ANR UPDATE, 28(3), Fall 2009
Electronic Cigarettes
Electronic
cigarettes, or "e-cigarettes" as they are known, are the newest product
on the market. They come in a variety of flavors and nicotine levels, and are
claimed to be a less dangerous alternative to smoking real cigarettes. Metal
tubes, designed to look like real cigarettes, contain a cartridge filled with
a nicotine-laced liquid that is vaporized by a battery-powered heating element.
The nicotine vapor is inhaled by smokers when they draw on the device, as they
would a regular cigarette. Manufacturers are not required to declare the ingredients
in e-cigarettes, nor in the substances inhaled and exhaled by the "smoker."
In July 2009, the FDA released its analysis of certain electronic cigarettes, which is the first known analysis of these new products. The analysis found that the e-cigarette cartridges contain carcinogens, including nitrosamines, and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol. The FDA Commissioner stated: "The FDA is concerned about the safety of these products and how they are marketed to the public."
Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights is concerned that the manufacturers of e-cigarettes
are marketing them as something that smokers can use in smokefree workplaces
and public places. Absent any proof that e-cigarettes are harmless to people
exposed to the vapors they emit, their use in smokefree spaces would be a great
disservice to public health. The lack of substantial research on e-cigarettes
and the potential health risks posed by the use of this product, both to the
user and to the people around them, is of grave concern. The burden of proof
on the safety of e-cigarettes rests on their manufacturers.
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