E-cigarette (electronic nicotine delivery system) is a battery-powered device that heats a liquid to produce aerosols that the user inhales. The liquid typically contains propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine and flavorings. The aerosol can contain other chemicals that can be harmful, including metals like lead and cancer-causing substances. When the user inhales the aerosol, it can also reach deep into the lungs and cause harm. People who are around someone using an e-cigarette can be exposed to these chemicals, too, similar to secondhand smoke from regular cigarettes.
Although e-cigarettes are less toxic than traditional cigarettes, they are not risk-free and more research on their long-term effects is needed. The devices are manufactured by a wide variety of companies and the liquids they use can have different concentrations of nicotine. In addition, the e-cigarettes themselves may contain hazardous materials like heavy metals, plasticizers and other chemical additives.
Nicotine is an addictive substance that can cause addiction and harms the brain development of young people and babies in utero. This is why e-cigarettes are particularly dangerous for youth, and their use should be discouraged.
The FDA regulates e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. It monitors national usage rates, especially among teens, and has taken a number of actions to keep e-cigarettes out of the hands of children and young adults.
Since e-cigarettes first appeared on the market more than a decade ago, they have been promoted as an alternative to conventional tobacco smoking. But is this really the case? A closer look at the science behind e-cigarettes suggests otherwise.
In a recent study, researchers found that e-cigarette users tend to inhale more of certain potentially harmful compounds than nonusers do. For example, levels of the volatile carbonyls acrylonitrile, acrolein, propylene oxide and crotonaldehyde were much higher in urine samples from adolescent dual e-cigarette/conventional cigarette smokers than in those from adolescent e-cigarette only users.
Another factor that influences toxicity is the way in which an e-cigarette is used or modified. For instance, JUUL, which emerged in 2015 and has a large share of the reusable e-cigarette market, uses pre-filled pods that contain nicotine salts rather than traditional e-liquids with a higher nicotine concentration. This allows the device to deliver nicotine more efficiently. JUUL’s popularity has inspired a host of copycat products that are specifically compatible with JUUL pods.
While the majority of studies that have been conducted so far focus on the liquids and the aerosols generated by e-cigarettes, more work needs to be done to examine the material composition of e-cigarettes themselves. This is especially important as it is believed that the metals and plasticizers in some e-cigarettes can leach into the liquids and vapors, resulting in higher levels of toxins. This could have negative health consequences, as the levels of toxins can be correlated with the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. A number of other potential hazards have also been highlighted by previous research, such as thrombotic events and cytokine dysregulation. These complications have been linked to the increased oxidative stress and inflammation that occurs in the lungs after e-cigarette use. 電子煙