Another study warns mixing vapes and smoking is a bad idea

When it comes to harm reduction, studies have indicated that it's likely beneficial to switch from smoking cigarettes to vaping electronic cigarettes, which eliminates the tar and other issues associated with tobacco. On the flip side, however, there's a growing body of research that has found mixing smoking and vaping habits is a bad idea when it comes to lung health.

The latest research on the topic comes from Massachusetts General Hospital, where experts found that people who smoke and vape are more likely to develop breathing issues like wheezing and coughing compared to people who either smoke or vape, but not both.

The findings were based on an analysis of Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study data; it involved information on more than 20,000 people ages 12 and older who didn't have any breathing issues at the start of their involvement.

Fast-forward a year and the participants were surveyed on any respiratory issues they may have developed, as well as whether they vaped, smoked, or were dual users of both products. Dual users were found to be 1.9 times more likely to develop breathing issues compared to people who vape and 1.24 times more likely to develop the same issues compared to smokers.

Meanwhile, people who didn't have a smoking history but who vaped were only slightly more likely to develop these issues when compared to people who didn't smoke or vape. Based on the findings, the researchers note that if you're a smoker who plans to use vaping as a way to quit, you should make a full switch from cigarettes to their electronic sibling rather than using a mixture of both products.