CDC Study Shows E-Cigarette Vapor Does Not Contain Toxic Formaldehyde

For years, there has been a false claim that secondhand e-cigarette vapor contains toxic levels of formaldehyde, based on a paper published in January 2015 in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

　　However, several prominent researchers, including Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, have already debunked these claims and explained that the experimental procedure used in the 2015 study was highly inappropriate. Even so, their explanations were largely ignored, while this misinformation continued to influence policy and alarm the public. Recommended reading: Are e-cigarettes harmful? What are the dangers of e-cigarettes?

　　Eventually, after a number of public health experts published extensive findings showing that the amount of formaldehyde in e-cigarette vapor is negligible to human health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledged this view.

　　Findings from the CDC

　　Consistent with what Dr. Farsalinos and his colleagues found, recent CDC research shows that the formaldehyde content in e-cigarette vapor is no higher than the everyday air found in a typical American home. In fact, many homes may have even higher levels because common household textiles such as carpets and curtains can release formaldehyde.

　　The CDC published a paper on its website titled “Evaluation of Chemical Exposures at Vape Shops.” CDC researchers collected their data by taking air samples from vape shops, where customers and employees use e-cigarettes more frequently. They found that even though exposure to e-cigarette vapor in these places was above average, air quality testing did not produce measurable concentrations of formaldehyde or other toxins.
　　Findings from the California Department of Public Health

　　In line with the above, the California Department of Public Health also conducted air sampling in vape shops across the state in 2017. Public health expert Dr. Michael Siegel shared results on his blog from a relatively small and poorly ventilated vape shop where many employees and 13 customers were continuously using e-cigarettes during the sampling period, making it a scenario considered representative of secondhand vapor exposure.

　　Despite these unfavorable conditions, the results from that vape shop still did not find any dangerous level of exposure to hazardous chemicals. Unfortunately, the CDC never officially publicized those data.

　　Public health experts and e-cigarette advocates alike now hope that this CDC research will receive the attention it deserves, and that it will help begin to repair the damage caused by the inaccurate and frequently cited 2015 study.