Since its appearance on the market as a substitute for conventional cigarettes, the electronic cigarette has not been without controversy. More and more scientific evidence shows that ‘vaping’ is not safe for health, although it is still necessary to determine which of its components are more harmful.
In 2018, a work published in the journal Environmental Research showed that electronic cigarette smokers present various inorganic elements in their blood, including some considered toxic by the Agency for the Registration of Toxic Substances and Diseases, as well as others whose effects on the organism are unknown, as is the case with rare earths. Another work published the same year in the magazine Thorax warned that the vapor of the electronic cigarette increases the inflammation of the lung.
The Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) issued a signed statement in 2016 calling for the regulation of electronic cigarettes as a medicine to help stop smoking, so as to avoid their indiscriminate use. In turn, he warned of the need for more studies that analyze in depth the potentially toxic effects of inhaled substances when vaping.
THC and vitamin E acetate
Now, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is examining an outbreak of 39 confirmed deaths of e-cigarette users and about 2,000 hospitalized with severe damage. As explained in this Nobbot article, vitamin E acetate was found in samples of lung tissue from those affected, as well as substances such as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, a psychotropic derived from cannabis) and nicotine in some cases.
As the FDA indicates in a statement, no product or substance has been found to be involved in all cases, indicating that several components of electronic cigarettes are likely to be the cause of the deaths, although THC is known to be present in most. In addition, as we have already mentioned, the American agency has identified a substance that was not in the spotlight at first, but that could hold the key: vitamin E acetate. This element can form balls or clots when it enters our lungs. and prevent the proper functioning of the respiratory system.
It is a substance that is prohibited in the European Union, with more restrictive policies than those in the United States, which has historically been used in skin care products and cosmetics. In the US its use for inhalation is prohibited, so electronic cigarettes sold in the legal market, theoretically, should not contain this compound. However, researchers have found its presence in almost all samples that contained cannabis, which is why they believe that vitamin E acetate could be included in cannabis oils sold illegally.
The CDC (US Center for Disease Control) advises users not to use e-cigarette products that contain THC, particularly those that come from ‘informal sources’ such as friends, family or online distributors.
