E-cigarettes and passive smoking

[Guest]

Does anyone know what the vapour emitted by e-cigarette smokers consists of? Much talk about how e-cigs help smokers give up, but I can't find reliable info on what it means for non-smokers.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Clearly as they are nicotine-based, there's going to be some effect, and it should be banned in placed where smoking is prohibited. But if it helps people to give up, then the idea is worth pursuing.

[Richard Tarleton]

Indeed - but whenever there is a news item, the e-smokers usually appear to be in a pub....

[gingerjon]

Quite a few e-cig smokers of my acquaintance seem utterly baffled when I point out that their fag is emitting smoke and stinks. A lot less than a standard ciggie but they still do - and if you're in a closed space with one you do notice it.

Anyway, don't worry about it. Once Nice Nigel gets us out of the EU we'll all be smoking in pubs again and no ale-house will ever close in the future for lack of custom.

[Richard Tarleton]

In reply to my own question, this from ASH. Key passage:

Is there a risk to non-users from electronic cigarette vapour?
Although electronic cigarettes do not produce smoke, users exhale a smoke-like vapour which consists largely of propylene glycol and glycerine. The level of nicotine present in electronic cigarettevapour is about one tenth of that generated by a cigarette.

Any health risks of secondhand exposure to propylene glycol vapour are likely to be limited to irritation of the throat. One study exposed animals to propylene glycol for 12 to 18 months at doses 50 to 700 times the level the animal could
absorb through inhalation. Compared to animals living in normal room atmosphere, no localised or generalised irritation was found and kidney, liver, spleen and bone marrow were all found to be normal.

So we're breathing in propylene glycol.
ASH is in favour of allowing their use in public places -

We believe that allowing the use of electronic cigarettes in public places helps smokers switching to them and reducing the health risks attached to cigarette smoking.

[Serial_Apologist]

In reply to my own question, this from ASH. Key passage:


So we're breathing in propylene glycol.
ASH is in favour of allowing their use in public places -

Whether or not the impression of satisfaction given by inhaling the vapour of E-cigs is a placebo effect, taking them recently has in my case certainly lifted the depression associated with having had to give up smoking due to a health scare, 10 months ago; I'm almost back to my old self now.

[Padraig]

S_A well done.
I'm off the fags myself since October 2012. I used the patches until I broke out in a bad rash after a week. Thereafter it was cold turkey. I'm glad I quit, and I wish all would-be quitters well, but I enjoyed smoking and I think it added to my enjoyment of other things like reading, listening to music, coffee and, above all, fishing. Strangely, it seems, I have cut down on, or cut out, all of these.

[MrBear]

I am very wary of these foul things
I have chronic asthma which has been very well managed I dont have to use my inhaler to relieve symptons unless something has triggered my asthma
The first time I encountered these things I was in a pub and had to us my inhaler for the first time in months Really awful experience so the idea that they don't put out anything bad is a lie
Generally I think they are a good idea amd hope they help people quit or cut down a bit but they should be treated the same as normal fags regards pubs public transport etc