Study on Potential Toxicity of E-Cigarette Flavorings Produces Unwarranted Scare

A study published in the journal Tobacco Control this past April has produced an unwarranted scare about the potential toxicity of the flavorings in electronic cigarettes.(See: Tierney PA, et al. Flavour chemicals in electronic cigarette fluids. Tobacco Control. Published online ahead of print on April 15, 2015. DOI: 0.1136/tobaccocontrol-2014-052175.)The study used gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to analyze the chemical constituents in e-liquids of various flavors. It appears that 30 different e-liquid flavors were tested. Multiple flavors of two brands of disposable e-cigarettes (Blu and NJOY) were tested along with a convenience sample of e-liquids obtained from vape shops.The results were reported as follows: "In many liquids, total flavour chemicals were found to be in the∼1–4% range (10–40 mg/mL); labelled levels of nicotine were in the range of 0.6–2.4% (6 to 24 mg/mL). A significant number of the flavour chemicals were aldehydes, a compound class recognised as 'primary irritants’ of mucosal tissue of the respiratory tract. Many of the products contained the same flavour chemicals: vanillin and/or ethyl vanillin was found in 17 of the liquids as one of the top three flavour chemicals, and/or at ≥ 0.5 mg/mL."The study concludes as follows: "The concentrations of some flavour chemicals in e-cigarette fluids are sufficiently high for inhalation exposure by vaping to be of toxicological concern. Regulatory limits should be contemplated for levels of some o...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs