(WSIL) -- A new CDC survey shows a 148% increase in the number of high schoolers who use e-cigarettes or other vape products since 2017.
There are many misconceptions with e-cigarettes, such as that they are safer than regular cigarettes.
"Vaping is showing to be more harmful to an individual regardless of age. Basically because the chemicals that are in the vaping product can often contain other chemicals which can be harmful. Some have contained glass and other substances as well," said Southern Seven Health Department Community Outreach Coordinator Shawnna Rhine.
But now there is a new risk that comes with vaping.
"We're still learning about COVID-19, of course, and other studies are being done, but there is definitely an elevated risk with users of vaping products," said Jackson County Health Department's Tobacco Prevention and Control Coordinator Cristy Wedemeyer.
New evidence from the CDC and the Journal of Adolescent Health shows that young adults who vape are five times more likely to test positive for COVID-19.
That doesn't include how vaping can spread COVID-19 to others.
"Now if you imagine someone who is inhaling a substance, going into the lungs, going through the throat, and then they're exhaling, you have that aerosol in the air. And I'm not sure about you, but if someone is COVID positive, I don't wanna be breathing that in as well," said Wedemeyer.
Vaping also creates other risk factors such as not social distancing, not wearing a mask, and putting your hands near your mouth.
People who vape are now at a greater risk if they do come in contact with the virus.
"When you're vaping, you're already putting your lungs at risk for any type of infection, and when you add a lung infection on top of that, which COVID-19 is, than that makes it even more difficult to heal from that," said Rhine.
"Those that have vaped or smoked are having a harder time recovering with it. So you're looking at the lung damage possibly from the vaping, or the scarring from the lungs, and that can reduce your ability to fight the virus," said Wedemeyer.
