Why are e-cigarettes bad for your health – The Times of India
On Wednesday, the American Supreme Court ruled that the Food and Drug Administration acted lawfully in rejecting applications from two manufacturers of flavoured liquids used in e-cigarettes. In a unanimous decision written by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., the justices upheld the F.D.A order that prohibited retailers from marketing flavoured tobacco products.
Why so? Well, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, a 2009 law requires makers of new tobacco products to obtain authorization from the F.D.A and their applications must present that their products are “appropriate for the protection of the public health.”
What makes an e-cigarette?
E-cigarettes, vapes or electronic cigarettes use a battery to heat up a special liquid into an aerosol that the users inhale. The juice that makes up an e-cigarette usually contains nicotine (extracted from tobacco), propylene glycol, carcinogens acrolein, diacetyl, heavy metals such as nickel, tin, lead, cadmium, benzene and more.
Who are the consumers of e-cigarettes in the US?
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In 2024, e-cigarettes were the most commonly used tobacco products among middle and high school students in the United States, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 1.63M students claimed to use cigarettes at the time with 410,000 being middle school students and 1.21M being high school students. While some used disposable e-cigarettes, others preferred prefilled or refillable pods, cartridges, tanks and mod systems. The most popular brands were Elf Bar, Breeze, and Mr. Fog.
E-cigarettes contain nicotine
While they are also used to deliver other drugs like cannabis and marijuana, most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Acute exposure to nicotine can be toxic and one can be poisoned by swallowing, breathing or absorbing vaping liquid through the skin or eyes. Additionally, nicotine can harm brain development which continues till the age of 25. This can harm parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control.
E-cigarettes contain aerosol
E-cigarettes produce aerosols which are a mix of small particles released in the air. By heating a liquid containing nicotine or some other flavour and chemicals E-cigarettes produce aerosol that the user inhales into their lungs. While aerosols contain nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals such as nickel, tin, lead, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and flavourings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease.
Health risks from e-cigarettes
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In January 2018, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine released a consensus study report based on a review of 800 different studies. Its report stated that there was moderate evidence that youth who consumed e-cigarettes were at increased risk for cough and wheezing and an increase in asthma exacerbations. A study from the University of North Carolina found that the two primary ingredients in e-cigarettes- propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine are toxic to cells. They also contain acrolein, a herbicide used to kill weeds which can cause lung injury and COPD.
