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The cocktail of chemical flavors and additives contained in electronic cigarettes can cause inflammation of the lungs, which can in some cases be worse than the damage done by conventional cigarettes, revealed a new medical investigation.
In the latest issue of the American Journal of Physiology, researchers discovered significant inflammation caused by inhalation of the heated chemical cocktail of e-cigs. The laboratory study showed no evidence that inflammation posed a cancer risk.
Although research has been conducted on mice, medical experts said Friday that this was the kind of study that should have preceded the launch of e-cigs years ago before it was "over-the-top". they do not become widely marketed products. E-cigs have been created to help smokers get rid of conventional cigarettes. Since then, this multi-billion dollar industry has ushered in a new habit of vaping that not only attracts adults but spreads among teens.
"We are late in terms of research," said Patricia Folan, director of the Center for Tobacco Control, a division of Northwell Health in Great Neck. Folan was not related to the study.
In addition to flavorings and dyes, e-cigs pack more nicotine than cigarettes, Folan said.
"They came on the market between 2006 and 2007 before research could be conducted to identify potential problems. It was the manufacturers who told us that these products could be used safely, "said Folan.
Manufacturers have based their safety statements regarding e-cig flavors on approvals already in place by the US Food and Drug Administration for a variety of food additives. Chocolate, bubble gum, cherry and other flavors are similar to the artificial flavors and colors of sweets and other unwanted foods.
But Folan pointed out Friday that compounds deemed safe for ingestion in the form of food have never been approved by the agency to be inhaled into the lungs. It's only now that medical analyzes are exploring these questions – and the problems they can cause, she said.
Battery-powered e-cigarettes give off steam generated by liquid flavored chemicals. An "e-liquid" contains a suspension of compounds, including propylene glycol, a colorless chemical with a slightly sweet taste. This compound is commonly used in the food and cosmetic industries. The e-liquid blend also contains powerful amounts of nicotine and whimsical aromas.
Dr. Rachel Boykan, a pediatrician at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, told Newsday that the use of electronic cigarettes, especially among teenagers, was not adequately studied.
"We are concerned about exposure to nicotine, but we are also concerned about propylene glycol. It's not completely harmless, "said Boykan.
The research, which was conducted by medical investigators in Greece, revealed that even a short-term use of e-cigs could cause inflammatory lesions of the lungs.
Folan noted that the study, led by Dr. Andreas Papapetropoulos of the University of Athens, helped to make clear that food additives should never be inhaled.
The medical community is already aware that a food additive can cause devastating lung damage due to irreparable lung problems endured by workers in factories manufacturing microwave popcorn, she said.
Some inhaled large amounts of a chemical called diacetyl used in making popcorn to impart a buttery taste and had to undergo a lung transplant.
"The disease is called obliterative bronchiolitis or popcorn lung," Folan said of the inflammatory disorder that caused the formation of scar tissue and was triggered by a food additive.
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