Vaping could raise the risk of devastating lung disease COPD in young people, experts discover. Here are the warning signs to watch for

Vaping could cause lasting damage to young people's lungs, potentially putting them at risk of a deadly lung disease later in life, scientists have warned.Researchers found that young adults who vaped suffered a measurable decline in lung function in just 12 months, with heavier users tending to fare worse.They fear the damage could build up over years, increasing the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – an incurable condition that makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and kills around 30,000 Britons every year.Usually linked to decades of cigarette smoking, the disease develops when damage to the lungs makes it harder to breathe air out.Now, scientists at Florida International University have found early evidence that vaping could contribute to the same problem.They tested the lung function of 22 vapers aged 21 to 35, measuring how much air they could forcefully breathe out in one second.When they repeated the tests around a year later, they found that the amount had fallen significantly.Those who vaped most frequently tended to show the biggest declines, although the researchers could not be certain this was more than chance. Vaping raises the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a study has foundThe findings, published in Tobacco Control, are preliminary, and scientists stressed that larger studies are needed to establish whether vaping causes lasting damage or raises the risk of COPD.COPD affects around 1.7 million Britons, although an estimated 600,000 people are living with the condition without knowing it, according to the charity Asthma + Lung UK.It develops when the airways become damaged and narrowed, making it increasingly difficult to breathe.Early warning signs include a persistent cough, bringing up mucus and breathlessness, which can gradually worsen until even everyday activities become a struggle.Smoking is by far the biggest cause, although long-term exposure to air pollution and other harmful substances can also contribute.Although COPD is usually associated with older smokers, research suggests that warning signs of the disease can appear much earlier in life.A major European study involving almost 50,000 people found that up to eight per cent of adults in their 20s and 30s showed signs of restricted airflow – a key feature of COPD.Crucially, the problem was also found among people who had never smoked, raising questions about what other factors might be damaging young people's lungs.In the new study researchers found signs that the more frequently people vaped, the greater the deterioration in their lung function.Those vaping 30 times or more a day tended to show the biggest declines, raising concerns that heavy use could be particularly harmful.However, the study involved just 22 people, and the researchers could not rule out the possibility that the apparent link between heavier vaping and greater damage was down to chance.They warned that larger studies are needed to establish whether the changes persist and could eventually lead to serious lung disease.Nevertheless, the scientists warned that repeated exposure to e-cigarettes could potentially cause damage that builds up over time, putting users at risk of COPD later in life.Dr Aran Singanayagam, a consultant in respiratory medicine at OneWelbeck and Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London, said: 'There's lots of emerging evidence that vaping can be damaging to the body.'If you're regularly inhaling chemicals then it's fairly obvious that this can lead to inflammation and potentially lasting damage.'There's not a lot doctors can do to treat COPD, so it should be avoided at all costs.'Vaping is widely considered less harmful than smoking because e-cigarettes do not produce the tar or carbon monoxide found in tobacco smoke.They are also used to help smokers quit, with the previous Conservative government announcing plans in 2023 to offer free vapes to one million smokers.However, e-cigarette vapour can still contain potentially harmful chemicals, and experts remain concerned about the effects of inhaling them over many years.Previous studies have suggested vaping may also weaken the lungs' defences against infection.There are particular concerns about its growing popularity among children and teenagers, with research suggesting almost one million 11- to 17-year-olds have tried vaping.A review published in August also found evidence of an association between youth vaping and subsequently taking up smoking, raising concerns that e-cigarettes could act as a gateway to tobacco rather than steering young people away from it.