The American Heart Association points to many risks associated with vaping and e-cigarette use, including nicotine addiction, lung damage, and increased risk of heart disease.

Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is pushing out warnings about the dangers. Yet, vaping and e-cigarette use continues to be a major problem in the United State and our children are also now at risk of lung injury and addiction to nicotine.

Dr. Brenda Juan, a USF Health Pulmonologist, joined Gayle Guyardo the host of the global health and wellness show Bloom to discuss how harmful this habit can be especial due to the exposure to toxic chemicals.

There are warnings across the board when it comes to the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes, here are just some of the health issues that could arise:

E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI): EVALI is a lung injury that has been linked to vaping. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of February 2020, there have been 2,807 hospitalized cases of EVALI in the United States, resulting in 68 deaths.

Popcorn Lung: Popcorn lung, also known as bronchiolitis obliterans, is a rare lung disease that has been linked to diacetyl, a chemical used in some e-cigarette flavors. Popcorn lung causes scarring in the airways, leading to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia (AEP): AEP is a rare lung disease that has been associated with vaping. Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): COPD is a lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. It is often caused by smoking, but vaping has also been linked to an increased risk of COPD.

Asthma: Vaping has been shown to exacerbate asthma symptoms in some people, including coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

You can watch Bloom in the Tampa Bay Market weekdays at 2pm on WFLA News Channel 8.

Bloom is now part of DBTV Network Seen In Over 300 Million Households worldwide, including Roku TV, and Amazon Fire.

Bloom also airs in 40 markets across the country, with a reach of approximately 36 million households, and in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Madison, WI.