10.2. SR 09-08-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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E-cigarettes: an evidence update 79 6.5–13mg/kg [69]). Accelerated weight loss, reduced immunity and early death in the experimental group were much more likely the result of protracted stress and nicotine poisoning than the result of exposure to free radicals (which were in any case 1 ,000 times lower than from cigarettes). A similar study from 2015 [134] reported oxidant reactivity (which is linked to free radicals) of e-liquid and cytokine release in exposed lung tissue and in mice exposed to EC vapour. Again, no comparison with exposure to smoke was reported. Human studies do not corroborate any of the findings reported here. A case study of lipoid pneumonia, which could have been caused by EC flavouring, received worldwide attention in 2012 [142] but despite extensive interest in the phenomenon, no further cases were published. Adverse effects of vaping are primarily local irritation and dry mouth [132]. A study that monitored asthma patients who switched from smoking to vaping found significant improvements in symptoms and in respiratory function [143]. The recent Cochrane Review found no significant adverse effects associated with EC use for up to 1.5 years [39]. Summary The mice model has little relevance for estimating human risk and it does not raise any new safety concerns. Particles in e-cigarette vapour For completeness we are including information on another recent report which was interpreted as showing that EC may be dangerous to bystanders. At an EC Summit conference in London in November 2014, Harrison and McFiggans reported on particles present in EC vapour. Their presentation was reported in the British Medical Journal under the title “E-cigarette vapour could damage health of non-smokers” [137]. McFiggans and Harrison requested a retraction of the piece because their findings did not concern any health risks. It is the content of the particles rather than their presence or size which has health implications [144]. Impact of media reports that e-cigarettes are dangerous Together with previous health scares, the articles reviewed here may be having a significant impact on public perception of EC safety. In the US, 82% of responders believed that vaping is safer than smoking in 2010, but the figure has shrunk to 51% in 2014 [65]. A perception that EC pose as much risk as smoking is the most likely explanation of the recent decline in adoption of EC by smokers [145].