A STUDY ON FLAVORING CHEMICALS
New test results on flavors in e-cigarettes raise questions about the safety of products currently in use and what kind of regulations are appropriate for application to the e-cig industry. In the United States, an investigation into two brands with disposable cartridges (BLU and NJOY) occurred and very high levels of flavoring chemicals were detected in half a dozen different flavors according to a study published in the journal “ Tobacco Control"
The researchers only analyzed e-liquids and did not seek to explore the possible effects on the health of vapers, clearly this study only allows us to ask certain questions. The study of the safety of the e-cigarette or the possible misdeeds caused by them can only be done in the long term because the use of personal vaporizers is not important enough and has not lasted long enough to be done in the short term and identify potentially dangerous products.
« Obviously, people haven't used these e-cigarettes for 25 years, so there's no data to know what the consequences of long-term exposure are. said the study's lead author, James Pankow, a chemist from Portland State University in Oregon. Effectively " If you can't look at longitudinal data, you have to look at what's inside, and ask questions about what worries us"
In this study, the researchers measured the amount of chemicals present in 30 different flavors of e-liquid including some popular flavors such as "chewing gum, cotton candy, chocolate, grape, apple, tobacco, menthol, vanilla, cherry and coffee". They were able to observe that e-liquids contain between 1 and 4% of flavoring chemicals, which equates to approximately 10 to 40mg/ml.
A TOXICOLOGICAL CONCERN?
The conclusion obviously raises questions about health effects, however alone 6 of 24 chemical compounds used to flavor e-liquids are part of a class of chemical called "aldehyde", known to be irritating to the respiratory system. According to Pankow and co-authors " Concentrations of some flavoring chemicals in e-liquids are high enough that inhalation exposure is a toxicological concern“. This conclusion, however, does not mean that these chemicals are toxic at the observed dosage. The researchers calculated that on average a vaper is exposed to the inhalation of approximately 5ml of e-liquid and they determined that several brands would expose the vaper to levels of chemicals that are well above the exposure limits. safety in a workplace. " Some vapers are therefore chronically exposed to twice what is tolerated in a workplace exposed to chemicals. said Pankow.
Workplace limits are set for those who work in candy manufacturing or in edible product factories and it is about these exposure limits because e-cigarette companies use the same food additives for the creation of e-liquid than in many candies or other foods. These food flavorings are regulated by the FDA but there are no regulations for use in e-cigarettes. There is no requirement or mandatory labeling for added flavorings as found in food.
Also, as FEMA (Flavouring Extract Manufacturers Association) has pointed out, FDA standards for the use of these chemicals in foods are based on ingesting them, not inhaling them. And even if the exposure is important, your stomach does not have the same tolerance for this type of product and can take much more important things.
THE FOLLOW-UP TO A CONTROVERSIAL STUDY ALREADY PUBLISHED IN JANUARY?
For example, ingesting small amounts of formaldehyde as happens when we eat fruits and vegetables does not pose a risk to us. Our body even makes formaldehyde which floats in our bloodstream and does not harm us. But inhaling formaldehyde, especially if it's a large amount over a long period of time, has been linked to several types of cancer. In fact, Pankow co-authored a study on formaldehyde in e-cigarettes that had been published in the “ New England Journal of Medicine " in January (We understand all this better now!)
This study, co-authored by David Peyton, another Portland State University chemist could not and could not conclude that e-cigarettes were dangerous. And as on this study, it only raised questions about the regulations. " It is unfortunate that this is called Vaping, which involves steam and therefore water said Peyton when I interviewed him about this study in January. E-cigarette liquid is very far from water and we just don't know if there are any long-term harmful effects. " In the meantime, I think it's a mistake to talk about security" said Peyton before saying "Yes, it's obviously less dangerous than other things, but to talk about it as a totally secure product is not not a good thing either. »
DO NOT CONFUSE FOOD CONSUMPTION AND INHALATION…
Peyton was not involved in this study on flavoring chemicals, but he suggested that there are reasons to consider regulation of the chemicals used in e-liquids. A widely used chemical product for cherry flavoring or chewing gum, for example, is " Benzaldehyde and the National Library of Medicine has identified this product as having the potential to cause a wide range of adverse health effects depending on the dose used. These include allergic reactions, skin inflammation, respiratory failure, and irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat.
« To put it simply, if I were a vaper, I would like to know what I consume Peyton said. " And don't get me wrong, if those ingredients aren't certified safe to inhale, whether they're safe for cooking and eating is irrelevant. »
Source : forbes.com -The Tobacco Control English Study (Translation by Vapoteurs.net)
