People who use e-cigarettes indoors may be exposing nearby people to nicotine, though exposure is on average 10 times less than from traditional cigarettes, find researchers from Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York
Allison Oesterle
BUFFALO, New York
,
December 12, 2013
(press release)
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Electronic cigarettes, when used indoors, may involuntarily expose non-users to nicotine, according to a study led by Maciej Goniewicz, PhD, PharmD, of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and published by the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are consumer products designed to generate nicotine aerosol, or vapor, without the combustion of tobacco. When an e-cigarette user takes a puff, the nicotine solution is heated, and the vapor is taken into the lungs. Researchers examined e-cigarette vapor from three different brands of e-cigarettes using a smoking machine in controlled exposure conditions. They also compared secondhand smoke exposure of e-cigarette vapor and tobacco smoke generated by dual users.
“To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to measure the air concentrations of nicotine and volatile organic compounds and compare the emissions from electronic and conventional tobacco cigarettes,” said Dr. Goniewicz, a researcher and Assistant Professor of Oncology in RPCI’s Department of Health Behavior. “Our data suggest that secondhand exposure to nicotine from e-cigarettes is on average 10 times less than from tobacco smoke. However, more research is needed to evaluate the health consequences of secondhand exposure to nicotine from e-cigarettes, especially among vulnerable populations including children, pregnant women and people with cardiovascular conditions.”
Study observations also include:
“Questions remain regarding the health impact of e-cigarettes among smokers and nonsmokers. It remains unclear whether young people will see e-cigarette use as a social norm and if e-cigarettes will be used as sources of nicotine in places with smoking bans, thus circumventing tobacco-free laws,” said Andrew Hyland, PhD, Chair of the Department of Health Behavior at RPCI. “This study and others can guide policymakers as decisions are made about the regulation of the nicotine delivery devices.”
The complete study can be found at http://goo.gl/SgWuIY.
Researchers from RPCI in collaboration with scientists at the Medical University of Silesia in Poland conducted this study. It was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland.
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The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1898, RPCI is one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org. Follow Roswell Park on Facebook and Twitter.
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