Children who vape 'three times more likely to become smokers'
The review, the largest of its kind, also shows they are more likely to be diagnosed with asthma and have poor mental health.
The authors warned this is 'the strongest evidence to date' suggesting young vapers around the world face 'a serious range of physical and psychological harms from vaping'.
Links between vaping and increased odds of respiratory illness and substance abuse including alcohol and cannabis were identified.
The University of York and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine analysed all available reviews on youth vaping coming to 56 reviews on 384 studies. Some 21 of these looked at the use of e-cigarettes among young people and later cigarette smoking.
Vapers were more likely to smoke in later life and also more likely to smoke more frequently and intensely, the analysis showed.
Other harmful outcomes included pneumonia, bronchitis, lower total sperm counts, dizziness, headaches, and migraines. A link was identified between depression and suicidal thoughts among young vapers also.
Associate professor in health science Su Golder at the University of York, said:
The consistency in the evidence is striking. Across multiple studies, young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke in the future.
The findings support 'stronger public health measures', Dr Golder said.
Greg Hartwell, clinical assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: 'Our review shows exactly why further restrictions on the tobacco industry, who control the vaping market, are so important.'
Senior author and assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Rebecca Glover, added: 'Our study provides the strongest evidence to date that young people globally face a serious range of physical and psychological harms from vaping and are at higher risk of transitioning to smoking.'
Ireland's vape laws tightened
The Government has approved proposals for further tightening vape laws, including banning disposable vapes and limiting flavours in all vapes.
Up to July, they were with the Attorney General's office.
Paul Kavanagh, chairman of the Royal College of Physicians Ireland clinical advisory group on smoking and e-cigarettes, recently shared his serious concerns about vaping in the Irish Examiner.
'It may well be another 10, 15, 20 years before we have a definitive and clear picture in relation to the health effects of e-cigarettes, particularly when it comes to some disease categories like cancer,' he said.
Dr Kavanagh said that, up to recently, there was 'unrestricted access' to vapes in Ireland.
'What that has led to is rapidly-increasing e-cigarette use, particularly among children and young people, and at the same time, we have not seen any further reduction in smoking prevalence in our population,' he warned.
James Murphy, British American Tobacco director of science and research, said: 'There is little evidence that vaping is a gateway to smoking. In fact, it has helped millions of adults move away from cigarettes.
'While not risk-free, experts agree it poses only a fraction of the risks of smoking.'
A still from 'The Vapening', a film made by teenage members of the Foróige CRIB youth and family support project in Sligo about the prevalance of vaping among young Irish people. See link below.
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Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Children who vape 'three times more likely to become smokers'
Children who vape are three times more likely to become smokers later, a 'striking' new worldwide analysis of vaping by young people has found. The review, the largest of its kind, also shows they are more likely to be diagnosed with asthma and have poor mental health. The authors warned this is 'the strongest evidence to date' suggesting young vapers around the world face 'a serious range of physical and psychological harms from vaping'. Links between vaping and increased odds of respiratory illness and substance abuse including alcohol and cannabis were identified. The University of York and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine analysed all available reviews on youth vaping coming to 56 reviews on 384 studies. Some 21 of these looked at the use of e-cigarettes among young people and later cigarette smoking. Vapers were more likely to smoke in later life and also more likely to smoke more frequently and intensely, the analysis showed. Other harmful outcomes included pneumonia, bronchitis, lower total sperm counts, dizziness, headaches, and migraines. A link was identified between depression and suicidal thoughts among young vapers also. Associate professor in health science Su Golder at the University of York, said: The consistency in the evidence is striking. Across multiple studies, young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke in the future. The findings support 'stronger public health measures', Dr Golder said. Greg Hartwell, clinical assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: 'Our review shows exactly why further restrictions on the tobacco industry, who control the vaping market, are so important.' Senior author and assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Rebecca Glover, added: 'Our study provides the strongest evidence to date that young people globally face a serious range of physical and psychological harms from vaping and are at higher risk of transitioning to smoking.' Ireland's vape laws tightened The Government has approved proposals for further tightening vape laws, including banning disposable vapes and limiting flavours in all vapes. Up to July, they were with the Attorney General's office. Paul Kavanagh, chairman of the Royal College of Physicians Ireland clinical advisory group on smoking and e-cigarettes, recently shared his serious concerns about vaping in the Irish Examiner. 'It may well be another 10, 15, 20 years before we have a definitive and clear picture in relation to the health effects of e-cigarettes, particularly when it comes to some disease categories like cancer,' he said. Dr Kavanagh said that, up to recently, there was 'unrestricted access' to vapes in Ireland. 'What that has led to is rapidly-increasing e-cigarette use, particularly among children and young people, and at the same time, we have not seen any further reduction in smoking prevalence in our population,' he warned. James Murphy, British American Tobacco director of science and research, said: 'There is little evidence that vaping is a gateway to smoking. In fact, it has helped millions of adults move away from cigarettes. 'While not risk-free, experts agree it poses only a fraction of the risks of smoking.' A still from 'The Vapening', a film made by teenage members of the Foróige CRIB youth and family support project in Sligo about the prevalance of vaping among young Irish people. See link below.
RTÉ News
09-07-2025
- RTÉ News
European heatwave caused an estimated 2,300 deaths
Around 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities during the severe heatwave that ended last week, according to a scientific analysis. The study targeted the ten days, ending 2 July, during which large parts of Western Europe were hit by extreme heat, with temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius in Spain and wildfires breaking out in France. Of the 2,300 people estimated to have died during this period, 1,500 deaths were linked to climate change, which made the heatwave more severe, according to the study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "Climate change has made it significantly hotter than it would have been, which in turn makes it a lot more dangerous," said Dr Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London. The study covered 12 cities including Barcelona, Madrid, London and Milan, where the researchers said climate change has increased heatwave temperatures by up to 4 degrees Celsius. The researchers used established epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the death toll, which reflects deaths where heat was the underlying reason for mortality, including if exposure exacerbated pre-existing health conditions. The scientists said they used peer-reviewed methods to quickly produce the estimated death toll, because most heat-related deaths are not officially reported and some governments do not release this data. Last month was the planet's third-hottest June on record, behind the same month in 2024 and 2023, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said in a monthly bulletin. Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record, with much of the region experiencing "very strong heat stress" - defined by conditions that feel like a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more, Copernicus said. "In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe," said Samantha Burgess, Copernicus' strategic lead for climate. Researchers from European health institutes reported in 2023 that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Europe's sweltering heatwaves in 2022, according to research, suggesting countries' heat preparedness efforts are falling fatally short. The build-up of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere - which mostly come from the burning of fossil fuels - means the planet's average temperature has increased over time. This increase in baseline temperatures means that when a heatwave comes, temperatures can surge to higher peaks.
The Irish Sun
26-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Mummified 14,000-year-old puppies with their FUR still intact and food still in their stomachs are found frozen in ice
SCIENTISTS have discovered two 14,000-year-old mummified "puppies" with their fur still intact and food still in their stomachs. Hidden beneath deep layers of permafrost in Northern Siberia, the ice age creatures were initially thought to be domesticated dogs. 3 The two well-preserved cub found in Siberia Credit: Runge et al./ Quaternary Research, 2025 3 The well-preserved cubs — which turned out to be sisters — were later found to be were actually wolf cubs Credit: Runge et al./ Quaternary Research, 2025 The well-preserved cubs — which turned out to be sisters — were later found to be were actually wolf cubs. The 'Tumat Puppies,' as they are known, contain hints of a last meal in their stomachs, including meat from a woolly rhinoceros and feathers from a small bird called a wagtail. The mummified animal carcasses were found in 2011 and 2015 alongside woolly mammoth bones that were seemingly cut and burned by humans. This suggests the wolf cubs might have been domesticated by humans who ate the meat before giving away the leftovers. However, there was no indication that the pups got their food directly from humans or even from rummaging through humans' mammoth butchering sites, researchers said. Anne Kathrine Runge, an archaeologist at the University of York in the UK, analysed genetic data from the gut contents as well as chemical signatures in the bones, teeth and soft tissue. Experts now believe that the animals were two-month-old wolf pups, believed to be sisters, with no evidence of interacting with people. The sisters 'inhabited a diverse landscape that was also occupied by humans,' they wrote, but 'this study found no evidence that can conclusively link them to human activities.' Most read in Science How the wolf cubs died also remains a mystery. "Neither showed signs of being attacked or injured either, which suggests that they died suddenly when the underground den collapsed, perhaps triggered by a landslide, and trapped them inside", the study said. Ms Runge said: "It was incredible to find two sisters from this era so well preserved, but even more incredible that we can now tell so much of their story, down to the last meal that they ate. 'Whilst many will be disappointed that these animals are almost certainly wolves and not early domesticated dogs, they have helped us get closer to understanding the environment at the time, how these animals lived, and how remarkably similar wolves from more than 14,000 years ago are to modern day wolves." Nathan Wales, an ancient-DNA specialist at the University of York, said: "Today, litters are often larger than two, and it is possible that the Tumat Puppies had siblings that escaped their fate. 'There may also be more cubs hidden in the permafrost.' The DNA testing showed that they likely belonged to a now-extinct population of wolves unrelated to today's dogs. Dogs and wolves are belived to be closely related. However, they diverged genetically somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 years ago, What is the Siberian permafrost? Siberian permafrost is a vast expanse of permanently frozen ground that covers approximately 80 per cent of Siberia, a region in the north-eastern part of Asia. This frozen layer, composed of soil, rock, gravel, and sand bound together by ice, remains at or below 0°C (32°F) for at least two consecutive years. Its thickness varies significantly, from less than a meter to over 1,500 meters in some parts of northern Siberia, such as the Lena and Yana River basins. The extent of permafrost is categorised into continuous, where 90-100% of the land is frozen, discontinuous (50-90%), and sporadic (10-50%). This frozen ground has historically provided a stable foundation for infrastructure, including large cities and industrial complexes. 3 Study co-author Nathan Wales Credit: Runge et al./ Quaternary Research, 2025 It comes after another mummified wolf pup dating back 57,000 years was unearthed in Canada - with its fur and teeth still intact. The Ice Age creature's head, tail, paws, fur and skin were perfectly preserved in the Arctic permafrost after it died aged just seven weeks. Its remains dug up by a gold miner near Dawson City in the Yukon also included exceptional details of the muscle tissues. The animal, a female, is thought to have died suddenly after its den collapsed. The remarkable find opens a window to life in ancient Canada's far north when woolly mammoths roamed the Earth. It also sheds light on the seven week old's lifestyle – and the evolution of modern wolves. The animal is the oldest ancient wolf on record. Lead author Professor Julie Meachen, of Des Moines University, Iowa, said: "She's the most complete wolf mummy that's ever been found. "She's basically 100 per cent intact – all that's missing are her eyes. "And the fact she's so complete allowed us to do so many lines of inquiry on her to basically reconstruct her life." The animal has been named Zhur – meaning "wolf" in the local indigenous Han language. By studying hair and tooth chemicals, the researchers found the pup's mother mainly ate aquatic foods. That probably meant seasonal consumption of fish from the Klondike River, which still has a modern-day spawning population of Chinook salmon. Read more on the Irish Sun In other news, A Viking temple The world's most gruesome ancient burials Here's some of the most haunting archaeological discoveries ever made... Shackled skeletons: A mass grave in an ancient Greek cemetery was found to contain 80 skeletons all with their wrists clamped in iron shackles; archaeologists think they were victims of a mass execution but why this happened remains a mystery Mass child sacrifice: The remains of nearly 270 children sacrificed to the gods 500 years ago were recently found in a gruesome ancient mass grave in Peru Family massacre: Archaeologists recently discovered that a 5,000 year old mass grave site was the result of a tragic family massacre; the burial site in Poland contains the bodies of men, women and children who all had their skulls smashed to pieces Bog bodies: In 1950, experts found a bog body with a "face so fresh they could only suppose they had stumbled on a recent murder." The corpse, referred to as the Tollund man, is probably the most well-preserved body from pre-historic times in the whole world
