A recent study has shown that the chemicals used in the production of e-cigarettes can be highly toxic when heated and inhaled, according to the Guardian newspaper. With numerous chemicals used in tens of thousands of different e-cigarette products, testing the toxicity of each brand and flavor could take decades of research.
Instead, the new study employed artificial intelligence technology to analyze the chemical composition of 180 e-cigarette flavors and simulate how they degrade when heated. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found that e-cigarettes produce 127 "highly toxic" chemicals, 153 that pose "health risks," and 225 "irritants."
E-cigarettes that are single-use are set to be banned in the UK as authorities seek to protect children's health amid rising usage among teenagers, according to a report by Bloomberg on its website. E-cigarette devices heat the liquid flavor to high temperatures to create an aerosol that is then inhaled, containing chemicals such as vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine, and flavorings mixed in varying amounts.
Previous experiments have shown that some fruit-flavored e-cigarettes, such as strawberry, watermelon, and berry, produce harmful compounds called volatile carbonyls due to this heating process.
The study's lead author, Donal O'Shea, a chemistry professor at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), stated that the UK government should go further and remove all flavors from e-cigarettes. He added that it is crucial to understand the impact of flavored e-cigarettes on health "before it is too late."
He continued: "It is reasonable to think that we are on the verge of a new wave of chronic diseases that will appear 15 to 20 years from now due to these exposures."
The study concluded that, given the popularity of flavored e-cigarettes among teenagers and non-smoking young people, understanding the long-term effects of these products on public health, morbidity, and mortality is critical.
The researchers stated: "Without comprehensive regulation, while we attempt to address nicotine addiction among older tobacco smokers, there is a significant risk of passing new health challenges onto younger generations."
