Dr. K: Not a whole lot is known about e-cigarettes
Write to Anthony Komaroff via www.AskDoctorK.com.
Q After smoking for more than 15 years, I finally quit eight months ago. I recently heard about electronic cigarettes, which vaporize nicotine and don’t create actual smoke. Are they a safer alternative to cigarettes?
A Nobody knows if electronic cigarettes are safe. That’s because e-cigarette makers have not submitted their products for FDA approval, which would require proof of safety and efficacy. Still, preliminary studies from New Zealand, Greece and the FDA itself raise concerns.
There are three reasons to worry about e-cigarettes. First, the dose of nicotine delivered with each puff may vary substantially. An FDA analysis recorded nicotine doses between 26.8 and 43.2 micrograms per puff. It also detected nicotine in all the products labeled as nicotine-free.
Second, the e-cigarettes all deliver an array of other chemicals, including diethylene glycol (a highly toxic substance), various nitrosamines (powerful carcinogens found in tobacco), and at least four other chemicals suspected of being harmful to humans.
Third, by simulating the cigarette experience, e-cigarettes might reactivate the habit in ex-smokers. They could also be a gateway into tobacco abuse for young people who are not yet hooked.
We need scientific studies of e-cigarettes. Until then, it’s buyer beware.
