How dangerous are E-cigarettes?

In the USA E-cigarettes with sweet Liquids is forbidden, India wants to ban E-cigarettes completely. Where is the Problem?

The concerns of E-cigarettes have cases for two reasons: the protection of minors and mysterious disease. Especially the manufacturer of the E-cigarette Juul is able to bait with flavors such as “Cool Cucumber”, “Crème Brulée” or “Stoned Smurf” in the United States, millions of young people. “Juulen”, in German “inhale”, is today the stations for a fixed term at the school.

The Problem: The Liquid of the E-cigarette contain up to five per cent nicotine, in Germany, in principle, no more than two per cent are allowed. The fabric is achieved within a few seconds, the brain, where it increases, among other things, the production of the happiness hormone dopamine, but also depending on the power.

According to a survey of 42,000 high school students, has just been published in the “New England Journal of Medicine” has used every fourth of twelfth graders in the past month, an E-cigarette with nicotine. U.S. studies suggest that adolescents engage then also tend to tobacco cigarettes.

Add to that another Problem: In the past few weeks, more than 500 E developed in the USA, cigarette users severe pulmonary complaints, eight died. Among the victims-many young people are also.

What bans are planned in the United States and other countries specifically?

The Governor of New York decided last weekend to ban flavored e-Liquids for E-cigarettes are fast-tracked. More sold, only liquids with tobacco or mint flavor to be. US President, Donald Trump announced that a similar ban across the country to enforce.

To more about the disease cases, it is recommended by the US health authorities, in addition to E-cigarettes. Those who want to VAPE anyway, you should buy the Liquids only in designated shops, and not even mess.

India even more. There Juul and Philip Morris had planned, the news Agency Reuters, according to to bring E-cigarettes on the market. The government came to you before. The country warned of an “epidemic” among young people and a ban on Wednesday, the sale, the application, the Import and the production of the evaporator.

However, India is also one of the world’s largest producers of tobacco, E-cigarettes are therefore, for many farmers in the country to be a threat.

The disease in the United States are considered to be mysterious and enigmatic. What is known about them?

Not much at all. The authorities operate according to their own statements, to clarify the cause. In many sufferers, the discomfort with breathing problems, shortness of breath and chest start to ache. Within the following days or weeks, they can deteriorate so much that the Patients have to be artificially ventilated. Part of the gastro-intestinal added problems such as Nausea, diarrhea or fever.

The U.S. FDA is currently being examined by samples from the E-cigarettes Affected in a variety of ingredients, including contamination by pesticides, opioids, or heavy metals. It is quite conceivable that there are multiple triggers, writes the FDA. Therefore, has so far found no substance in all the samples tested.

Striking, however, is that many of those Affected THC consumed, the psychoactive component of marijuana. In addition, Vitamin E was found in the affected THC-Liquids, often acetate. Both – both the addition of Vitamin E as well as Cannabis oil is banned in Germany.

What explanations are there for the disease?

Robert Loddenkemper, Professor of pulmonary medicine, believes that the lung responds to chemical stimuli. “I think it is possible that it is an allergic reaction to the Inhalation of organic substances,” he says. “The US-American colleagues have evidence that fats or Oils could have caused the lung damage.” (The complete Interview can be read here, on LEVEL Plus.)

How do know the authorities that E-cigarettes have led to the problems?

As long as no explanation is found, not to prove 100 percent. It is however not excluded that infections lead to the problems. In addition, the health authorities have created criteria for the diagnosis of the disease:

  • People need to have used in the last 90 days prior to the start of the complaints, E-cigarettes or other evaporator,
  • X-ray images must show certain abnormalities in the lung,
  • Tests on different bacteria and viruses, including the flu, must be negative, and
  • it must be excluded that, for example, a cardiac or rheumatic disease is the cause of the complaints.

To be reports of new cases in the United States?

The number of people Affected has risen in the past week, once again, significantly, to a total of 530 (Stand: 20. September 2019). In addition, eight deaths have been confirmed in various States, as the CDC announced. More than 300 of the Affected have been evaluated data. Two-thirds (67 percent) are 18 to 34 years old, 16 percent are even younger than 18.

There is an acute danger for the users of E-cigarettes is currently in Germany?

In Germany a similar increase of lung diseases is known, also is included in the standard Liquids, no Oil.

“The fact that the problems occurred within a relatively short period of time, and especially young people to be affected, suggests that there is an acute Problem in the United States and not, for example, long-term effects of E-cigarettes,” says Frank Henkler-Stephani from the Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR).

According to current knowledge, no increased risk for users of E-cigarettes in Germany be expected to, if you use products that comply with European and German regulations. Overall, consumers are protected in this country, better than in the USA. As a manufacturer of e-Liquids in Germany have to report their formulations, and the use of certain hazardous contents were prohibited substances.

Henkler-Stephani warns, however, against non-registered products for self-mixing, which often contain no nicotine and often sold online. Since nicotine is not fall free Liquids under the tobacco law, need not be complied with, the relevant provisions also. Absurd way might be this e-Liquids with nicotine, in some cases, safer.

Apart from this, there are in Germany, not the United States is comparable to that of the youth problem: While many of the young people from here E-cigarettes. A regular consumption is among young people, but very rarely, writes the German cancer research center (DKFZ) on the Basis of a survey from the year 2018. Therefore, especially in adults who have previously smoked vaping in this country.

Although Juul in Germany, it was said on Friday by the parties, to sell its cartridges for E-cigarettes. However, this has to do only indirectly with the health debate. The Juul-competitor Niko Liquids had objected to incorrect identifications. As a consequence, Juul no longer allowed to sell its cartridges for E-cigarettes, whose nicotine differs in content from the one stated on the packaging nicotine content, or if the cartridge is the icon of scrap metal is missing the crossed-out waste bin for the disposal of electronics.

Many people in Germany try E-cigarettes of traditional cigarettes to get away. That’s even a good idea?

Yes, it is. “According to current Study, E-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than traditional cigarettes,” says Ute Mons from the German cancer research center (DKFZ). Studies on the short-term effects would have shown, for example, that the condition of patients improved with the lung disease COPD, after they had switched to E-cigarettes. In addition, evidence shows that E-cigarettes can help in Smoking cessation.

E-cigarettes do not bring a very long time all the way from Smoking, says Mons. However, for many years of Smoking, not get rid of their Addiction, they could be an Alternative. “The Ideal is of course to quit for good and never to start.” However, not was not yet clear how E-cigarettes affect the long-term, because they are so long on the market.