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Su WC, Lee J, Zhang K, Wong SW, Buu A. Estimation of Health Risks Caused by Metals Contained in E-Cigarette Aerosol through Passive Vaping. TOXICS 2023; 11:684. [PMID: 37624189 PMCID: PMC10459233 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11080684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
It is expected that secondary exposure to e-cigarette aerosol (passive vaping) will soon become an issue of public health. Passive vaping inhales e-cigarette aerosol containing similar harmful substances as active vaping. However, parallel studies on passive vaping are minimal. Therefore, there is a need for passive vaping-related health risk studies to assess the impact of vaping on public health. This research conducted a series of experiments in a room using a puffing machine and the Mobile Aerosol Lung Deposition Apparatus (MALDA) to study e-cigarette aerosol respiratory deposition through passive vaping. The experimental data acquired were applied to estimate the deposited mass and health risks caused by toxic metals contained in e-cigarette aerosol. Five popular e-cigarette products were used in this study to generate e-cigarette aerosol for deposition experiments. In addition, size-segregated e-cigarette aerosol samples were collected, and metal compositions in the e-cigarette aerosol were analyzed. Results obtained showed that estimated non-cancer risks were all acceptable, with hazard quotient and hazard index all less than 1.0. The calculated cancer risks were also found acceptable, with lifetime excess cancer risk generally less than 1E-6. Therefore, the e-cigarettes tested and the passive vaping exposure scenarios studied do not seem to induce any potential for metal-related respiratory health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chung Su
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jinho Lee
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Su-Wei Wong
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anne Buu
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Lin HC, Buu A, Su WC. Disposable E-Cigarettes and Associated Health Risks: An Experimental Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191710633. [PMID: 36078349 PMCID: PMC9518067 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including disposable e-cigarettes, has been prevalent. Existing chemical analyses of ENDS focused on e-liquids rather than aerosols and failed to consider particle sizes and aerosol respiratory deposition fractions, which are key factors for inhalation doses. This study investigated the organic chemical and metal constituents in size-segregated ENDS aerosol and assessed the deposited doses and health risks of these substances. Aerosol chemical analyses were conducted on two popular disposable ENDS products: Puff Bar (Grape) and Air Bar (Watermelon Ice). An ENDS aerosol was generated and delivered into a Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor to collect size-segregated aerosol samples, in which organic chemicals and metals were analyzed. Daily and lifetime doses for each chemical were estimated. Cancer and non-cancer risk assessments were conducted based on the deposited doses. We found that e-cigarette aerosol contains certain harmful organic chemicals and metals documented to result in respiratory problems. Estimated respiratory cancer risks corresponding to chromium from both ENDS products and nickel from Air Bar (Watermelon Ice) were substantially above the conventionally acceptable risk. The method, findings, and implications can contribute to the extant literature of ENDS toxicity studies as well as inform tobacco regulation and future large-scale studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsien-Chang Lin
- Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St., SPH 116, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Anne Buu
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, 7000 Fannin St., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Wei-Chung Su
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics & Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, 1200 Pressler St., Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(713)-500-9251
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Nilsen CV, Halkjelsvik T, Svartdal F. Health warning labels describing snus as less harmful than smoking: effects on perceptions of risk. Harm Reduct J 2020; 17:36. [PMID: 32503564 PMCID: PMC7275417 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00380-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Using snus (Swedish moist snuff) is less harmful than smoking, but health warning labels (HWLs) on snus products do not reflect this relation. There are few studies on the effects of comparative risk information in snus warning labels. The purpose of this experiment is to examine whether risk perceptions differ after exposure to non-comparative vs. comparative risk information in snus warning labels. Methods A total of 254 Norwegians aged 19–69 were exposed to pictures of snus packages in one of four HWL conditions: non-comparative EU-based (“Snus is damaging to your health”), control (the text “Snus” only), general comparative risk (“Snus is less damaging to your health than smoking”), or percentage comparative risk (“Snus is 90% less damaging to your health than smoking”). Perceptions of risk from snus use and smoking were measured before (pre) and during (post) exposure to the HWL. Changes from pre to post in (1) perceptions of risk from snus use and (2) perceptions of risk differences from snus use versus smoking were tested in repeated measures ANOVAs with current snus and cigarette use as covariates. Results Both the perceived risks from snus use and its perceived risk difference to smoking decreased more in the control and the percentage HWL conditions than in the EU-based HWL condition. When comparing the general comparative risk and the EU-based HWL, a similar difference was found for the perceived risk difference, but not for the separate measure of snus risk. Both the snus risk and risk difference perception decreased more for the percentage than for the general relative risk HWL. Conclusions The non-comparative EU-based HWL claiming that “Snus is health damaging” maintains a high level of perceived risk from snus use, while no HWL and the suggested comparative HWLs adjust perceptions of risk in the direction of lower harm from snus use. An HWL describing snus as 90% less harmful than smoking was more effective than a general claim.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie Villemo Nilsen
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Torleif Halkjelsvik
- Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222 Skoeyen, 0213, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Evaluation of Public Health Measures, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222 Skoeyen, 0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Frode Svartdal
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
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van Mourik DJA, Nagelhout GE, van den Putte B, Hummel K, Willemsen MC, de Vries H. Did E-Cigarette Users Notice the New European Union's E-Cigarette Legislation? Findings from the 2015-2017 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E2917. [PMID: 31416256 PMCID: PMC6720481 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16162917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study examined to what extent e-cigarette users noticed the European Union's new legislation regarding e-cigarettes, and whether this may have influenced perceptions regarding addictiveness and toxicity. Data were obtained from yearly surveys (2015-2017) of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey. Descriptive statistics and Generalized Estimating Equations were applied. About a third of the e-cigarette users noticed the text warning (28%) and the leaflet (32%). When compared to tobacco-only smokers, e-cigarette users showed greater increases in perceptions regarding addictiveness (β = 0.457, p = 0.045 vs. β = 0.135, p < 0.001) and toxicity (β = 0.246, p = 0.055 vs. β = 0.071, p = 0.010). In conclusion, the new legislation's noticeability should be increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk-Jan A van Mourik
- Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University (CAPHRI), Maastricht, 6229 HA Limburg, The Netherlands.
| | - Gera E Nagelhout
- Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University (CAPHRI), Maastricht, 6229 HA Limburg, The Netherlands
- Department of Family Medicine, Maastricht University (CAPHRI), Maastricht, 6229 HA Limburg, The Netherlands
- IVO Research Institute, The Hague, 2595 AA Zuid Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Bas van den Putte
- Department of Communication, University of Amsterdam (ASCoR), Amsterdam, 1001 NG Noord Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Karin Hummel
- Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University (CAPHRI), Maastricht, 6229 HA Limburg, The Netherlands
| | - Marc C Willemsen
- Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University (CAPHRI), Maastricht, 6229 HA Limburg, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Expertise Center for Tobacco Control (NET), Trimbos Institute, Utrecht, 3521 VS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hein de Vries
- Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University (CAPHRI), Maastricht, 6229 HA Limburg, The Netherlands
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Yang B, Spears CA, Popova L. Psychological distress and responses to comparative risk messages about electronic and combusted cigarettes. Addict Behav 2019; 91:141-148. [PMID: 30477820 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with mental illness suffer disproportionately high health burdens of smoking. Communicating to these smokers that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are a less harmful alternative to combusted cigarettes might help them reduce their health risks by encouraging complete switching to e-cigarettes. However, such messages might also cause unintended consequences (e.g., dual use of both combusted and e-cigarettes). Our study examined how smokers with vs. without serious psychological distress (SPD) responded to messages communicating reduced harm of e-cigarettes in relation to cigarettes. METHOD In an online experiment, 1400 U.S. adult smokers with and without SPD viewed 1 of 6 messages about reduced harm of e-cigarettes compared to cigarettes or a control message. Then participants reported e-cigarette- and cigarette-related beliefs, and behavioral intentions. RESULTS Message type (comparative risk messages vs. control) did not interact with SPD status to produce differential impacts on smokers with and without SPD. Regardless of being exposed to a comparative risk message or a control message, smokers with SPD reported greater perceived absolute risk of e-cigarettes and cigarettes, greater support for tobacco control, greater intentions to switch to e-cigarettes completely and seek help with quitting, and were less likely to report e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes compared to smokers without SPD. DISCUSSION Smokers with SPD had greater intentions to switch to e-cigarettes completely and seek help quitting compared to smokers without SPD, which indicates that smokers with SPD may be optimistic about e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Yang
- Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Claire Adams Spears
- Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lucy Popova
- Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Kozlowski LT, Sweanor DT. 'Not harmless' messages without comparisons disserve consumers, potential consumers, and public health approaches to tobacco/nicotine products. Addict Behav 2018; 76:390-391. [PMID: 28153393 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lynn T Kozlowski
- Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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