Covid. Twice the risk for smokers and vapers

Smokers and vapers are at greater risk of developing severe forms of Covid-19, according to a recent study.[1]. These results echo a number of others reports, and definitively put an end to the belief that nicotine has a protective effect on smokers.

Researchers at the University of California looked at more than 8,000 people, aged 18 to 25, to determine their vulnerability to severe COVID-19. The results showed that nearly a third of this population were medically susceptible to developing severe coronavirus (32%). However, when people who reported smoking or vaping were removed from the analysis, that percentage was cut in half (16%).

As Dr. David Christiani of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health points out, “ Tobacco products cause inflammation of the airways and affect lung immunity, making people more susceptible to infections »[2]In fact, far from being a vector of protection, the practice of smoking or vaping is associated with a higher probability of progression of the virus, increases the severity of the disease, the risks of being admitted to intensive care or of death.

In its conclusion, the study highlights the importance of prevention to reduce risky practices, particularly among young people. Effective public health policies have the potential to reduce medical vulnerability to Covid-19 as well as other serious health problems, such as obesity.