A recent article featured in Fox News Health reports findings from a study at the University of California (UC) Davis that shows illegal disposable cigarettes, a/k/a vapes, may present a greater danger than traditional cigarettes due to their extremely high concentrations of metal.
As part of the study, researchers tested the vapor puffs from 3 popular vape brands - Elf Bar, Flum Pebble, and Esco - sold by retailers (but not FDA-authorized for use in the U.S.) and found hazardous levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead, nickel, and antimony. These metals are classified as carcinogens that may lead to skin, lung, and kidney cancers, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). One of the brands tested in this study was found to expose users to as much lead as smoking 19 packs of cigarettes.
A senior study author, Brett Pouin, assistant professor at the UC Davis Dept. of Environmental Technology, said that he was shocked at the levels of toxic metals found in the vapors tested saying, "When I analyzed the first samples, the lead concentration was so high that I thought the (testing) instrument was broken. Levels far exceeded anything in past data or even in the published literature."
Regarding the high concentrations of metal, Poulin warned that there is no known safe level of lead exposure and shared, "This neurotoxin poses serious health risks, particularly to children and adolescents, who are especially vulnerable."
Many medical professionals agree with the need to inform users about the health risks of vaping associated with various lung diseases including asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. In addition, there are many recommendations calling for disposable vapes to be closely regulated by local, state, and federal agencies and for the need to add printed warnings on packaging for disposable vapes to outline health risks of use, especially to teens and young adults.
Statistics show that electronic cigarette use among adults increased from 4.5% in 2019 to 6.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also noted that 15.5% of young adults between the ages of 21-24 have reported using e-cigarettes.
To read more on the UC study, click:
No comments:
Post a Comment