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. 2020 May;128(5):52001.
doi: 10.1289/EHP6628. Epub 2020 May 4.

Vaper, Beware: The Unique Toxicological Profile of Electronic Cigarettes

Silke Schmidt

Vaper, Beware: The Unique Toxicological Profile of Electronic Cigarettes

Silke Schmidt. Environ Health Perspect. 2020 May.
No abstract available

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Figures

Photograph of a man exhaling a large visible cloud of e-cigarette vapor
Graphical abstract
Photograph of bottles of e-liquid
The percentage of high schoolers reporting recent e-cigarette use increased from 1.5% in 2011 to 27.5% in 2019. The rapid increase in youth vaping is one reason the FDA is cracking down on manufacturers targeting young consumers with kid-friendly marketing. Image: CC BY 4.0 (cropped original).
Closeup photograph of a metal e-cigarette coil
Brand-new heating coils emit more metal particles than older ones. But that is just one characteristic of individual devices that can affect total metal emissions. Image: © iStockphoto/gawriloff.
Photograph of a man exhaling a large visible cloud of e-cigarette vapor
Manufacturers and vapers mix the solvents propylene glycol and vegetable glycerol (also known as vegetable glycerin or glycerine) in different proportions to achieve desired effects from e-liquids. These include the intensity of the flavors, the strength of the “throat hit” (or sensation from inhaling nicotine), and the size of the resulting vapor cloud. Image: CC0 Public Domain.
Figure showing a proposed classification of e-cigarette flavors arranged in a wheel divided into categories, subcategories, and sub-subcategories
Studies of vapers’ e-cigarette preferences and habits have revealed a lack of consistency in naming of flavors. In 2018, researchers developed a “flavor wheel” consisting of 13 main categories and 90 subcategories. A common vocabulary for classifying flavors makes it easier to compare findings across studies. Image: © The Authors 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. Originally published in: Krüsemann EJZ, Boesveldt S, de Graaf K, Talhout R. 2019. An e-liquid flavor wheel: a shared vocabulary based on systematically reviewing e-liquid flavor classifications in literature. Nicotine Tob Res 21(10):1310–1319, DOI: 10.1093/ntr/nty101.
Photograph of a man vaping at an outdoor café with other customers nearby
Emerging evidence suggests that secondhand exposure to vaping aerosols may expose bystanders to potentially harmful chemicals. As of 2 January 2020, 22 U.S. states and territories had restricted the use of e-cigarettes in smoke-free environments. Image: © iStockphoto/mediaphotos.
Photograph of a vape shop with a sign that reads “Healthier Living”
E-cigarettes have long been touted as a healthier alternative to smoking. And it is true that vapers may avoid many of the toxic exposures associated with smoking. However, e-cigarettes come with potentially hazardous exposures of their own. Image: © Philip Brookes/Alamy Stock Photo.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Eaton DL, Kwan LY, Stratton K, eds. 2018. Chapter 1. Introduction In: Public Health Consequences of E-cigarettes: A Consensus Study of The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 23–41. https://www.nap.edu/read/24952/chapter/1 [accessed 30 March 2020].
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