Latest Research Shows Vapers’ Exposure to Harmful Compounds Is the Same as Non-Smokers

Vapers are using e-cigarettes

There is good news for vapers. According to a recent study by researchers in the UK and the US, the risk of exposure to toxic compounds for vapers is the same as that for non-smokers, reflecting that vaping is as healthy as not smoking. Smokers who switch to e-cigarettes can also avoid the harm of thousands of toxic substances found in smoke.

The "observed carcinogens and toxicants" are a group of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including acrolein, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, butadiene, and a mixture of ethylene oxide, acrylonitrile, and vinyl chloride. These volatile organic compounds are present in the air, our food, and beverages, and people are exposed to them daily. A study published in 2012 by K. Udeni Alwis and others showed that these compounds were also measured in non-smokers.

In this study, researchers measured the metabolites produced when the body breaks down VOCs by testing the urine of participants. Scientists from University College London, King's College London, Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that "long-term use of nicotine replacement therapy and exclusive use of e-cigarettes significantly reduces the levels of carcinogens and toxicants associated with smoking." Their findings were led by Lion Shahab and published last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Comparison of Vapers (Shahab) and Non-Smokers (Alwis) in Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds

This table shows that the amount of VOC exposure for vapers is similar to that of non-smokers. For example, in Shahab's study, the risk of vapers being exposed to acrylamide is 43%, while in Alwis's study, the risk for non-smokers compared to smokers is 42%.

The researchers of Shahab's report, especially Dr. Alwis from the CDC, should connect the results of the two studies. The fact that vapers have a similar risk of exposure to volatile compounds as non-smokers is worth promoting.