“E-cig no more risky than smokeless”

A study funded by The Consumer Advocates for Smokefree Alternatives suggests that e-cigarettes are no more risky than other smoke-free tobacco and nicotine products.

After reviewing more than 9,000 “observations” about the chemistry of e-cigarette vapor and e-liquids, Igor Burstyn of the Drexel University School of Public Health found “no evidence that vaping produces inhalable exposures to contaminants of the aerosol that would warrant health concerns by the standards that are used to ensure safety of workplaces.” Exposure for bystanders, he said, is likely to be orders of magnitude less, and thus poses no apparent concern.

The study cautioned that e-cigarette users are inhaling substantial quantities of propylene glycol and glycerin, the main chemicals in e-cigarette liquid. The chemicals are not considered dangerous, and the levels are below occupational exposure limits, but Burstyn suggested ongoing monitoring to confirm that there is no risk.

CASAA Scientific Director Carl Phillips said the study “assures us that e-cigarettes are as low risk as other smoke-free tobacco and nicotine products, like smokeless tobacco and NRT.”

The study is here.