E-cigarettes or vapes are often perceived as a safer alternative to traditional smoking. However, research has shown that vaping is not without risks, especially when it comes to flavored e-cigarette liquids. According to a study by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, adding mint flavor to e-cigarette liquids can make them more toxic and damaging to the lungs. This article discusses the findings of the study, the dangers of vaping, and the need for further research and regulation.
Mint-Flavored E-Cigarette Liquids Generate More Toxic Particles
Using a specially designed robotic system that mimics the mechanics of human breathing and vaping behavior, researchers found that commercially available e-cigarette liquids containing menthol generate a greater number of toxic microparticles compared to menthol-free juice. This means that vaping mint-flavored e-cigarettes can be more harmful to the lungs than vaping menthol-free e-cigarettes.
Menthol Vapers Have Poorer Lung Function
An accompanying analysis of patient records from a cohort of e-cigarette smokers revealed that menthol vapers took shallower breaths and had poorer lung function compared to non-menthol smokers regardless of age, gender, race, pack-years of smoking, and the use of nicotine or cannabis-containing vaping products. This suggests that menthol additives could be just as dangerous as vitamin E acetate, which was strongly linked to lung injury in users of e-cigarettes and vapes.
Vaping is Not Safe, Even Nicotine-Free Vaping Mixtures
According to Kambez H. Benam, D.Phil., associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, many people, especially youth, erroneously assume that vaping is safe, but even nicotine-free vaping mixtures contain many compounds that can potentially damage the lungs. Just because something is safe to consume as food does not mean that it’s safe to inhale.
The Need for Regulation
To turn young people away from vaping and curb preventable deaths, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to put pressure on cigarette manufacturers to eliminate menthol in combustible tobacco products, such as regular cigarettes and cigars. But the market for vaping products worldwide continues to expand, and mint and menthol flavors remain highly popular among the 2.5 million youth who reported smoking e-cigarettes in 2022.
The Limitations of Traditional Toxicity Testing
Because traditional toxicity testing, which involves animals or living cells grown on a flat surface, can take weeks or months to produce high-quality and clinically relevant data, regulatory bodies are struggling to keep up and test products’ safety in a timely manner. Traditional approaches have other limitations as well. Mice and rats, animals primarily used to test aerosolized products’ safety and biological impact, have very different anatomy of their nasal passages compared to humans, which prevents them from taking an active breath through the mouth akin to taking a cigarette puff. And cell systems used for toxicity testing are either directly exposed to e-liquid on contact or are blasted with continuous aerosols that don’t account for human breathing patterns.
A Biologically Inspired “Vaping Robot” to Improve Preclinical Testing
To improve preclinical testing of how mixing vaping liquids and adding flavorings impact vapor composition and its health effects, researchers developed a biologically inspired “vaping robot.” By precisely mimicking the temperature, humidity, puff volume, and duration, this machine can simulate the pattern of healthy and diseased breathing and reliably predict lung toxicity related to e-cigarettes. The system can measure the size and number of generated aerosolized particles and how those parameters vary depending on liquid composition. The aerosols’ effects can then be tested on engineered “lung-on-chip” devices and quickly yield high-quality data that can be used to infer potential toxicity. This approach could potentially accelerate the process of testing the safety of e-cigarette liquids and flavors.
Conclusion
The findings of the University of Pittsburgh study suggest that mint flavor makes vape juice more toxic and damaging to the lungs. This highlights the need for further research and regulation in the vaping industry. Vaping is not without risks, and even nicotine-free vaping mixtures can contain compounds that can potentially damage the lungs. Young people, in particular, should be informed of the risks and benefits of e-cigarettes before trying them.
FAQs
What is the vaping robot developed by researchers?
The vaping robot developed by researchers is a biologically inspired machine that mimics the mechanics of human breathing and vaping behavior. It can simulate the pattern of healthy and diseased breathing and reliably predict lung toxicity related to e-cigarettes.Why are mint-flavored e-cigarette liquids more toxic?
Mint-flavored e-cigarette liquids generate a greater number of toxic microparticles compared to menthol-free juice. This means that vaping mint-flavored e-cigarettes can be more harmful to the lungs than vaping menthol-free e-cigarettes.What are the dangers of vaping?
Vaping is not without risks, especially when it comes to flavored e-cigarette liquids. Even nicotine-free vaping mixtures can contain compounds that can potentially damage the lungs. Vaping can also lead to addiction to nicotine, and the long-term effects of vaping are still unknown.Why is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration putting pressure on cigarette manufacturers to eliminate menthol in combustible tobacco products?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is putting pressure on cigarette manufacturers to eliminate menthol in combustible tobacco products, such as regular cigarettes and cigars, to turn young people away from smoking and curb preventable deaths. However, the market for vaping products worldwide continues to expand, and mint and menthol flavors remain highly popular among young people.Should young people try e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to traditional smoking?
Young people should be informed of the risks and benefits of e-cigarettes before trying them. Vaping is not without risks, and even nicotine-free vaping mixtures can contain compounds that can potentially damage the lungs. Switching to e-cigarettes may be a better, safer alternative for someone who is trying to quit smoking regular tobacco products, but it’s important to have full knowledge of e-cigarettes’ risks and benefits before trying them.