If you’ve switched to vaping because you believe it’s healthier than smoking, you may want to put the pen down. According to new research, it could be damaging your brain.

Researchers from the University of California, Riverside have found that even short exposure to e-cigarettes sets off a stress response in neural stem cells, which are important to brain function.

Reporting the findings in the journal iScience, study author Atena Zahedi says, “Although originally introduced as safer, ECs, such as Vuse and JUUL, are not harmless,” adding, “Our observations are likely to pertain to any product containing nicotine.”

Pregnant women and teens are especially suspectable, the research claims, as younger brains are still developing.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-07-electronic-cigarettes-brain-stem-cells.html