Public Health England,
a government agency, has just published a myth busting blog on ecigarettes,
covering some common misconceptions. We thought we’d summarise the main points
here, but to read the blog in full visit the Public Health Matters blog.
MYTH 1 - E-cigarettes give you ‘popcorn lung’
One of the most
commonly held concerns is that e-cigarettes might cause ‘popcorn lung’. This
came about because some flavourings used in e-liquids to provide a buttery
flavour contain the chemical diacetyl, which at very high levels of exposure
has been associated with the serious lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans.
The condition gained
its popular name because it was initially observed among workers in a popcorn
factory.
However, diacetyl is banned as an ingredient from e-cigarettes and e-liquids in the UK. It had been detected in some e-liquid flavourings in the past, but at levels hundreds of times lower than in cigarette smoke. Even at these levels, smoking is not a major risk factor for this rare disease.
MYTH 2 -
E-cigarettes aren’t regulated and we don’t know what’s in them
The UK has some of the
strictest regulations for e-cigarettes in the world. Under the Tobacco and Related Products
Regulations 2016, e-cigarette products are subject to minimum standards of
quality and safety, as well as packaging and labelling requirements to provide
consumers with the information they need to make informed choices.
All products must be
notified by manufacturers to the UK Medicines and Healthcare products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with detailed information including the listing of
all ingredients.
MYTH 3 - E-cigarettes must be harmful as they
contain nicotine
Some four out of 10
smokers wrongly think nicotine causes most of the tobacco smoking-related
cancer, when evidence shows nicotine actually carries minimal risk of harm to
health. Although nicotine is the reason people become addicted to smoking, it
is the thousands of chemicals contained in cigarette smoke that causes almost
all of the harm.
E-cigarettes do not
contain tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco
smoke. They do contain some chemicals
also found in tobacco smoke, but at much lower levels.
MYTH 4 - Exposure to e-cigarette vapour is
harmful to bystanders
The evidence is clear
that exposure to second hand smoke is harmful, which is why the UK has laws
prohibiting smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces. These laws do not
cover vaping and organisations are free to make their own policies on the use
of e-cigarettes on their premises.
E-cigarette liquid is
typically composed of nicotine, propylene glycol and/or glycerine, and
flavourings. Unlike cigarettes, there is no side-stream vapour emitted by an
e-cigarette into the atmosphere, just the exhaled aerosol.
PHE’s latest evidence review found that to date, there have been no identified health risks of passive vaping to bystanders. People with asthma and other respiratory conditions can be sensitive to a range of environmental irritants, which could include e-cigarette vapour, and PHE advises organisations to take this into account and to make adjustments where appropriate.
MYTH 5 - E-cigarettes will lead young people
into smoking
Our report found no
evidence so far to support the concern that e-cigarettes are a route into
smoking among young people. UK surveys show that young people are experimenting
with e-cigarettes, but regular use is rare and confined almost entirely to
those who already smoke. Meanwhile, smoking rates among young people in the UK
continue to decline. PHE will continue to monitor the trends in e-cigarette use
alongside those in smoking.
MYTH 6 - E-cigarettes are being used as a
Trojan horse – so the tobacco industry can keep people smoking
There is currently no
evidence to suggest that e-cigarettes are encouraging people to continue
smoking – the picture in the UK suggests the opposite. The proportion of
e-cigarette users who are ex-smokers has been increasing over recent years.
Of the 2.9 million
adult e-cigarette users in the UK, more than half have completely stopped
smoking. A further 770,000 have given up both smoking and vaping. At the same
time, quit success rates have been improving and we’re seeing an accelerated
drop in smoking rates, currently at a record low of 15.5% in England.
The main thrust of the
blog by Public Health England is that, e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes are not the same and shouldn’t
be treated as such. Whilst e-cigarettes aren’t completely risk free they carry
a fraction of the risk of smoking and are helping thousands of smokers to quit
and stay smokefree.
