Extract
We read with interest the research letter by Reinikovaite et al. [1], in which the authors reported same level of damage in the lungs of Sprague Dawley rats subjected to whole body chronic exposure of e-cigarette vapour emissions and cigarette smoke, as well as to subcutaneous injection of nicotine. Their conclusion is that e-cigarette use and long-time consumption of nicotine are just as toxic as tobacco cigarettes. We appreciate the authors' intention to address concerns related to the potential long-term health effects of e-cigarette use and nicotine exposure, but there are a number of methodological considerations that lessen the impact of their findings.
Abstract
More realistic exposures protocols are required to provide reliable toxicological information about electronic cigarette use in the context of smoking harm reduction http://bit.ly/2YkZHWG
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: R. Emma has no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Conflict of interest: R. Polosa has served as a consultant for Pfizer, Global Health Alliance for treatment of tobacco dependence, ECITA (Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association, in the UK), Arbi Group Srl, and Health Diplomats (a consulting company that delivers solutions to global health problems with special emphasis on harm minimisation); has received lecture fees from a number of European electronic cigarette industry and trade associations (including FIVAPE in France and FIESEL in Italy) which were directly donated to vapers advocacy non-profit organisations; and is also currently involved in the following pro bono activities: scientific advisor for LIAF, Lega Italiana Anti Fumo (Italian acronym for Italian Anti-Smoking League), the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives (CASAA) and the International Network of Nicotine Consumers Organizations (INNCO); chair of the European Technical Committee for standardisation on “Requirements and test methods for emissions of electronic cigarettes” (CEN/TC 437; WG4).
Conflict of interest: M. Caruso has no conflicts of interest to disclose.
- Received June 8, 2018.
- Accepted June 16, 2019.
- Copyright ©ERS 2019
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