On April 30th, AOL reported that a recent study by the University of Nebraska in the United States found that teenagers who use e-cigarettes are exposed to lead and uranium, which may have adverse effects on their brain and organ development. Researchers analyzed urine samples from 200 e-cigarette users aged 13 to 17 and found that those who frequently use e-cigarettes have higher levels of toxic chemicals in their bodies.
Teenagers who frequently use e-cigarettes have a 40% higher lead content in their urine compared to those who occasionally use e-cigarettes, and their uranium content is twice that. For those who use sugary e-cigarettes, the impact is more severe. Research has shown that sugary e-cigarettes (such as candy or chocolate) contain 90% more uranium than peppermint or mint flavored e-cigarettes.
Experts say that the survey results highlight the necessity of stricter regulation of electronic cigarettes, especially in marketing for children and the use of certain flavors. According to the number of days (less than 5 days, 5 to 20 days, or more than 20 days) that participants use e-cigarettes within a month, they are divided into occasional use, intermittent use, and frequent use.
The increase in usage frequency is also reflected in the frequency of using e-cigarettes. Occasional users use e-cigarettes an average of 0.9 times a day, intermittent users use them 7.9 times, and frequent users use them 27 times. An analysis by researchers at the University of Nebraska shows that intermittent users have a 40% higher lead content and frequent users have a 30% higher lead content compared to occasional users.
Meanwhile, the uranium content of frequent users is twice that of occasional users, while the uranium content of intermittent users is 40% higher than that of occasional users. Among different flavors of e-cigarettes, people who use sweet and fruity e-cigarettes have 90% and 40% higher uranium content than those who use mint flavored e-cigarettes, respectively. Although taste has little effect on lead content, those who eat sweet flavors still have abo
We also know that lead exposure can interfere with the development of the brain and central nervous system, and even low levels of exposure can affect children's intelligence, attention, and social skills. At the same time, uranium exposure is associated with the health status of the kidneys, lungs, and central nervous system, such as mental disorders, tension, and nausea.
Professor Leon Shahab, co chair of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group at University College London and co-author of the study, stated that the study emphasizes the need to carefully monitor the exposure of e-cigarette users and reveal the fact that e-cigarettes do exist. "It's not without risks, so people who have never smoked, especially teenagers, should not use it."
However, he pointed out that these findings need to be understood in multiple contexts, including the possibility that uranium exposure may come from multiple sources, and the study did not include a control group of non e-cigarette individuals.
Shahab said, "Therefore, this study cannot tell us the absolute extent to which e-cigarettes increase the population's exposure to heavy metals." "Given that heavy metal exposure is mainly driven by device types, future research should investigate whether there are meaningful differences between various e-cigarettes to inform regulatory agencies of restrictions on the use of devices that may increase users' exposure to heavy metals."
In June last year, a report released by the Action Group on Smoking and Health (ASH) found that 20.5% of British children had tried e-cigarettes in 2023, up from 15.8% in 2022 and 13.9% in 2020.
The Tobacco and e-cigarettes Act proposed by the government in September 2023 aims to create a "smokeless generation" by prohibiting the sale of tobacco to people born after 2009. The bill also aims to limit the attractiveness of e-cigarettes to teenagers by restricting the way e-cigarettes are displayed in stores, as well as restrictions on taste and packaging.
ut 10% higher lead content than others.
The study also tested cadmium in urine samples, but found no statistically significant difference in cadmium content between the frequency of e-cigarette use or flavor types. The researchers wrote, "We know these compounds can cause harm to humans." "Candy flavored e-cigarettes make up a large proportion of adolescent e-cigarette users, and the sweetness in e-cigarettes suppresses nicotine stimulation, enhances its impact on the brain, and thus increases the brain's response to the environment."
We also know that lead exposure can interfere with the development of the brain and central nervous system, and even low levels of exposure can affect children's intelligence, attention, and social skills. At the same time, uranium exposure is associated with the health status of the kidneys, lungs, and central nervous system, such as mental disorders, tension, and nausea.
Professor Leon Shahab, co chair of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group at University College London and co-author of the study, stated that the study emphasizes the need to carefully monitor the exposure of e-cigarette users and reveal the fact that e-cigarettes do exist. "It's not without risks, so people who have never smoked, especially teenagers, should not use it."
However, he pointed out that these findings need to be understood in multiple contexts, including the possibility that uranium exposure may come from multiple sources, and the study did not include a control group of non e-cigarette individuals.
Shahab said, "Therefore, this study cannot tell us the absolute extent to which e-cigarettes increase the population's exposure to heavy metals." "Given that heavy metal exposure is mainly driven by device types, future research should investigate whether there are meaningful differences between various e-cigarettes to inform regulatory agencies of restrictions on the use of devices that may increase users' exposure to heavy metals."
In June last year, a report released by the Action Group on Smoking and Health (ASH) found that 20.5% of British children had tried e-cigarettes in 2023, up from 15.8% in 2022 and 13.9% in 2020.
The Tobacco and e-cigarettes Act proposed by the government in September 2023 aims to create a "smokeless generation" by prohibiting the sale of tobacco to people born after 2009. The bill also aims to limit the attractiveness of e-cigarettes to teenagers by restricting the way e-cigarettes are displayed in stores, as well as restrictions on taste and packaging.