1. E-cigarettes pollute the air. (1-3)
· E-cigarettes give off tiny particles that can lodge in the lungs and cause disease. (3)
2. E-cigarette vapor is not water but contains:
· Nicotine (addictive), formaldehyde and ß-nicotyrine (cause cancer) (1,2)
· Metal & silicate particles (toxic to human cells) (4)
· Propylene glycol (lung and eye irritant) (1,2)
3. E-cigarettes can undermine TF campus policies by making enforcement confusing. (5)
· E-cigarette aerosol creates a dense mix of vapor and fine particles that looks like tobacco smoke. If exempt from TF policies, the ‘smoky look’ creates confusion with enforcement.
4. No current regulations on the manufacture and sale of e-cigarettes to protect consumers. (6)
· No way to know what users are breathing in or putting into the air for others to breathe.
5. High nicotine concentrations in e-cigarette fluid can be deadly.
· The liquid can spill on the skin and be accidentally ingested. (6)
· States report increases in calls to poison control centers from e-cigarettes. (7)
6. Contents vary widely and may not match the ingredients or amounts listed on the label. (8)
· E-cigarettes labeled as zero nicotine may still contain nicotine.
· Amounts of nicotine may be more or less than what is on the label.
7. E-cigarette users are no more likely to quit than regular smokers. (9)
· Many e-cigarette users continue to smoke regular cigarettes as well.
· E-cigarettes are not approved by the FDA to help smokers quit.
8. E-cigarettes appeal to youth, even non-smokers. (10)
· Glamorous marketing and sweet, candy-like flavorings (bubble gum) are appealing.
· 1.78M youth tried e-cigarettes in 2012 (160,000 of them non-smokers). (10)
· Youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke regular cigarettes. (11)
9. Early research on the health effects of e-cigarettes shows lung effects similar to smoking:
· Five minutes of e-cigarette use has lung effects similar to tobacco smoke.(12)
· Airways become inflamed after using e-cigarettes containing nicotine.(3)
10. E-cigarettes may pollute the air less than cigarettes, but they still pollute the air.(1-3)
· Individuals are exposed to secondhand aerosol from e-cigarettes.
References
(1) Laugesen M. Safety Report on the Ruyan® E-cigarette Cartridge and Inhaled Aerosol. Christchurch:
Health New Zealand Ltd.; October 30, 2008.
(2) Westenberger BJ. Evaluation of e-cigarettes: Food and Drug Administration; May 4 2009.
(3) Schober W, Szendrei K, Matzen W, et al. Use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) impairs indoor air
quality and increases FeNO levels of e-cigarette consumers. Int. J . Hyg. Environ. Health.2013.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2013.11.003
(4) Williams M, Villarreal A, Bozhilov K, Lin S, & Talbot P. Metal and silicate particles including
nanoparticles are present in electronic cigarette cartomizer fluid and aerosol. PloS one, 2013;8,
e57987.
(5) World Health Organization. Regulatory scope. Tobacco product regulation. Electronic nicotine delivery
systems. Drug Information. 2010;24(1):30-32.
(6) Trtchounian A, Talbot P. Electronic nicotine delivery systems: is there a need for regulation? Tob
Control. 2011;20(1):47-52.
(7) Roetker, M. E-cigarettes cause alarming increase in calls to poison control center. Global Newswire.
December 9, 2013. Retrieved from https://globenewswire.com/news-
release/2013/12/09/595574/10060841/en/E-cigarettes-cause-alarming-increase-in-calls-to-poison-
control-center.html.
(8) Flouris AD, Oikonomou DN. Electronic cigarettes: miracle or menace? BMJ. 2010;340:c311.
(9) Adkison SE, O’Connor RJ, Bansal-Travers M, Hyland A, Borland R, Yong HH, Cummings KM, McNeill
A, Thrasher JF, Hammond D, & Fong GT. Electronic nicotine delivery systems: International Tobacco
Control Four-Country Survey. Am J PrevMed 2013;44(3):207-15.
(10) Notes from the field: electronic cigarette use among middle and high school students - United States, 2011-2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. Sep 6 2013;62(35):729-730.
(11) Dutra LM, Glantz SA. Electronic cigarettes and conventional cigarette use among US Adolescents.
JAMA Pediatr. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.5488. Published online March 6, 2014.Available at
https://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1840772.
(12) Vardavas CI, Anagnostopoulos N, Kougias M, Evangelopoulou V, Connolly GN, Behrakis PK. Acute
pulmonary effects of using an e-cigarette: impact on respiratory flow resistance, impedance and
exhaled nitric oxide. Chest. 2011;141(6):1400-1406.
Sharon Marini
Environmental Health & Safety
04/21/2014 |