E-Cigarette Use Linked to Higher Diabetes Risk, Warns UM Expert

By Subaashinee Kupusamy,

2 OCTOBER: A Universiti Malaya (UM) expert has raised concerns about the growing connection between e-cigarettes and diabetes, as Malaysia already grapples with high rates of the disease. Dr. Nur Amani@Natasha Ahmad Tajuddin, deputy coordinator of UM’s Nicotine Addiction Research and Collaborating Group, cited a study from Johns Hopkins University, which found that e-cigarette users are at an increased risk of developing diabetes due to nicotine in the vape liquids.

“Nicotine harms body cells, lowering insulin sensitivity, which makes it difficult for cells to absorb sugar from the bloodstream. This results in excess sugar circulating in the blood, leading to pre-diabetic conditions and eventually diabetes,” she explained.

Malaysia, with the highest rate of diabetes in Southeast Asia, faces a worsening health crisis. Sedentary lifestyles and sugary diets have been major contributors, and the rising use of e-cigarettes, particularly among the youth, further complicates the situation. From 2019 to 2022, the number of adult e-cigarette users in Malaysia rose by 27%, with a sharp increase among teenagers as well.

The Johns Hopkins study involving 60,000 participants also found that regular e-cigarette users face heightened risks of other complications linked to high blood sugar, such as heart attacks, strokes, and kidney problems.

Additionally, Professor Dr. Jamal Hisham Hashim of University Kebangsaan Malaysia noted that propylene glycol, a common component in vape liquids, has a high glucose content, contributing to elevated blood sugar and pre-diabetic conditions as stated in NST.