Renowned health experts have highlighted the benefits of reducing tobacco smoking with the use of e-cigarettes.
Speaking at a virtual E-Cigarette Summit 2020 on Sunday, Alan R Boobis of the Imperial College London, said the liquid in e‐cigarettes, propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerine(glycerol) is relatively non‐toxic at the levels present when inhaled over the short to medium term.
He advocated the consumption of electronic cigarettes which is considered safer than the conventional cigarettes.
This, he said, applies to both absolute and relative risk, in users and in bystanders.
He said there is uncertainty about the effects of long‐term, repeated exposure in users, nothing that Nicotine has a range of pharmacological effects, including addiction.
He explained that the effects of nicotine are what can persuade a cigarette smoker to switch, hence relative risk in users switching from conventional cigarettes cf absolute risk in naïve users and bystanders will have different implications for direct impact on human health.
Speaking on the effect of flavourings in e‐cigarettes, he said many of the most widely used flavourings used in e‐cigarettes are also used in food and some in conventional cigarettes.
He said, “Once in the body, the effects will be the same, concentration for concentration, as when ingested orally.
The exception, according to him, would be any local effects in the lung.
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He said the evidence to date has not indicated any particular concern, but additional data would be helpful. Some flavouring is potential sensitive, added.
He explained that the process of heating may result in thermal degradation of flavourings, adding that the extent of degradation is low at normal vaping temperatures.
“Many of the heat‐generated products will also be found after culinary use, and no adverse effects are observed, he said.
“But some of the products may be volatile, leading to greater exposure on inhalation. The main difference is the possibility of local effects in the lung. Exposures would normally be low and in general adverse effects would not be anticipated.
The effects of chemicals in e‐cigarettes, according to Boobis, will depend not only on their toxicity but also on the amount present.
For instance, he said, the evidence suggests that the risk posed by e‐cigarettes to users is substantially less than that posed by conventional cigarettes, adding that currently, it is difficult to quantify precisely by how much less the risk is.
He added, “Any risk reduction will vary with the effect of concern.
The most toxic chemicals found with conventional cigarettes are either not present, or are present at much lower levels in e‐cigarettes. “
Speaking on the topic “Setting the agenda for tobacco harm reduction”, Dr Ray Niaura, said the use of e-cigarettes and alternative nicotine products causes naïve users, especially the youth, to smoke cigarettes.
He also stated that the use of e-cigarettes and all alternative nicotine products could cause smokers to fail.
He explained that ecological trends in e-cigarette use and smoking prevalence in youth across time have failed to provide confirmatory support that e-cigarette use causes smoking initiation, and, if anything, are more consistent with the notion that e-cigarette use is associated with reduced smoking.
However, he said that ecological studies of trends going back a decade found that the rate of reduction of smoking in US youth has remained consistent and has not accelerated in recent years when ecigarettes have become popular.