E-Cig Study by the CASAA Research Fund Results Revealed

Posted by: admin on August 21, 2013 Under: Safety |

A recent study by Professor Igor Burstyn, Drexel University School of Public Health was released the beginning of August 2013 which will give electronic cigarette users something to smile about. The newest study confirms that the chemicals found in e-cigarettes pose no health concern to the user or bystanders.

This is the first study that has gotten down to the question of health concerns that have been debated since the e-cig hit the market. The study was on the chemistry of the e-cig with the results showing that there are no health concerns when based on the accepted exposure limits.

The study reviewed more than 9,000 observations about the chemistry of the vapor and the liquid in e-cigarettes. After the observations, Dr. Burstyn was able to conclude that the levels of contaminants e-cigarette users are exposed to are insignificant and quite a bit below levels that would cause any health risk.  Along with this, there is completely no risk to bystanders.

The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives (CASAA) Research Fund funded the study. This organization is the most prominent consumer advocacy group which promotes the use and availability of low risk alternatives to cigarette smoking.

CASAA President Elaine Keller stated of the study, “Over the years, there have been a lot of small studies of e-cigarette liquid and vapor, but those studies were either ignored or misinterpreted.  Those that showed even the slightest contamination were used for propaganda by those who object to e-cigarettes because they look like smoking. We realized that an expert review was needed to give an unbiased explanation of the available scientific evidence for our membership and policy makers.  We reached out to our membership and they enthusiastically donated to make it possible.”

Carl V. Phillips, CASAA Scientific Director, explained the importance of the study, stating, “It has always been clear that e-cigarettes were much lower risk than smoking, but there was uncertainty about whether continuing to inhale a mix of chemicals posed a measurable risk. Even those of us who have long encouraged smokers to switch are a bit surprised that even the worst-case-scenario risks are so low. This study assures us that e-cigarettes are as low risk as other smoke-free tobacco and nicotine products, like smokeless tobacco and NRT.  All of these products are about 99% less harmful than smoking, and so smokers who switch to them gain basically the same health benefits as if they quit tobacco and nicotine entirely.”  He went on to say, “There has been a call for ‘regulatory science’ by the FDA.  This is exactly the type of science that is needed to make good regulation and informed individual decisions: it summarizes all of the available knowledge and puts the numbers in a useful perspective.”

The study did not address the effects of nicotine as users of e-cigs are intentionally using nicotine. Any effects of using nicotine are very close to the same hazards seen from drinking coffee.

Reference:

http://publichealth.drexel.edu/SiteData/docs/ms08/f90349264250e603/ms08.pdf