What Is In The Aerosol (“vapor”)of An E-cigarette

Although the term “vapor” may sound harmless, the aerosol that comes out of an e-cigarette is not water vapor and can be harmful. The aerosol from an e-cigarette can contain nicotine and other substances that are addictive and can cause lung disease, heart disease, and cancer.

Again, it is important to know that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. There is evidence that nicotine harms the brain development of teenagers. If used during pregnancy, nicotine may also cause premature births and low birthweight babies.

Besides nicotine, e-cigarettes and e-cigarette vapor typically contain propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin. These are substances used to produce stage or theatrical fog which have been found to increase lung and airway irritation after concentrated exposure.

In addition, e-cigarettes and e-cigarette vapor may contain the chemicals or substances listed below.

· Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): At certain levels, VOCs can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches and nausea, and can damage the liver, kidney and nervous system.

· Flavoring chemicals: Some flavorings are more toxic than others. Studies have shown that some flavors contain different levels of a chemical called diacetyl that has been linked to a serious lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans.

· Formaldehyde: This is a cancer-causing substance that may form if e-liquid overheats or not enough liquid is reaching the heating element (known as a “dry-puff”).

The FDA does not currently require testing of all the substances in e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe. It's also hard to know exactly what chemicals are in an e-cigarette because most products do not list all of the harmful or potentially harmful substances contained in them. Some products are also labeled incorrectly.

It's important to know the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that sometimes e-cigarette products are changed or modified and can have possibly harmful or illegal substances from unknown sources. You can read more about this statement on the CDC newsroom page.