The Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (IAFA) joined the health alert asking people not to use electronic vaporizers and cigarettes. The Ministry of Health issued this alert after the death of 37 people in the United States due to the outbreak of the “Pulmonary Syndrome.”
In recent years, the Nicotine Electronic Management Systems (SEAN), have gained a lot of popularity. In 2015 it was shown that 1.6% of tobacco consumers in Costa Rica also consume these products.
Teresita Arrieta, Social Worker of the IAFA, explained that
although it is true that SEANs are products with a smaller amount of chemical compounds, there are also no studies that prove they are harmless to health since it has been proven that they have a significant amount of heavt metals such as nickel, tin, lead, volatile organic compounds, and other substances such as propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and artificial flavorings, which cause damage to health.”
Other ailments associated with the use of vaporizers are cardiovascular and carcinogenic diseases.
Health indicated that there is also scientific evidence about the health risks that represent the use of SEAN / SSSN, among which are difficulty breathing, throat and mouth irritation, dry cough, development of respiratory symptoms, increased respiratory disease, reduced pulmonary immune function, headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, increased heart rate and blood pressure, kidney failure, low sodium levels and gastrointestinal symptoms.