Electronic Cigarettes – Should You Be Concerned About Health Risks?

[Taxidermist]

Courtesy - buyecigarette.com


There are still a few consumers which are concerned about their health when buying an e-cigarette. Even the leading suppliers are not allowed to say they are certain that e-cigs are safe. It seems obvious to me though, that inhaling vapor mist with only few ingredients is safer than inhaling the smoke of burning tobacco, which consists of thousands of substances, some of them are known to be toxic and some of them are known to cause cancer.



We are all aware of the dangers of tobacco use yet for generations those dangers were unknown.


As the evidence began to emerge linking tobacco smoke with cancer, heart disease and lesser illnesses, smokers argued for years that tobacco was a “natural” product and thus not dangerous. What the arguments ignored was that most of the harmful particles in tobacco smoke are due to changes that occur when the leaf is burned.


It is difficult to find a product that carries more risk than the use of tobacco. Electronic cigarette products are new to the marketplace. When people began to first buy e-cigarette

in 2003 in the U.S., they were sold as a gimmick or an oddity. Technology advances and new, innovative product designs have turned the oddity into a reliable and realistic alternative to tobacco.


E-cigarettes do not burn any plants. This eliminates the toxins associated with combustion. E-cigs do contain nicotine, of course, but nicotine by itself is by far not the most harmfull substance in cigarettes. The substance that creates the smoke-like appearance is usually propylene glycol.


Propylene Glycol (PG) has been an approved food additive for more than 40 years. It is approved and used as an ingredient of many common products we buy every day. There are untruths published claiming PG is the same thing as antifreeze. Besides the fact that many dangerous products also contain totally harmless ingredients in addition to the dangerous ones, that is simply not true as most antifreeze is produced with ethylene glycol.


Many studies are currently under way to decisively determine the safety of electronic cigarettes and the vapor they produce. So far no substantial health hazards have been identified. While manufacturers of e-cigarettes cannot guarantee there are no health risks associated for people that buy electronic cigarette

, they can truthfully say e-cigs are certainly believed to be safer than smoking tobacco.


The only known risk consumers face when they buy electronic cigarettes is a lack in quality control of some questionable manufacturers. For this reason, it is wise to buy electronic cigarette

from reputable suppliers who provide guarantees and conduct ongoing testing for the quality of their products.


Some cheaper imports from Chinese factories seem to be produced with little or no quality control. When you buy e-cigarette

you want to be certain you are getting the nicotine level you intended. Some cheap models have been found to release unreliable levels of nicotine. This is one of the risks when buying from a manufacturer that is not testing, or better, independently testing their products for safety.


When focusing on health, it is safer to buy e-cigarettes than using tobacco and the only identified risk is when using older modells with separate refill solutions, as nicotine in high doses absorbed by the skin when leaking, is toxic to the body. However, if you choose the newer replaceable cartridge style, you will not have to worry about purchasing e-liquids at all.

 

[lisabsn]

That's why I buy juice that's made in USA, high quality and carefully made, wordupecigs and Johnson Creek I really trust.

 

[librarising]

That's why I buy juice that's made in USA, high quality and carefully made, wordupecigs and Johnson Creek I really trust.

The Associated Press: FDA sends warning letters to e-cigarette companies

JC just got a warning letter from the FDA.

 

[humarock]

On the heels of the remark regarding getting 'leakage' on your fingers when refilling, do we know how much is harmful? I'm still new at this and I do get some of the filling on my fingers and quickly wipe it off, but I don't see anything on here to state what it can do and what harms there are. I do also get some leakage into my mouth of the juice if I slightly overfill. Any thoughts?

 

[Automaton]

On the heels of the remark regarding getting 'leakage' on your fingers when refilling, do we know how much is harmful? I'm still new at this and I do get some of the filling on my fingers and quickly wipe it off, but I don't see anything on here to state what it can do and what harms there are. I do also get some leakage into my mouth of the juice if I slightly overfill. Any thoughts?

Nic juice of the level you would normally vape is not poisonous to you unless you ingest or contact it in fairly large quantities - much more than getting a drop of juice in your mouth, or on your fingers. It may be a slight irritant to the skin, but not poisonous.

I have spilled an entire 6ml bottle of 18mg on myself, and felt no worse for the wear.

However, if I did the same with 60mg juice, I would probably feel pretty over-niced.

And if I did it with 100mg, I would probably get quite sick.

It's all about concentration level.

OP - Yes, we should be concerned about the health risks. We should be pushing for more research, and be demanding quality control from our suppliers.

However, it's pretty much impossible for vaping to be as damaging as cigarettes. Is vaping 100% safe? Eh, probably not. But it's miles better than tobacco.

 

[Vini]

Propylene glycol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Safety

Humans
The acute oral toxicity of propylene glycol is very low, and large quantities are required to cause perceptible health damage in humans; propylene glycol is metabolized in the human body into pyruvic acid (a normal part of the glucose-metabolism process, readily converted to energy), acetic acid (handled by ethanol-metabolism), lactic acid (a normal acid generally abundant during digestion) [9] , and propionaldehyde [10] [11].
Serious toxicity generally occurs only at plasma concentrations over 1 g/L, which requires extremely high intake over a relatively short period of time.[12] It would be nearly impossible to reach toxic levels by consuming foods or supplements, which contain at most 1 g/kg of PG. Cases of propylene glycol poisoning are usually related to either inappropriate intravenous administration or accidental ingestion of large quantities by children.[13] The potential for long-term oral toxicity is also low. In one study, rats were provided with feed containing as much as 5% PG in feed over a period of 104 weeks and they showed no apparent ill effects.[14] Because of its low chronic oral toxicity, propylene glycol was classified by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) for use as a direct food additive.
Prolonged contact with propylene glycol is essentially non-irritating to the skin. Undiluted propylene glycol is minimally irritating to the eye, and can produce slight transient conjunctivitis (the eye recovers after the exposure is removed). Exposure to mists may cause eye irritation, as well as upper respiratory tract irritation. Inhalation of the propylene glycol vapors appears to present no significant hazard in ordinary applications. However, limited human experience indicates that inhalation of propylene glycol mists could be irritating to some individuals. Therefore inhalation exposure to mists of these materials should be avoided. Some research has suggested that propylene glycol not be used in applications where inhalation exposure or human eye contact with the spray mists of these materials is likely, such as fogs for theatrical productions or antifreeze solutions for emergency eye wash stations.[15]
Propylene glycol does not cause sensitization and it shows no evidence of being a carcinogen or of being genotoxic.[16][17]
Adverse responses to intravenous administration of drugs which use PG as an excipient have been seen in a number of people, particularly with large dosages thereof. Responses may include "hypotension[,] bradycardia... QRS and T abnormalities on the ECG[,] arrhythmia[,] cardiac arrest[,] serum hyperosmolality[,] lactic acidosis[,] and haemolysis." [18] A high percentage (12% to 42%) of directly-injected propylene glycol is eliminated/secreted in urine unaltered depending on dosage, with the remainder appearing in its glucuronide-form. The speed of renal filtration decreases as dosage increases [19], which may be due to propylene glycol's mild anesthetic / CNS-depressant -properties as an alcohol [20]. In one case, administration via IV of PG-suspended nitroglycerin to an elderly man may have induced coma and acidosis



Vegetable Glycerine Profile

Specifications
Color- Clear
Odor/Taste- Flat aroma, very sweet flavor resembling syrup.
Glycerol content- 99.8%
Fatty Acids and Esters- 0.3
Specific Gravity- 1.29
pH- 7


Glycerol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Categorization

Glycerol is currently categorized by the American Dietetic Association as a carbohydrate. The U.S. FDA carbohydrate designation includes all caloric macronutrients excluding protein and fat. Glycerin has a caloric density similar to table sugar, but a lower glycemic index and different metabolic pathway within the body, so some dietary advocates accept glycerin as a sweetener compatible with low carbohydrate diets.


Pharmaceutical, botanical manufacture and personal care applications

Glycerol is used in medical and pharmaceutical and personal care preparations, mainly as a means of improving smoothness, providing lubrication and as a humectant. It is found in cough syrups, elixirs and expectorants, toothpaste, mouthwashes, skin care products, shaving cream, hair care products, soaps and water based personal lubricants. In solid dosage forms like tablets, Glycerol is used as a tablet holding agent. It is also an ingredient in cigarettes that is used as a humectant. For human consumption, glycerol is classified by the U.S. FDA among the sugar alcohols as a caloric macronutrient.
When utilized in 'tincture' method extractions specifically, as a 10% solution, glycerol prevents tannins from precipitating in ethanol extracts of plants (tinctures). It is also used as a substitute for ethanol as a solvent in preparing herbal extractions. It is less extractive when utilized in tincture methodology and is approximately 30% more slowly absorbed by the body resulting in a much lower glycemic load. Fluid extract manufacturers often extract herbs in hot water before adding glycerin to make glycerites.[4][5][6]
When used as a primary true alcohol-free botanical extraction solvent in innovative non-tincture based methodologies, Glycerol, as a glycerin and water base extractive solvent mix, has been shown, both in literature and through innovative extraction applications, to possess a high degree of extractive versatility for botanicals including removal of numerous constituents and complex compounds, often equal to or greater than that for ethanol. Glycerol is a stable preserving agent for botanical extracts that, when utilized in proper concentrations in an extraction solvent base, not only preserves safety and purity but does not allow inverting or REDOX of a finished extract's constituents over many years. Both Glycerol and ethanol are viable preserving agents. Glycerol is bacteriostatic in its action, and ethanol is bactericidal in its action. However, Glycerol possesses no secondary denaturing or inert rendering effects on a botanical extract's constituents, hence, Glycerol's preferred use in making many botanical extracts and use in pharmaceuticals where this quality is required.[7][8][9]
Used as a laxative when introduced into the rectum in suppository or small-volume (2to10ml)(enema) form; irritates the .... mucosa and induces a hyperosmotic effect.
Glycerol is a component of glycerol soap, which is made from denatured alcohol, glycerol, sodium castorate (from castor), sodium cocoate, sodium tallowate, sucrose, and water. Sometimes one adds sodium laureth sulfate, or essential oils for fragrance. This kind of soap is used by people with sensitive, easily-irritated skin because it prevents skin dryness with its moisturizing properties. It draws moisture up through skin layers and slows or prevents excessive drying and evaporation. It is possible to make glycerol soap at home.

 

[banjo]

I don't understand the China bashing in your post, almost all eCigs, except for some mods, are designed and manufactured in China. Also, about 90% of the the juice available is from China, including much of the juice that USA suppliers sell. Otherwise it was a good post, but did you happen to notice the source that you quoted from (Courtesy - buyecigarette.com) - Buy Electronic Cigarettes that Taste, Look and Feel Great - is actually a front for Green Smoke, an eCig retailer pushing their brand - not a very reliable source, and since they don't mention China on their site, I would bet that their product is manufactured in China.......

 

[Taxidermist]

I don't understand the China bashing in your post

Banjo, I didn't write the article....merely put it up for discussion!

 

[Vini]

... Yes, we should be concerned about the health risks. We should be pushing for more research, and be demanding quality control from our suppliers.

However, it's pretty much impossible for vaping to be as damaging as cigarettes. Is vaping 100% safe? Eh, probably not. But it's miles better than tobacco.

Best answer, imo

 

[Taxidermist]

I didn't say I agree with all of it, as a matter of fact, as far as I know every e-cig (other than mods) are made in China. And even the Mods use china made atomizers or cartos. Yes I knew it was a GreenSmoke cover page, but did find the article an interesting read.

 

[Aday]

Well I didn't come into vaping thinking that e-cigs were perfectly safe. I am sure that they are not better than inhaling "pure air". But when do we really ever breath pure air? I work in a factory where lasers continuously cut steel creating smoke that fills the place. Yet that is deemed "safe". I welded for years, the boxes of wire have warnings of "continued exposure of fumes will cause nervous system damage" how the hell do you stay out of the fumes unless you use a cost restrictive air filtration unit. Yet this is also deemed "safe", Fumes in traffic,cleaners,workplaces we are surrounded by fumes that are deemed "safe" and those don't even compare to the crap in analog smokes. Ecigs may be less healthy than nothing at all, but there is no way they even compare to analogs, or half the stuff some us breath on a daily basis that are supposedly "safe" just MHO.

 

[lisabsn]

The Associated Press: FDA sends warning letters to e-cigarette companies

JC just got a warning letter from the FDA.

Yeah I know I think it was for saying smoking cessation although I didn't see that on their site. They have pretty good juice, and it's made in WI.

 

[banjo]

I always thought that the nicotine level was a function of the level present in the juice, not the atomizer, and what does independent testing mean...........

 

[Three4Me]

I don't understand the China bashing in your post, almost all eCigs, except for some mods, are designed and manufactured in China. Also, about 90% of the the juice available is from China, including much of the juice that USA suppliers sell. Otherwise it was a good post, but did you happen to notice the source that you quoted from (Courtesy - buyecigarette.com) - Buy Electronic Cigarettes that Taste, Look and Feel Great - is actually a front for Green Smoke, an eCig retailer pushing their brand - not a very reliable source, and since they don't mention China on their site, I would bet that their product is manufactured in China.......

In the article that is linked here it states that 16mg nic is equal to a non filtered cigarette and 6mg is equal to a light. Does anyone know if that is true? When I smoked I always smoked Lights and to me 24mg feels like a light as far as TH goes. I am confused...

 

[ACM]

The Associated Press: FDA sends warning letters to e-cigarette companies

JC just got a warning letter from the FDA.

Listen to this online talk radio show about the FDA issues. They specifically address the Johnson Creek letter. It's clear that the FDA is reacting to JC's promotional literature and implied stance that e-cigs are a good tool for helping people quit smoking. But the letter does not imply that JC's quality is compromised, nor does it imply that JC's products are any more dangerous than any other supplier's product.

Links/VP-Live | VapersPlace

I am a JC customer. I enjoy the flavors, vapor production, and throat hit. And I am confident in the quality of their products.

 

[Bfly]

Not even through the first day of not smoking..... I guess it's just all bad everything is just bad bad bad....

 

[JohnReagan]

There are still a few consumers which are concerned about their health when buying an e-cigarette.

Without a doubt my body feels better and my lungs will be tar free. However, I have been a little prematurely concerned after having found this on another forum from a user named "Dave" which may be on here for all I know. I find it interesting and though provoking. The most detailed description I've read so far of the e-cig's possible composition. If it's already been posted here, my apologies.

"If you investigate the history of the eCig in China, you see a lot of places where they could have worked out differently. It started with a ban on smoking in some cities as part of the pollution cleanup for the 2008 Olympics. Somebody noticed that agricultural workers that used nicotine-based insecticides would stand in the fog deliberately, as an alternative to smoking. The original eCig patent called for an ultrasonic mister (like a "cool mist" humidifier you can get at the drugstore), but that wouldn't scale well. It's almost an article of faith to most US modders that the Chinese designs for atomizers are ideal, which is bull....; What they are is *cheap*, and the same goes for the cartridges and batteries. If you look, there are better ways to do everything the Chinese do.

Not to mention safer. The atomizers are based around fine-gauge NiChrome heating elements, as in 80/20 Nickel/Chromium, both toxic metals. Because they are controlling heating wattage by resistance of the heating element balanced against battery voltage, they have to use very thin NiChrome (38 gauge is apparently typical). That means the free-running temperature of a dry atomizer is very close to the melting point of NiChrome, and only airflow and boiling off PG keeps it from destroying itself. For two-cell 8.4V mods, the free-running temperature significantly exceeds the *boiling* point of NiChrome, and those are the only things preventing the atomizer coils from going up like a old-school flashbulb (and giving the user a nice lungful of nickel and chromium vapor). Pretty sure they're not using lead-free solder much, either (I do in my adapters, even though it's a pain to work with).

Li-Ion itself has some...issues. Drain it too far, too fast, and you get a nice fireworks show, even the newer, "vented" cells are sending out clouds of flaming hot poisonous gas when they go into thermal runaway. There are safer Lithium chemistries, but they either have lower base voltages or lower energy density. The cartridges are filled with polywool (same as a cheap pillow), which sucks as a wicking material and is toxic when burned in half a dozen ways.

Chinese eLiquid seems to starts from a base of 35% nicotine, pesticide grade, which is why the FDA found so much nasty (stuff) in it. >99% isn't *that* much more expensive, at least here, but like everything else, the baseline works from Chinese budgets and consumer-protection standards (the country where even deadly baby formula wasn't technically illegal until they invented ex post facto rulings to cover that particular case). What's going to happen as the FDA gets involved is that the market growth will be deliberately stunted (because Big Tobacco needs time to get ahead of this, and states want their taxes), and a lot of the standard parts are going to become unavailable (as the FDA does their real job and bans a lot of this .... as unsafe, because it really is). But the eCigs themselves won't be outright banned, other than in a few areas as local busybodies take umbrage at people finding a loophole on the bans against smoking."

 

[Bfly]

Without a doubt my body feels better and my lungs will be tar free. However, I have been a little prematurely concerned after having found this on another forum from a user named "Dave" which may be on here for all I know. I find it interesting and though provoking. The most detailed description I've read so far of the e-cig's possible composition. If it's already been posted here, my apologies.

"If you investigate the history of the eCig in China, you see a lot of places where they could have worked out differently. It started with a ban on smoking in some cities as part of the pollution cleanup for the 2008 Olympics. Somebody noticed that agricultural workers that used nicotine-based insecticides would stand in the fog deliberately, as an alternative to smoking. The original eCig patent called for an ultrasonic mister (like a "cool mist" humidifier you can get at the drugstore), but that wouldn't scale well. It's almost an article of faith to most US modders that the Chinese designs for atomizers are ideal, which is bull....; What they are is *cheap*, and the same goes for the cartridges and batteries. If you look, there are better ways to do everything the Chinese do.

Not to mention safer. The atomizers are based around fine-gauge NiChrome heating elements, as in 80/20 Nickel/Chromium, both toxic metals. Because they are controlling heating wattage by resistance of the heating element balanced against battery voltage, they have to use very thin NiChrome (38 gauge is apparently typical). That means the free-running temperature of a dry atomizer is very close to the melting point of NiChrome, and only airflow and boiling off PG keeps it from destroying itself. For two-cell 8.4V mods, the free-running temperature significantly exceeds the *boiling* point of NiChrome, and those are the only things preventing the atomizer coils from going up like a old-school flashbulb (and giving the user a nice lungful of nickel and chromium vapor). Pretty sure they're not using lead-free solder much, either (I do in my adapters, even though it's a pain to work with).

Li-Ion itself has some...issues. Drain it too far, too fast, and you get a nice fireworks show, even the newer, "vented" cells are sending out clouds of flaming hot poisonous gas when they go into thermal runaway. There are safer Lithium chemistries, but they either have lower base voltages or lower energy density. The cartridges are filled with polywool (same as a cheap pillow), which sucks as a wicking material and is toxic when burned in half a dozen ways.

Chinese eLiquid seems to starts from a base of 35% nicotine, pesticide grade, which is why the FDA found so much nasty (stuff) in it. >99% isn't *that* much more expensive, at least here, but like everything else, the baseline works from Chinese budgets and consumer-protection standards (the country where even deadly baby formula wasn't technically illegal until they invented ex post facto rulings to cover that particular case). What's going to happen as the FDA gets involved is that the market growth will be deliberately stunted (because Big Tobacco needs time to get ahead of this, and states want their taxes), and a lot of the standard parts are going to become unavailable (as the FDA does their real job and bans a lot of this .... as unsafe, because it really is). But the eCigs themselves won't be outright banned, other than in a few areas as local busybodies take umbrage at people finding a loophole on the bans against smoking."

So where or how do we know what is safer and what is not?