Boris Todurov, a cardiac surgeon and director of Ukraine's Heart Institute, has warned that e-cigarettes contain substances used to preserve corpses and that their effects on the lungs can be severe. He made the comments in a new episode of the FEDORIV VLOG.
Todurov said e-cigarettes are even worse than ordinary cigarettes because they contain chemicals used in the embalming of dead bodies. He said he had recently travelled to Boston with colleagues and found that some clinics in the United States now had separate departments dedicated to lung transplants for young people, because vaping damages lung tissue so severely that people as young as 30 already need transplants.
Risks of traditional cigarettes
Todurov also pointed to the dangers of ordinary tobacco. He said people who smoke around 10 cigarettes a day face a significantly higher risk of developing lung cancer. Tobacco smoke, he said, damages not only lung tissue but also the blood vessels.
Quitting smoking
On giving up smoking, Todurov said the decisive factor is the smoker's own resolve, while nicotine replacement products can only support that process. He said quitting comes down to willpower alone, and that patches, nicotine gum or other substitutes can help but will not work without a person's own decision to stop.
Recent vape incidents in Ukraine
Ukraine has recorded several high-profile cases linked to vapes this year. In one, an e-cigarette exploded in a teenager's mouth, and the boy lost several teeth, suffered a torn lower lip and burned the inside of his mouth.
In another case, in the western city of Uzhhorod, a seven-year-old boy found a vape and used it before being hospitalised in serious condition.
An illegal market
Meanwhile, a large share of Ukraine's e-cigarette market operates outside the law. Research by Kantar Ukraine found that illegal products make up 93.3% of the e-cigarette category in the country.
