Drug-laced vaping-implications and emerging perioperative challenges for the anesthesiologist: a narrative review.

Drug-laced vaping involves using vaping devices to inhale psychoactive substances other than nicotine. These may include cannabinoids, stimulants, opioids and benzodiazepines. In some cases, the person using the vape may not know that these substances are present.

This review highlights possible concerns for patients having surgery or anesthesia. Drug-laced vaping may affect the lungs, heart, breathing and level of consciousness. Some newer substances may also be missed by routine drug tests. The authors note that direct evidence is still limited and more research is needed.

Drug-laced vaping can be difficult for doctors to identify because patients may not know what they have inhaled, may not mention it, or the substance may not appear on routine drug tests.

This matters before surgery because some substances can affect breathing, the lungs, blood pressure, heart rhythm and level of consciousness. Knowing about possible exposure can help healthcare professionals assess risk and plan care more carefully.

This review highlights an emerging health concern linked to vaping devices being used for substances other than nicotine. The effects may be difficult to recognise, especially when the contents of a vape are unknown.

Better awareness among healthcare professionals and the public may help identify these risks earlier. More research is needed to understand how common drug-laced vaping is and how it affects health, particularly around surgery and anesthesia.

The findings support the need for greater awareness of substances that may be used in vaping products and the health risks they may create. Public health systems may also need better ways to identify and report emerging drug-laced vaping trends.

Clear clinical guidance, improved surveillance and appropriate testing could help healthcare professionals respond to these risks. However, policies should be based on stronger evidence as more research becomes available.