Are E-cigarettes Safe?

Heath and Safety Issues

Picture the following scene: A young man with a scraggly beard and dreadlocks comes out of a smoke shop on Main Street.  He’s holding a small electronic device to his mouth, sucks on it and a light goes on at the tip. He then exhales from his nose and mouth what looks like smoke, which swirls  around his head. This man is “vaping,” or smoking an electronic cigarette.

Have you ever wondered what’s in that smoke?  Perhaps someone nearby was using such a device and the smoke blew in your face. Did you wonder how it might affect you?

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, have gone from an oddity used by hippies to mainstream.  We now see them everywhere. Even Walmart has a variety of them on the shelf!  Besides the requirement that purchasers and users be over 18, electronic cigarettes aren’t regulated by the FDA. Nor is there any state regulation of e-cigs.

Electronic cigarettes contain nicotine suspended in a fluid that includes water, propylene glycol, and flavors.  A battery-operated heater vaporizes the liquid in an e-cig, allowing the smoker to breathe it into the lungs.

The stated purpose of these electronic devices is an alternative to smoking cigarettes.  E-cigs contain varying levels of nicotine, mostly around one-tenth to one-half of the level of nicotine found in tobacco cigarettes.  At first, they were only found in smoke shops, produced by local manufacturers. But now, e-cigs have become big business, and tobacco companies are proud to produce them.

E-Cig Statistics[1]

E-Cigarette Statistics	Data
Percent of people using e-cigarettes that quit smoking within 6 months	29 %
Total number of smokers in the U.S.	45,000,000
Total number of e-cigarette smokers	2,750,000
Percent of U.S. adults who have tried e-cigarettes	6.7 %
Percent of high school students who have tried e-cigarettes	12 %
Percent of U.S. adults who are using e-cigarettes	3.7 %
Sales in 2015	$2,875,000,000

Many websites, such as those put out by the California Department of Public Health,[2] Consumer Reports,[3] and even the American Lung Association[4] contain little more than propaganda demonizing the devices in order to garner public support for FDA regulation. Rather than science, they use fearmongering. Most news agencies are also reporting on fears instead of facts. So, let’s look at the facts in more detail.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) keeps statistics on health-related issues with the devices, reporting about 70 complaints on e-cigarettes between the end of 2006 and November 2013, including:

• 32 respiratory problems, some related to second-hand smoke exposure
• 12 hospitalizations involving blood-pressure abnormalities, disorientation, pneumonia, seizures, and other health problems, and two reported deaths
• 10 heart problems, including heart-rhythm abnormalities and congestive heart failure
• 10 allergic reactions, including some with rashes or related to nicotine toxicity
• 4 exploding e-cigarettes, three reportedly involving burns[5]

These connections may not be causative and are better statistics than any drug on the market, including over-the-counter drugs.  Even so, with only about ten “minor” complaints per year out of over 2.5 million users, the FDA has not seen fit to regulate the industry… until now.

There is a new ruling within the FDA that they can regulate these products. Beginning on August 8th, 2016 the industry will have two years to show proof that they are safe and better than tobacco products.

Announcing the new regulations for e-cigarettes recently, the Food and Drug Administration claimed, “FDA is taking this action to reduce the death and disease from tobacco products.”  Though they often contain some nicotine, e-cigs aren’t really a tobacco product.  But are e-cigs safe?

What about EXPLODING e-cigs?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) maintains a National Injury Information Clearinghouse database that has 29 reports of fires and serious injuries caused by exploding e-cigarettes. It isn’t the device itself, or the fluid or vapor that explodes. It’s the batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are known to explode if not handled properly. Some who use the devices use the wrong charger, or take out the battery and create a short circuit. Some of them have exploded during use from a malfunctioning device, causing burns to the face.

A report from the U.S. Fire Administration found 25 e-cigarette injuries between 2009 and 2014.[6] It noted that the shape of the e-cigarette causes the exploding battery to eject flames out the front and back openings, which may cause facial burns.

The explosions can be avoided if e-cig smokers use and maintain the batteries properly. Use the right charger and tape the contacts if you remove the battery. Understanding this could protect people from most harm and injury.

Can you get too much nicotine?

Nicotine is a common chemical found in plants.  Gardeners have used home-made mixtures of tobacco and water as a natural pesticide to kill insect pests.

The highest concentrations of nicotine are found in the family Solanaceae (nightshades). It takes about 100g of nightshade fruit (tomato, potato, pepper, eggplant) to get one microgram of nicotine. By contrast, tobacco, also a nightshade, contains 0.5 to 4 milligrams of nicotine per 100mg of dried leaves.[7]

Substance	Nicotine
Tomato	0.05 mg/g
Eggplant	0.1 mg/g
Potato	0.015 mg/g
Tobacco leaves	10mg/g
Cigarette	5-20 mg/cigarette
E-cigarette	Variable: 0 – 0.215mg/500ml puff

It would take about ten puffs on a high-dose e-cigarette to get the equivalent amount of nicotine as found in one tobacco cigarette. The advantage of an e-cig is controlling the dosage of nicotine in the “vaper” by lowering the level of nicotine in the refill cartridge.

In high concentrations nicotine is extremely toxic.  It’s not a normal part of the body and affects many receptors.  Nicotine:

• Increases adrenaline
• Stimulates muscles, and acetylcholine receptors in the brain (at first)
• Produces a calming effect over time as tolerance develops

Do e-cigs cause cancer?

Many have reported cancer-causing agents in e-cigarettes. However, in reality, all poisons are based on dose.  A very high dose of water, oxygen, or any food is poison if dosed high enough. An independent study in New Zealand showed that e-cigs contain tiny amounts of NITROSAMINES, a substance found in tobacco linked to cancer.[8]

This translates to electronic cigarettes containing LESS of these cancer‐causing nitrosamines than tobacco cigarettes and about the same as the FDA‐approved nicotine patch.

Product	Nitrosamines
Electronic cigarettes	9
Camel	7450
Skoal	9290
Marlboro	11190

The presence of a substance does not make it toxic, only the dose. Other substances, such as formaldehyde, can also be found in very small amounts in e-cigarettes. But none of these tiny doses will be toxic, nor are they likely to contribute significantly to cancer. However, in spite of this, some people have allergic or other reactions to the presence of these chemicals. As with any sensitivity, these people should stay away from e-cigarettes.

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Do people start with vaping, and move to smoking?

Many have feared that vaping could become a “gateway” for youth to begin smoking. It is considered a “safer” alternative, and has even been touted in some media as “good!”

WebMD reported on one study that found this is not a real problem. “Use of e-cigarettes by people who don’t smoke is very rare. Furthermore, there is no evidence to support arguments that e-cigarettes are a gateway to smoking tobacco.”[9] There may be several reasons for this. One such reason is those who take up e-cigs may choose it instead of smoking. This is actually better because they aren’t getting all the tars and chemicals from the tobacco smoke. 

What about second-hand smoke?

A study reported by the FDA concluded second-hand smoke from e-cigarettes contained negligible quantities of nicotine and other substances. Once the vapor is breathed out, the amount of substances, compared to the original vapor, is very low. Having said that, some people who are reactive to the substances found in e-cigs should avoid the vapor. Chemical sensitivities of the body may cause reactions to any amount of a chemical. Aside from sensitivities, it would not be possible to get enough nicotine, or other toxins by breathing second-hand smoke to make them dangerous.[10]

Do e-cigarettes work for those who want to quit smoking cigarettes?

As noted above, up to 30% of people who switch to e-cigs are able to quit their tobacco habit. Replacing smoking with an e-cig habit resolves a number of issues including:

• Return of the sense of smell
• Return of the sense of taste
• More energy
• Improved circulation
• Less irritable
• Improved digestion
• Improved sleep

Besides this, vaping is less expensive. Cost may be the primary reason people actually switch from smoking to e-cigs.[11]

As an alternative to smoking cigarettes, vaping is an improvement. However, vaping still isn’t healthy and I wouldn’t recommend people take it up as a habit. Neither does the FDA. The medical establishment running a smear campaign against vaping isn’t helpful, since the switch to vaping would significantly lower the risk of problems normally associated with smoking.

 

If you are thinking of giving up smoking, try Dr. Saunders’ plan to kick the habit. And while you are at, get rid of all the dirty electricity hanging around your home. When all is said and done, you’ll be enjoying the peace and quiet when you lay your head down for some good shut eye. 

Sources:
[1]http://www.statisticbrain.com/electronic-cigarette-statistics/
[2]http://stillblowingsmoke.org/?gclid=CjwKEAjwkui7BRCf64DNtfDupgoSJAA_0LOogaa7aGiQM1gNhD6YmPYWYuSbK7LVdSlYOo_SeKtw5hoC90_w_wcB#health
[3] http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health/e-cigarette-guide/index.htm
[4] http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/e-cigarettes-and-lung-health.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
[5] http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/03/biggest-e-cigarette-complaints/index.htm
[6] http://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/what-s-causing-some-e-cigarette-batteries-explode-n533516
[7] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187853521000211X
[8] Safety Report on the Ruyan® e-cigarette Cartridge and  Inhaled  Aerosol  by  Dr. Murray Laugesen – Health New Zealand – October 30th, 2008  Synopsis  – Full Report – Source: Health New Zealand
[9] http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20140730/benefits-of-e-cigarettes-may-outweigh-harms-study-finds
[10] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187853521000211X
[11] http://reason.com/archives/2016/05/11/the-fdas-deadly-e-cigarette-regulations