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Is Danger Lurking Behind the “Benefits” of eCigarettes?
by Karyn Brodsky
You can’t escape the vape. Those slender, flute-like tubes are everywhere—not only being used to inhale vapors by adults, but also by teens and yes, tweens, who are attracted to the various candy and fruit-flavored “juices” mixed with nicotine. Some electronic cigarette companies promote them as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes, but are they really just as toxic?
Concerns from Addiction Experts
John Lieberman, CEO of Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers in Malibu, California, believes that they pose serious risks. He references a study from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, which demonstrates the potential for long-term addiction to tobacco.
“Nicotine is addictive, and companies have never claimed e-cigs were safe—just less dangerous than a lit cigarette. It’s simply another method to introduce a chemical,” Lieberman states. He points out that the ease of use presents a risk. “Adolescents might be tempted to use e-cigarettes to inhale anything: cocaine, chemicals, and other drugs.”
Health Risks of Electronic Cigarettes
While many see electronic cigarettes or “e-cigs” as this decade’s solution for smoking cessation, notable health risks exist. “E-cigarettes, marketed as safer than regular cigarettes, deliver a mix of toxic chemicals, including carcinogens, into the lungs. Recent studies suggest that using e-cigarettes might even lead to bacterial infections becoming resistant to antibiotics. Additionally, significant levels of nanoparticles found in e-cigarettes can cause inflammation and have been linked to conditions like asthma, strokes, heart disease, and diabetes.”
“Most e-cigarettes contain at least some traces of the solvents used to dissolve nicotine and flavorings. These solvents are known lung irritants and can transform into even more concerning substances, known as carbonyls. This group includes established cancer-causing chemicals like formaldehyde and other suspected carcinogens like acetaldehyde. Since early e-cigarettes didn’t deliver the same potent nicotine hit as burning tobacco, engineers developed advanced technology to allow users to increase an e-cigarette’s voltage and temperature, which atomizes more nicotine per puff. However, these higher temperatures can lead to a breakdown of solvents, producing carbonyls.”
Product Spotlight: JUUL
A relatively new product on the market called JUUL (pronounced “jewel”) serves as a method to inhale nicotine vapors. JUUL’s ingredients include nicotine, glycerol, propylene glycol (commonly found in vaporization liquids and various consumer products like toothpaste), and benzoic acid (a naturally occurring acid from the tobacco plant). The nicotine, flavors, and other components are gently heated by a vaporizer to release active ingredients, avoiding combustion and smoke, but does this make e-cigs less hazardous?
The JUUL website itself acknowledges that dangers exist. “No tobacco product should be considered safe… inhalation of e-vapor may worsen existing respiratory conditions.” They also clarify that “technically, JUUL is not meant to help a person quit smoking. It simply allows for the inhalation of nicotine without generating any smoke for the user or secondhand smoke for others. JUUL is not intended to serve as a nicotine cessation device.”
Emerging Health Conditions
Besides the creation of carcinogenic compounds, e-cigarettes have been linked to Popcorn Lung—a condition named after cases of bronchiolitis obliterans reported by The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2000 among workers in a Missouri microwave popcorn plant. This serious condition scars tiny air sacs in the lungs. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that inhaling diacetyl, the substance used for the buttery flavor in popcorn, likely contributed to these cases. Symptoms include cough and shortness of breath, mirroring those seen in individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Currently, no treatments can reverse this condition.
A 2015 study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that harmful flavoring chemicals associated with Popcorn Lung are prevalent in many flavored e-cigarettes, particularly those with candy and fruit flavors favored by youth. “Out of 51 flavored e-cigarettes tested, flavoring chemicals were detected in 47, with diacetyl specifically found in 39 samples. This indicates a potentially hazardous exposure level to chemicals that can cause significant lung damage.”
It is said that knowledge is power. Understanding that current e-cigarettes can lead to cancer or other severe health issues is a vital starting point for parents to engage in conversations with their teens, tweens, and young adults. This information also equips individuals to advocate for stronger regulations on e-cigarettes to protect our children.
Sources:
John Lieberman, CEO of Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers, based in Malibu, California
*sciencenews.org/article/health-risks-e-cigarettes-emerge
*juul.com/support/vapor
*juul.com/support/faq
*medicinenet.com/popcorn_lung_symptoms_and_causes/views.htm
