E-cigarettes contain cartridges or cartridges made of water, nicotine, propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin base and flavorings. But with thousands of brands on the market and no standards set by the FDA, it's difficult to determine exactly what's in e-cigarette e-liquids.
It's difficult to determine what's in the thousands of different e-liquids sold for e-cigarettes. Part of the reason is that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet reviewed ingredients or set standards. There are many brands and flavors with many different ingredients.
While researchers don't know the exact ingredients in each e-cigarette, they have found some toxic chemicals and metals in e-cigarettes, according to the American Lung Association. Some of these chemicals are known carcinogens – meaning they can cause cancer.
According to the FDA's page, last updated in June 2022, the "e-liquid" used in these products often contains nicotine extracted from tobacco, as well as flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and other ingredients. The liquid is heated to create an aerosol that is inhaled by the user.
Basic ingredients like propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin may not be toxic when ingested orally, but researchers aren't sure how safe they are when vaporized and inhaled.
Experts agree that e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes, but e-cigarettes are not considered safe.
How much nicotine is in e-cigarettes?
Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical from the tobacco plant. It was once used as a pesticide in the United States. It is found in most tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
It only takes about 10 seconds for nicotine to reach the brain after being inhaled. Once inside the brain, it activates the pleasure centers, giving people a feeling of pleasure and relaxation. Nicotine addiction keeps people vaping.
The amount of nicotine in each e-cigarette varies from brand to brand. When Juul was first released, it offered pods that contained 5 percent nicotine, according to the Truth Initiative. This is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes per pod.
Higher-powered e-cigarettes can deliver more nicotine to the brain.
chemical reaction
Research has found that e-cigarette liquid contains more than a hundred compounds. According to a 2018 review from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, chemicals create more compounds when they are heated and evaporated.
These chemicals react chemically with or without heat, posing serious health risks.
A 2018 study in Nicotine & Tobacco Research found that these reactions between flavors and the propylene glycol used to create the vapor could expose users to the same potential risks as tobacco cigarettes.
"Even without heating and burning, chemical reactions can occur in e-cigarette liquids, producing compounds that may be harmful to the user's respiratory tract," researcher Hanno Erythropel told the American Journal of Managed Nursing.
Another study published in 2018 in the journal Scientific Reports found that chemicals in e-cigarette liquids can combine to produce various forms of formaldehyde, a naturally occurring chemical that can be linked to certain forms of e-cigarettes in people who are exposed to it repeatedly. types of cancer.
The researchers found that under normal vaping conditions, the levels of gaseous formaldehyde produced were higher than what the Occupational Safety and Health Administration considers safe levels.
Chemical exposure increases with heating
The chemicals in e-cigarette juice become more toxic when heated. Higher-powered devices can increase the amount of toxic chemicals in the vapor by atomizing the ingredients at higher temperatures.
For example, by increasing the voltage from 3.2 to 4.8, people can inhale more than 200 times the formaldehyde, acetone and acetaldehyde content. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the amount of formaldehyde in high-voltage e-cigarettes is nearly the same as traditional cigarette smoke.
Harmful chemicals in flavored e-cigarette juice
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, e-cigarette users can choose from more than 7,000 e-liquid flavors. Some of these substances are considered safe in typical foods when consumed but may be harmful when inhaled as an aerosol.
A 2015 study by Harvard University researchers found that many of the different flavorings added to e-liquids in e-cigarettes contain chemicals that may be harmful to users' long-term health.
Some of the flavors included in the study include: Classic, Menthol, Cherry Crush, Java Jolt, Pina Colada, Vanilla Bean, Bad Apple, Ice Berry, Banana, Pomegranate, Peach Pit, Watermelon, CooCoo Coconut, Pineapple Punch, Cameo Popcorn, bubble gum, marshmallows and assorted fruits.
The results showed that at least one of three common flavoring chemicals - diethyl, 2,3-pentanedione or acetoin - was present in 47 of the 51 flavors tested.
- Diacetyl was found in 39 of the 51 flavors tested.
- 23 of the 51 flavors contained 2,3-pentanedione.
- Acetoin was found in 46 of the 51 flavors.
- Both diethyl and 2,3-pentanedione were present in 21 flavors tested.
- Both 2,3-pentanedione and acetoin were found in 22 flavors.
Inaccurate labeling
Research also found that product labels are not always accurate. This can make it difficult for consumers to know what they are ingesting.
For example, a 2016 study by Kelly Buettner-Schmidt and colleagues published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing found that mislabeling was common.
Researchers at the University of North Dakota collected 94 e-cigarette oil samples. More than half were mislabeled by at least 10%.
17% had more nicotine than what was listed on the label, and one sample had 172% more nicotine than what was listed on the label.
