create a good, legitimate study, you’ll also see that this is very short-term results. There is no information on whether the people taking part in the study already had health problems that could lead to a stiff aorta.

Even more, problems arise with the study. Smoking a cigarette was limited to five minutes while vaping was lengthened to half an hour. These are not similar times, and some feel that the lengthened time was done specifically to get the results leaders of the study wanted. Many substances in our daily lives are known to cause stiffness in the aorta, including caffeine. This stiffness, while damaging to a person’s health, is also transitory.
When it comes right down to it, no one really knows the long-term effects of vaping. Studies are starting to take place, but there’s still a lot to do. Anecdotal evidence from people all over the world who switched from smoking cigarettes to vaping or using an e-cigarette shows that the individuals are healthier, feel better, and have reduced their risk of future problems due to smoking. Until more studies can be done, we’ll just have to satisfy ourselves with the fact that at least we’re united in trying to become healthier people and get rid of the cigarettes.

Many in the media simply like to get flashy, buzz-worthy headlines that make people stop and read. Sure, that’s a great marketing tool. But when the information is misleading, it’s a dangerous way to go about reporting what’s going on. One final note on this study: According to Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, Deborah Arnott, “This study does not prove that e-cigarettes are as hazardous as smoking.”