E-Cigarette Toxicology

Since the spread of tobacco from the Americas hundreds of years ago, tobacco cigarettes and, more recently, alternative tobacco products have become global products of nicotine addiction. Within the evolving alternative tobacco product space, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) vaping has surpassed conventional cigarette smoking among adolescents and young adults in the United States and beyond. This review describes the experimental and clinical evidence of e-cigarette toxicity and deleterious health effects. Adverse health effects related to e-cigarette aerosols are influenced by several factors, including e-liquid components, physical device factors, chemical changes related to heating, and health of the e-cigarette user (e.g., asthmatic). Federal, state, and local regulations have attempted to govern e-cigarette flavors, manufacturing, distribution, and availability, particularly to underaged youths. However, the evolving e-cigarette landscape continues to impede timely toxicological studies and hinder progress made toward our understanding of the long-term health consequence of e-cigarettes.

Automated summary

This review discusses the experimental and clinical evidence of the toxicity and deleterious health effects of e-cigarettes. The adverse health effects related to e-cigarette aerosols are influenced by factors such as e-liquid components, physical device factors, chemical changes, and user health conditions. Despite regulations governing e-cigarette flavors, manufacturing, distribution, and availability, the evolving e-cigarette landscape hinders progress in toxicological studies and the understanding of the long-term health consequences of e-cigarettes.