Low levels of carbonyls such as formaldehyde, a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent), are often detected in vapor due to the thermal breakdown of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine.
In 2015, a laboratory study using an outdated e-cigarette atomizer (tank) reported very high levels of formaldehyde. This naturally created great concern about a possible cancer risk from vaping.
However, subsequent tests confirmed that these high levels were caused by unrealistic vaping conditions using excessively high-power settings that overheated the e-liquid. This would create an unpleasant burnt taste (‘dry puff’) which vapers would avoid under normal use. However, under normal vaping conditions by humans with modern devices, the level of formaldehyde is about 1-5% the level of smoking.
As mentioned earlier, the overall cancer risk from long-term vaping has been estimated at <1% of the risk from smoking.
The myth of ‘popcorn lung’ has been the subject of many sensational headlines. However, the risk of vaping is almost non-existent.
Popcorn lung (bronchiolitis obliterans) is a serious lung disease that has been found in some people working in popcorn factories. It is thought to be caused by heavy exposure to a chemical called ‘diacetyl’ which is used to give popcorn a buttery flavor.
Very low levels of diacetyl have been found in some aerosols, at levels 100-750 times LESS than in cigarette smoke. However, there has NEVER been one reported case of popcorn lung from smoking or vaping.
Even though the health risk from diacetyl is almost non-existent, responsible manufacturers are removing diacetyl from their e-liquids and many are now labeled ‘diacetyl-free’.
A further review of the popcorn lung myth by Professor Michael Siegel is available here.
Tobacco cigarettes are a significant fire hazard, but there have also been reports of vaporisers overheating or catching fire. These episodes are given considerable media attention, but are actually quite rare.
According to the London Fire brigade, although four times as many people smoke as they do vape, there are 255 times more smoking-related fires than fires due to vaping, meaning vaping is a far safer option.
These episodes are generally due to lithium batteries which are known to occasionally malfunction. Similar malfunctions have been reported from lithium batteries in mobile phones and laptop computers.
Battery safety is being continually improved. Protection can be built into the battery, into the charging appliance, or into the electronics to reduce the risk.
Following battery safety rules can greatly reduce the risk.
Women should try to stop smoking before getting pregnant wherever possible. Quitting when pregnant is more difficult and certain medications to help you quit cannot be used in pregnancy.
The preferred quitting methods in pregnancy are professional counselling and nicotine replacement therapy, ie nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, inhalator or mouth spray. If you are not able to quit smoking with the available treatments you could consider using a vaporiser.
Little research has been conducted into the safety of vaping in pregnancy, however it is likely to be significantly less harmful to you and your baby than cigarettes. If using a vaporiser helps you stay smokefree, it is much safer than continuing to smoke.
Nicotine from smoking can affect the baby’s brain and lungs and reduce the baby’s growth. However, on its own there is little evidence of harm. Nicotine gum, patches etc are approved for use in pregnancy and one study found healthier babies when they were used. The main harm to the baby comes from the thousands of chemicals in tobacco smoke.
Even small amounts of smoke are harmful to you and the baby. If you are using an e-cigarette, it is important to try to stop smoking completely. If possible, it is best to stop vaping if you can avoid taking up smoking again.
Nicotine is toxic in high doses like many household chemicals. However, most cases of intentional or accidental nicotine poisoning involving nicotine e-liquid have resulted in prompt vomiting and overdoses rarely cause serious harm. According to Public Health England,
‘the risk of poisoning from ingestion of e-liquids … appears to be comparable to similar … potentially poisonous household substances’
There is no significant risk of nicotine poisoning to the user as vapers regulate their nicotine dose on a puff by puff basis.
E-liquid should always be stored safely out of the reach of children and pets and kept in a childproof container.
Viwango vya chini vya carbonyls kama vile formaldehyde, carcinogen inayojulikana (mtoaji wa kansa), mara nyingi hupatikana katika mvuke kutokana na uharibifu wa joto wa propylene glycol na glycerin ya mboga. Katika utafiti wa maabara uliofanywa mnamo 2015, atomizer ya sigareti ya elektroniki iliyopitwa na wakati iliripoti viwango vya juu sana vya formaldehyde. Hii kwa kawaida ilitokeza wasiwasi mkubwa kuhusu uwezekano wa hatari ya kansa kutokana na kuvuta sigareti. Hata hivyo, vipimo vya baadaye vilithibitisha kuwa viwango hivi vya juu vilisababishwa na hali zisizo za kweli za kuvuta kutumia mipangilio ya nguvu kubwa sana ambayo ilichoma maji ya e-maji. Hii ingeunda ladha mbaya ya kuchomwa ("dry puff") ambayo vapers ingeepuka chini ya matumizi ya kawaida. Kwa mfano, katika hali ya kawaida ya vaping, kiwango cha formaldehyde ni karibu 1% ya kiwango cha kuvuta sigara. Uwezekano wa jumla wa saratani kutokana na kuvuta sigara kwa muda mrefu umekadiriwa kuwa chini ya 1% ya hatari ya kuvuta sigara. Hadithi ya "pafu ya popcorn" imekuwa kichwa cha habari nyingi zenye kusisimua. Hata hivyo, hatari ya kutumia dawa za kulevya ni ndogo sana. Ugonjwa wa mapafu (bronchiolitis obliterans) ni ugonjwa mbaya wa mapafu ambao umepatikana kwa watu wengine wanaofanya kazi katika viwanda vya popcorn. Inafikiriwa kuwa husababishwa na mfiduo mkubwa wa kemikali inayoitwa <unk>diacetyl<unk> ambayo hutumiwa kutoa popcorn ladha ya siagi. Kiwango cha diacetyl katika aerosol ni chini sana kuliko kile kilichopatikana katika moshi wa sigareti. Hata hivyo, HAKUWA na kisa kimoja kilichoripotiwa cha mapafu ya popcorn kutokana na kuvuta sigareti au kuvuta sigareti. Hata ingawa hatari ya afya kutoka diacetyl ni karibu haipo, wazalishaji wajibu ni kuondoa diacetyl kutoka e-maji yao na wengi sasa ni alama <unk> diacetyl-free <unk>. Mapitio zaidi ya hadithi ya mapafu ya popcorn na Profesa Michael Siegel inapatikana hapa. Sigareti za tumbaku ni hatari kubwa ya moto, lakini pia kumekuwa na ripoti za vaporizers overheating au kukamata moto. Matukio hayo hupewa uangalifu mkubwa na vyombo vya habari, lakini kwa kweli ni nadra sana. Kulingana na London Fire Brigade, ingawa watu wengi zaidi ya mara nne wanavuta sigara kuliko wanavyopiga sigara, kuna moto zaidi ya mara 255 unaohusiana na uvutaji wa sigara kuliko moto unaosababishwa na kuvuta sigara, ikimaanisha kuvuta sigara ni chaguo salama zaidi. Matukio haya kwa ujumla ni kutokana na betri za lithiamu ambazo zinajulikana kwa wakati mwingine kazi vibaya. Matatizo kama hayo yameripotiwa kutoka kwa betri za lithiamu katika simu za mkononi na kompyuta ndogo. Usalama wa betri unaboreshwa daima. Ulinzi unaweza kujengwa ndani ya betri, ndani ya kifaa cha kuchaji, au ndani ya vifaa vya elektroniki ili kupunguza hatari. Kufuata sheria za usalama wa betri kwaweza kupunguza sana hatari hiyo. Wanawake wanapaswa kujaribu kuacha kuvuta sigareti kabla ya kupata mimba iwezekanavyo. Kuacha wakati wa ujauzito ni ngumu zaidi na dawa fulani za kukusaidia kuacha haziwezi kutumiwa wakati wa ujauzito. Njia bora za kuacha wakati wa ujauzito ni ushauri wa kitaalamu na matibabu ya badala ya nikotini, yaani patches za nikotini, gum, lozenges, inhaler au dawa ya kinywa. Ikiwa huwezi kuacha kuvuta sigara kwa matibabu yanayopatikana unaweza kufikiria kutumia vaporizer. Utafiti mdogo umefanywa juu ya usalama wa kuvuta sigara wakati wa ujauzito, hata hivyo, inawezekana kuwa na madhara kidogo kwako na mtoto wako kuliko sigara. Ikiwa kutumia kifaa cha kuyeyusha moshi kunakusaidia kuepuka kuvuta sigareti, ni salama zaidi kuliko kuendelea kuvuta sigareti. Nikotini inayotokana na kuvuta sigareti yaweza kuathiri ubongo na mapafu ya mtoto na kupunguza ukuzi wa mtoto. Hata hivyo, kwa kujitegemea kuna uthibitisho mdogo wa madhara. Gamu ya nikotini, patch, na nyongeza za nikotini zinatumiwa kwa ajili ya matumizi ya mimba na utafiti mmoja uligundua watoto wenye afya zaidi wakati zinatumiwa. Uharibifu mkubwa kwa mtoto unatokana na maelfu ya kemikali zilizo katika moshi wa tumbaku. Hata kiasi kidogo cha moshi ni hatari kwa wewe na mtoto wako. Ikiwa unatumia sigara ya elektroniki, ni muhimu kujaribu kuacha kuvuta sigareti kabisa. Ikiwa inawezekana, ni afadhali kuacha kuvuta sigareti ikiwa unaweza kuepuka kuanza kuvuta sigareti tena. Nikotini ni sumu katika kipimo cha juu kama kemikali nyingi za nyumbani. Hata hivyo, visa vingi vya sumu ya nikotini ya makusudi au ya bahati mbaya inayohusisha e-maji ya nikotini imesababisha kutapika haraka na overdosing mara chache husababisha madhara makubwa. Kulingana na Afya ya Umma Uingereza, "hatari ya sumu kutokana na kumeza e-maji... inaonekana kuwa sawa na sawa... uwezekano wa sumu ya nyumbani vitu". Hakuna hatari kubwa ya sumu ya nikotini kwa mtumiaji kama vapers kudhibiti kipimo cha nikotini yao juu ya puff kwa puff msingi. Dawa za E-liquid zinapaswa kuhifadhiwa kwa usalama, mbali na kufikia watoto na wanyama wa kufugwa, na kuhifadhiwa katika chombo cha kuzuia watoto.