Scientists from the Roswell Cancer Park Institute in Buffalo, NY, have announced the findings of two studies respectively looking at evidence on “thirdhand” exposure to nicotine from e cigarettes and the accuracy of e cigarette product labels.

Sales of e cigarettes (“electronic cigarettes”) where nicotine and other cigarette associated substances are inhaled in a vapor through a battery operated device have doubled each year since 2008 in the US. E cigarettes are not currently regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Over the past couple of years, various studies have analyzed to what extent e cigarettes may or may not be harmful to both the smoker and other people.

Medical News Today reported on a 2012 study finding that, although e cigarettes contribute less to indoor air pollution than traditional tobacco cigarettes, they are “not entirely emission free,” and so bystanders may be exposed to the released vapor.

That study also criticized the labeling of e cigarettes, commenting that the inadequate or vague information on the content of the products made it difficult for smokers to know the potential dangers of the contained substances.

E cigarettes and thirdhand smoke risk

Examining the issue of bystanders’ exposure to nicotine from e cigarettes, the Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RCPI) researchers studied the extent to which e cigarettes left a nicotine residue on indoor surfaces. This residue is often referred to as “thirdhand smoke.”

To do this, the scientists vaporized the contents of three different brands of e cigarette inside a special chamber. The floors, walls, windows, wood and metal surfaces of the chamber were then individually checked for nicotine levels.

In three out of four of these experiments, the researchers found varying but significant increases in nicotine residue, with the floor and windows of the chamber retaining the highest amounts of residue.

How accurate is the product labeling of e cigarettes?

The second study from the RCPI team assessed how accurate the product labeling of e cigarettes is. The researchers analyzed the contents of 32 e cigarette refill solutions and compared their findings with the claims made by the product manufacturers in their labeling information.

In e cigarettes, nicotine and other substances are inhaled in a vapor through a battery operated device.

They found that the nicotine concentration of 1 in 4 products differed by more than 20% from what the amounts advertised on their labels. Nicotine was also found in some refill solutions that were labeled as being nicotine free.

“Research conducted by Roswell Park scientists provides a valuable contribution and insight into the content and marketing of e cigarettes,” says Andrew Hyland, PhD, chair of RPCI’s Department of Health Behavior.

“This science can inform health policy organizations as they determine e cigarette regulations, which can and should include smoke free policies and standards for accurate labeling,” he adds.

“The public health community agrees that more scientific inquiry is needed to understand the potential health impact of e cigarettes,” adds Dr. Maciej Goniewicz, who presented the findings of both studies at the annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco on February 8th, 2014.

Dr. Goniewicz adds

“These studies add to the growing body of scientific evidence that will help to define and delineate a product that is broadly used indoors and is advertised and sold without restrictions.”

Written by David McNamee

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E-cigarettes: second-hand smoke, vaping, and the price of fda regulations – hit & run : reason.com

Who invented electronic cigarettes?

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles city council joined a growing list of city governments that have banned e cigarette use in parks, restaurants, and most workplaces.

The decision came after a heated debate at the City Council that highlighted the backlash smokeless cigarettes have generated as their popularity grows. Inform yourself on the new smoking trend with this Reason TV documentary short.

This video originally aired Oct 29, 2013. Original writeup is below

Electronic cigarettes are creating a frenzy among politicians, health experts, and the media. Local banson using e cigarettes indoors are popping up all over the country, and many interest groups are clamoring for top down FDA regulations, which are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

E Cigarettes currently exist in a complete no man s land, says Heather Wipfli, associate director for the USC Institute for Global Health. Skeptics such as Wipfli worry about the lack of long term data available because the product is so new.

But according to the Consumer Advocates for Smoke Free Alternatives Association s Greg Conley, calls for regulation are “a perverse interpretation of the precautionary principle. The precautionary principle holds that until all possible risks are assessed, new technologies shouldn’t be allowed to move forward.

Conley points to preliminary studies, like this one from Drexel University, which confirm these smokeless, tobacco less, tar less products are not a cause for concern or at least not a cause for the same concerns that accompany traditional cigarettes and second hand smoke.

That Drexel University professor concluded that there was absolutely no worry about risks to bystanders from e cigarette vapor, says Conley.

The ingredients of e cigarettes certainly have very little in common with tobacco cigarettes. Nicotine, the only ingredient found in both products, is mainly used to wean smokers off traditional cigarettes and is not one of the harm inducing ingredients associated with lung cancer in smokers. The other ingredients in the e juice at the core of e cigarettes are propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and food flavorings all of which are used in other food products.

All we are doing is steaming up food ingredients to create a vapor, says Ed Refuerzo, co owner of The Vape Studio in West Los Angeles. The Vape Studio is one of the many boutique e cigarette shops popping up that might be significantly affected or even shut down by both local legislation and FDA regulations.

Conley says it’s the currently unregulated customizability of the e juice that allows these small businesses to thrive. The availability of liquids is what is allowing a lot of these small stores to open and prosper because they are able to mix their own liquid and sell it to consumers without having to go through a big manufacturing process, says Conley.

The higher costs of complying with regulations would most likely be passed on to consumers, which would impact people who are looking towards e cigarettes as an effective way to quit smoking.

We re using technology, and that s what we do in America, we use technology to solve really complicated problems, says Craig Weiss, president and CEO of NJOY. NJOY is a leading manufacturer of electronic cigarettes and a donor to Reason Foundation, the nonprofit that publishes Reason TV. Weiss says that despite regulations, the potential of the industry is only just starting to be realized.

The electronic industry is growing at quite a dramatic pace. It s more than doubled each of the last four or five years,” says Weiss. “This piece of technology could have such an potential impact on the world.

About 6 minutes.