More Formaldehyde found in E-Cigarettes
Hello again all YOU LTPB readers! It is my pleasure to inform you that there has been a new study recently conducted on e-cigarettes revealing that they DO in fact produce more formaldehyde than normal tobacco cigarettes. Surprised? Well so am I.
Let's first track all the way back to November 13, 2014, when I wrote a very interesting blog titled, "E-Cigarettes: Pros and Cons". If you haven't read it yet, feel free to click on the title and check it out. Well, just to recap what we've learned, e-cigarettes, also known as electronic cigarettes or e-cigs, are hand-held, battery-powered devices that are designed to deliver nicotine. As a matter of fact, "16% of Canadian older youth and young adults (16-30 years) have tried e-cigarettes."
A recent study from The New England Journal of Medicine discovered that e-cigs produced 2.5 times as much formaldehyde compared to traditional tobacco cigarettes. However, this is the case only if e-cigarette users vape three milliliters of liquid at a high voltage. This new study has raised questions and further debate on the safety of electronic cigarettes.
For those of you who do not know what formaldehyde is, it is a colorless gas found in almost everything including cigarette smoke and e-cigarette vapor. It is also known for its systematic name, methanol. When the propylene glycol and glycerol inside the cartridge of the e-cigarette are heated together to form vapor formaldehyde is then produced.
The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has even stated that formaldehyde can cause leukemia and nasopharyngeal cancer, which affects the upper part of the throat behind the nose.
James F. Pankow, a professor of chemistry and engineering at Portland State University in Oregon believes that no physical effects can be seen by e-cigarette users until ten to fifteen years down the road. That is why individuals commonly assume that their quitting method of using e-cigs is a safe alternative. These individuals are generally e-cigarette smokers for only about a year or so. Thus, no physical effects are realized.
There is no doubt that most experts believe that e-cigarettes are less toxic than combustible cigarettes but there is yet to be evidence showing that e-cigarettes are safe for short-term AND long-term use.
Keep in mind the study discussed above is not conclusive, BUT it can definitely make someone think twice before deciding which method to choose from to quit smoking regular cigarettes.
Are electronic cigarettes a healthy solution to Leave the Pack Behind? Should e-cigarettes be regulated just like traditional combustible cigarettes? We want to hear Your thoughts! What is your opinion?
Have any further questions? Go to our "Ask me Anything" page.
Want more information? No problem!
Like us on Facebook, check out LTPB's website OR for more information on health related topics check out Health Education & Promotion @ York!
Reference: https://www.leavethepackbehind.org/tobacco-info/#story_page_216
