Research into second hand emissions from cigarettes and e-cigarettes (Abstract) has found that while there is a tenfold decrease in overall exposure to carcinogenic particulate matter from e-cigarettes compared to cigarettes, there were increased levels of certain toxic metals. The researchers noted that more of this came from the device itself as opposed to the liquid used in the device.
In recent years, electronic cigarettes have gained increasing popularity as alternatives to normal (tobacco-containing) cigarettes. In the present study, particles generated by e-cigarettes and normal cigarettes have been analyzed and the degree of exposure to different chemical agents and their emission rates were quantified. Despite the 10-fold decrease in the total exposure to particulate elements in e-cigarettes compared to normal cigarettes, specific metals (e.g. Ni and Ag) still displayed a higher emission rate from e-cigarettes. Further analysis indicated that the contribution of e-liquid to the emission of these metals is rather minimal, implying that they likely originate from other components of the e-cigarette device or other indoor sources. Organic species had lower emission rates during e-cigarette consumption compared to normal cigarettes. Of particular note was the non-detectable emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from e-cigarettes, while substantial emission of these species was observed from normal cigarettes. Overall, with the exception of Ni, Zn, and Ag, the consumption of e-cigarettes resulted in a remarkable decrease in secondhand exposure to all metals and organic compounds. Implementing quality control protocols on the manufacture of e-cigarettes would further minimize the emission of metals from these devices and improve their safety and associated health effects.
(Score: 2) by zocalo on Friday August 29 2014, @04:17PM
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Friday August 29 2014, @04:25PM
> ubious quality, and (of course) that it might be encouraging kids to smoke.
Anecdote =/= data I know, but had a conversation with a relative the other day... apparently she has recently discovered that not only were here teenage (underage) kids using e-cigs, but that they've now graduated from e-cigs to the proper, good old-fashioned cancer sticks.
(Score: 2) by opinionated_science on Friday August 29 2014, @04:28PM
"bloke down pub said...". Probably in the OED by now...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 29 2014, @08:44PM
For kids smoking is about rebelling against adult society and joining a community of peers.
It is easy to blame the cigarettes because that's the most visible characteristic, but it is primarily the psychology of being a teenager that is at the root. Even if we are able to make smoking as bland and meaningless as white bread, teens will just fine some other officially discouraged activity to participate in. The best we can hope for is harm reduction, but it is a catch-22 - reduce the danger enough and adult society will no longer disapprove enough to make it useful as a form of rebellion.
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Monday September 01 2014, @10:43AM
> Even if we are able to make smoking as bland and meaningless as white bread, teens will just fine some other officially discouraged activity to participate in.
As one as the alternative is something less addictive and harmful than smoking then I say great, that would be a major win. Maybe we should campaign to outlaw cranberries for user-16s...
(Score: 2) by q.kontinuum on Friday August 29 2014, @08:55PM
To treat them like normal cigarettes does not sound too bad for me, at least with those loads containing nicotine or any other potential harmful substances. In our office, luckily no-one started yet to smoke these things (most smokers use them, but outside, like they used to with the normal cigarettes). A general age-restriction also seems reasonable to me, although I could imagine trying one without nicotine myself one day. Maybe one day we come to the point where THC-loads are legalized :-)
Registered IRC nick on chat.soylentnews.org: qkontinuum
(Score: 2) by zocalo on Saturday August 30 2014, @03:55PM
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!