Researcher Naoki Kunugita at Japan’s National Institute of
Public Health recently fueled anti-e-cig hysteria with this unverifiable claim: “In
one brand of e-cigarette the team found more than 10 times the level of
carcinogens contained in one regular cigarette.”
The charge came not in a peer-reviewed study, but in
comments to the press publicizing favorable
e-cig research. His group looked at 13 Japanese
e-cigs and reported in the International
Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that they had lower levels of formaldehyde than
cigarettes (here).
Formaldehyde is everywhere, even in the air we breathe. Individuals inhale about 1,000 micrograms per
day, according to the World Health Organization (here), and a microgram is a very small amount – one-millionth of a gram.
The Japanese researchers collected from 0 to 34 micrograms
from 10 puffs of e-cigarettes – at most, about one thirtieth of normal daily
exposure from air. In contrast, 10 puffs
of a cigarette deliver 150 to 200 micrograms.
Apparently, after the controlled research was completed,
Kunugita recorded 1,600 micrograms (10 times the cigarette level) using another
e-cig brand. That single observation
generated the worldwide headlines. Not
only is the finding completely out of range with respect to all other studies,
the claim is unverifiable.
Publishing a scientific report showing low formaldehyde
levels and then publicizing an unsubstantiated claim of 10-fold carcinogenicity
is irresponsible. The announcement was rightfully
condemned by e-cigarette expert Konstantinos Farsilanos in his research blog
(here).
The unvalidated claim undercuts legitimate science and sends
smokers a horrific message: keep lighting up, because e-cigarettes are more
dangerous.
4 comments:
Well, this wasn't the first scaremongering about formaldehyde, nor will it be the last.
My view on this whole mess refers to an earlier wave: Freaking Formaldehyde
On January 21 the New England Journal of Medicine published a letter from anti-tobacco zealots at Portland State University. They appear to have purposefully overheated a variable voltage e-cigarette, which has resulted in vapor with high concentrations of formaldehyde. Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, a prestigious and highly respected e-cigarette researcher, has published a scathing scientific critique: "The scientific community must realize that variable wattage devices cannot be used at any wattage levels with any available atomizer. Even for naïve users, the harsh taste of the dry puff phenomenon is unbearable. I would suggest scientists to try themselves an e-cigarette at dry puff conditions (it is very easy, just use an atomizer without enough liquid), and they will find out themselves. In fact, it is very easy to produce as much aldehydes as you want in the lab with an e-cigarette device. However, this has nothing to do with exposure from e-cigarette use." Dr. Farsalinos' article is available at: http://www.ecigarette-research.com/web/index.php/2013-04-07-09-50-07/2015/191-form-nejm
amen
Amen
Post a Comment