RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Electronic cigarettes: a task force report from the European Respiratory Society
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 1801151
DO 10.1183/13993003.01151-2018
VO 53
IS 2
A1 Robert Bals
A1 Jeanette Boyd
A1 Susanna Esposito
A1 Robert Foronjy
A1 Pieter S. Hiemstra
A1 Carlos A. Jiménez-Ruiz
A1 Paraskevi Katsaounou
A1 Anne Lindberg
A1 Carlos Metz
A1 Wolfgang Schober
A1 Avrum Spira
A1 Francesco Blasi
YR 2019
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/53/2/1801151.abstract
AB There is a marked increase in the development and use of electronic nicotine delivery systems or electronic cigarettes (ECIGs). This statement covers electronic cigarettes (ECIGs), defined as “electrical devices that generate an aerosol from a liquid” and thus excludes devices that contain tobacco. Database searches identified published articles that were used to summarise the current knowledge on the epidemiology of ECIG use; their ingredients and accompanied health effects; second-hand exposure; use of ECIGs for smoking cessation; behavioural aspects of ECIGs and social impact; in vitro and animal studies; and user perspectives.ECIG aerosol contains potentially toxic chemicals. As compared to conventional cigarettes, these are fewer and generally in lower concentrations. Second-hand exposures to ECIG chemicals may represent a potential risk, especially to vulnerable populations. There is not enough scientific evidence to support ECIGs as an aid to smoking cessation due to a lack of controlled trials, including those that compare ECIGs with licenced stop-smoking treatments. So far, there are conflicting data that use of ECIGs results in a renormalisation of smoking behaviour or for the gateway hypothesis. Experiments in cell cultures and animal studies show that ECIGs can have multiple negative effects. The long-term effects of ECIG use are unknown, and there is therefore no evidence that ECIGs are safer than tobacco in the long term. Based on current knowledge, negative health effects cannot be ruled out.Electronic cigarettes are the object of intense research with the goal to define the potential harmful effects for human health http://ow.ly/gTFN30mIYjD