Often Considered Safe, One Puff of a Vape Can Equal a Pack of Cigarettes

A paediatrician specialising in child respirology, Dr Cynthia Centauri, has cautioned that vapes or electronic cigarettes contain dangerously high levels of nicotine, with some devices delivering the equivalent of a whole pack of conventional cigarettes in a single puff. She emphasised the particular danger posed to infants and children exposed to the vapour.

According to Dr Cynthia, the short-term health impacts on children are well-documented in medical literature, including respiratory disorders such as bronchitis, pneumonia, lung inflammation, and even spontaneous pneumothorax, a condition where the lung collapses. While long-term data remains limited due to the relatively recent mass proliferation of vapes over the last decade, she did not rule out the possibility that the high nicotine content could trigger lung cancer in the future.

She also criticised the marketing practices surrounding vape products, which are often packaged appealingly with flavours like matcha and strawberry. This, she argued, creates a deceptive impression that vapes are harmless, leading some consumers to mistake them for aromatherapy or comfort products. Dr Cynthia further highlighted the weak regulation of vapes in Indonesia, noting that products with extremely high nicotine levels remain widely available, unlike in several other countries where strict limits are enforced.