Think
Electronic Cigarette
without nicotine are harmless? Think again. A new study shows that the
flavorings in e-cigs can harm human infection-fighting
cells.
E-cigarettes work by heating a flavored liquid to make a mist that
users inhale, or “vape.” These flavored liquids, called e-liquids, usually
contain nicotine. But not always. Manufacturers add nicotine for vapers who want
a buzz from their e-cigarettes. It’s the same stimulant that true cigarettes
deliver. That nicotine — made from tobacco — qualifies most e-cigs as “tobacco
products.”
The nicotine may be useful for adults who are addicted to
cigarettes and want to wean themselves off. But nicotine can harm children and
teens. That’s why some young people may choose to vape instead of smoke, and use
nicotine-free products. But the new data suggest that e-cigs can still be toxic,
even without nicotine.“We know these flavors are really attractive to teens,”
says Irfan Rahman. He works at the University of Rochester in New York. He says
studies have shown that one reason many teens try e-cigarettes is an interest in
fruity and candy-flavored products.
As a toxicologist, Rahman studies
whether various materials can poison the body’s cells or tissues. His team
decided to test whether certain flavored e-liquids are toxic (meaning
poisonous). They tested several common e-liquid flavorings. These included
cinnamon roll, cotton candy, melon, pineapple, coconut and cherry.
Such
flavorings are considered safe in foods. That’s because after a person swallows
them, they’re broken down in the gut. But that doesn’t mean these same chemicals
are safe to breathe in. They could harm parts of the respiratory tract, such as
the lungs.
Rahman’s team didn’t expose people to these flavorings, in
case they were harmful. Instead, they tested e-liquid chemicals on human cells
in a dish. This helped them judge whether the chemicals might also harm cells
inside the body.u2022eney7485yyWEEEEDD
The Wall