E-Cigarettes Exposed on the March 15 Gala—Did the March 15 Gala Prove E-Cigarettes Are Harmful?

E-cigarettes were exposed on the March 15 Gala—did the program prove that e-cigarettes are harmful? CCTV’s March 15 Gala reported that e-cigarettes are not as safe or healthy as many people imagine. But did the March 15 Gala actually prove that e-cigarettes are harmful?

　　In recent years, e-cigarettes have become widely popular and sales have boomed. From being promoted as “smoking cessation products” that can replace tobacco to being marketed as trendy, cool “electronic products,” e-cigarettes have attracted many teenagers and adults, and even minors, through slogans such as “less harmful” and “can help you quit smoking.”

　　A 2015 survey showed that the average e-cigarette usage rate in five representative cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, was 3.4%. A 2014 survey by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that 45% of middle school students had heard of e-cigarettes, and 1.2% had used e-cigarettes within the previous 30 days [2]. From 2015 to 2018, China’s e-cigarette output doubled. 　　The March 15 Gala’s report on e-cigarettes highlighted several risks. First, most e-liquids contain nicotine, and long-term use by adolescents can lead to addiction and make them more likely to become smokers. Second, some e-liquids on the market have unclear nicotine concentration labeling, which can mislead consumers. Finally, e-cigarette aerosol may contain large amounts of formaldehyde.

　　In fact, the potential harms of e-cigarettes do not stop there. E-liquid mainly contains nicotine, solvents, and flavorings. The nicotine in e-cigarettes is not synthetic, but extracted from tobacco. At present, nicotine concentrations in e-liquids sold on the market usually range from 6 to 24mg/mL, with some reaching as high as 50mg/mL. In addition to being addictive, nicotine is also toxic. For example, a 30kg child could face a fatal poisoning risk after ingesting 24mg of nicotine. Excessive nicotine intake is also associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.

　　In addition, e-cigarette aerosol contains many substances harmful to the human body. For example, aldehydes and ketones, which strongly irritate the respiratory system, include not only formaldehyde but also acetaldehyde, acetone, propionaldehyde, and other compounds. Studies show that sampled e-cigarette aerosols all contained formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, and some contained formaldehyde levels as high as 260mg/m3 [3]. In addition, most aerosols also contained benzene, ethylbenzene, and even various volatile compounds such as banned menthol, as well as heavy metals including cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel, and carcinogenic nitrosamines [3].

　　The World Health Organization has pointed out that secondhand aerosol produced by e-cigarettes is a new source of air pollution. Compared with clean smoke-free air, secondhand aerosol can raise PM1.0 levels by 14 to 40 times and PM2.5 levels by 6 to 86 times. Nicotine levels can be 10 to 115 times higher, acetaldehyde 2 to 8 times higher, and formaldehyde 20% higher. It is not merely “water vapor,” as many e-cigarette marketing claims suggest.

　　So, did the March 15 Gala prove that e-cigarettes are harmful? In short: e-cigarettes, like traditional cigarettes, are not healthy. If health is the goal, then smoking of any kind should be avoided. As the CCTV March 15 Gala concluded, cigarettes have already cost us dearly in health, and we must understand the harms of e-cigarettes with a scientific and rational attitude rather than falling into another consumer misconception just for the sake of following trends.

　　Recommended reading:

　　Are e-cigarettes harmful? What are the risks of e-cigarettes?

　　Is vaping actually harmful?