Scientists from the Roswell Cancer Park Institute in Buffalo, NY, have announced the findings of two studies respectively looking at evidence on “thirdhand” exposure to nicotine from e cigarettes and the accuracy of e cigarette product labels.

Sales of e cigarettes (“electronic cigarettes”) where nicotine and other cigarette associated substances are inhaled in a vapor through a battery operated device have doubled each year since 2008 in the US. E cigarettes are not currently regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Over the past couple of years, various studies have analyzed to what extent e cigarettes may or may not be harmful to both the smoker and other people.

Medical News Today reported on a 2012 study finding that, although e cigarettes contribute less to indoor air pollution than traditional tobacco cigarettes, they are “not entirely emission free,” and so bystanders may be exposed to the released vapor.

That study also criticized the labeling of e cigarettes, commenting that the inadequate or vague information on the content of the products made it difficult for smokers to know the potential dangers of the contained substances.

E cigarettes and thirdhand smoke risk

Examining the issue of bystanders’ exposure to nicotine from e cigarettes, the Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RCPI) researchers studied the extent to which e cigarettes left a nicotine residue on indoor surfaces. This residue is often referred to as “thirdhand smoke.”

To do this, the scientists vaporized the contents of three different brands of e cigarette inside a special chamber. The floors, walls, windows, wood and metal surfaces of the chamber were then individually checked for nicotine levels.

In three out of four of these experiments, the researchers found varying but significant increases in nicotine residue, with the floor and windows of the chamber retaining the highest amounts of residue.

How accurate is the product labeling of e cigarettes?

The second study from the RCPI team assessed how accurate the product labeling of e cigarettes is. The researchers analyzed the contents of 32 e cigarette refill solutions and compared their findings with the claims made by the product manufacturers in their labeling information.

In e cigarettes, nicotine and other substances are inhaled in a vapor through a battery operated device.

They found that the nicotine concentration of 1 in 4 products differed by more than 20% from what the amounts advertised on their labels. Nicotine was also found in some refill solutions that were labeled as being nicotine free.

“Research conducted by Roswell Park scientists provides a valuable contribution and insight into the content and marketing of e cigarettes,” says Andrew Hyland, PhD, chair of RPCI’s Department of Health Behavior.

“This science can inform health policy organizations as they determine e cigarette regulations, which can and should include smoke free policies and standards for accurate labeling,” he adds.

“The public health community agrees that more scientific inquiry is needed to understand the potential health impact of e cigarettes,” adds Dr. Maciej Goniewicz, who presented the findings of both studies at the annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco on February 8th, 2014.

Dr. Goniewicz adds

“These studies add to the growing body of scientific evidence that will help to define and delineate a product that is broadly used indoors and is advertised and sold without restrictions.”

Written by David McNamee

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Notes from the field: electronic cigarette use among middle and high school students – united states, 2011-2012

File:main (cigarettes).jpg – wikimedia commons

Electronic cigarettes, or e cigarettes, are battery powered devices that provide doses of nicotine and other additives to the user in an aerosol. Depending on the brand, e cigarette cartridges typically contain nicotine, a component to produce the aerosol (e.g., propylene glycol or glycerol), and flavorings (e.g., fruit, mint, or chocolate) (1). Potentially harmful constituents also have been documented in some e cigarette cartridges, including irritants, genotoxins, and animal carcinogens (1). E cigarettes that are not marketed for therapeutic purposes are currently unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and in most states there are no restrictions on the sale of e cigarettes to minors. Use of e cigarettes has increased among U.S. adult current and former smokers in recent years (2) however, the extent of use among youths is uncertain.

Data from the 2011 and 2012 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), a school based, pencil and paper questionnaire given to U.S. middle school (grades 6 8) and high school (grades 9 12) students, were used to estimate the prevalence of ever and current ( 1 day in the past 30 days) use of e cigarettes, ever and current ( 1 day in the past 30 days) use of conventional cigarettes, and use of both. NYTS consists of a cross sectional, nationally representative sample of students in grades 6 12 from all 50 states and the District of Columbia (3).

During 2011 2012, among all students in grades 6 12, ever e cigarette use increased from 3.3&#37 to 6.8&#37 (p<0.05) (Figure) current e cigarette use increased from 1.1&#37 to 2.1&#37 (p<0.05), and current use of both e cigarettes and conventional cigarettes increased from 0.8&#37 to 1.6&#37 (p<0.05). In 2012, among ever e cigarette users, 9.3&#37 reported never smoking conventional cigarettes among current e cigarette users, 76.3&#37 reported current conventional cigarette smoking.

Among middle school students, ever e cigarette use increased from 1.4&#37 to 2.7&#37 during 2011 2012 (p<0.05) (Figure) current e cigarette use increased from 0.6&#37 to 1.1&#37 (p<0.05), and current use of both e cigarettes and conventional cigarettes increased from 0.3&#37 to 0.7&#37 (p<0.05). In 2012, among middle school ever e cigarette users, 20.3&#37 reported never smoking conventional cigarettes among middle school current e cigarette users, 61.1&#37 reported current conventional cigarette smoking.

Among high school students, ever e cigarette use increased from 4.7&#37 to 10.0&#37 during 2011 2012 (p<0.05) (Figure) current e cigarette use increased from 1.5&#37 to 2.8&#37 (p<0.05), and current use of both e cigarettes and conventional cigarettes increased from 1.2&#37 to 2.2&#37 (p<0.05). In 2012, among high school ever e cigarette users, 7.2&#37 reported never smoking conventional cigarettes among high school current e cigarette users, 80.5&#37 reported current conventional cigarette smoking.

E cigarette experimentation and recent use doubled among U.S. middle and high school students during 2011 2012, resulting in an estimated 1.78 million students having ever used e cigarettes as of 2012. Moreover, in 2012, an estimated 160,000 students who reported ever using e cigarettes had never used conventional cigarettes. This is a serious concern because the overall impact of e cigarette use on public health remains uncertain. In youths, concerns include the potential negative impact of nicotine on adolescent brain development (4), as well as the risk for nicotine addiction and initiation of the use of conventional cigarettes or other tobacco products.

CDC and the Food and Drug Administration will continue to explore ways to increase surveillance and research on e cigarettes. Given the rapid increase in use and youths’ susceptibility to social and environmental influences to use tobacco, developing strategies to prevent marketing, sales, and use of e cigarettes among youths is critical.

Reported by

Catherine Corey, MSPH, Baoguang Wang, MD, Sarah E. Johnson, PhD, Benjamin Apelberg, PhD, Corinne Husten, MD, Center for Tobacco Products, Food and Drug Administration. Brian A. King, PhD, Tim A. McAfee, MD, Rebecca Bunnell, PhD, Ren A. Arrazola, MPH, Shanta R. Dube, PhD, Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC. Corresponding contributor Brian A. King, baking , 770 488 5107.

References

1. Cobb NK, Byron MJ, Abrams DB, Shields PG. Novel nicotine delivery systems and public health the rise of the “e cigarette.” Am J Public Health 2010 100 2340 2.
2. King BA, Alam S, Promoff G, Arrazola R, Dube SR. Awareness and ever use of electronic cigarettes among U.S. adults, 2010 2011. Nicotine Tob Res 2013 15 1623 7.
3. CDC. National Youth Tobacco Survey. Atlanta, GA US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC 2013. Available at
4. Dwyer JB, McQuown SC, Leslie FM. The dynamic effects of nicotine on the developing brain. Pharmacol Ther 2009 122 125 39.