Christine D Czoli1, Maciej L Goniewicz2, Mary Palumbo2, Noel Leigh2, Christine M White1, David Hammond3. 1. School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada. 2. Department of Health Behavior, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA. 3. School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada. dhammond@uwaterloo.ca.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The current study examined constituents of e-cigarette products on the Canadian market, with a focus on the province of Ontario. METHODS: E-cigarettes were systematically purchased at 80 retail outlets across 4 cities in Ontario, Canada, in January-February 2015. Product constituents were identified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Additionally, tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) were quantified in tested products using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: A total of 166 e-cigarette products were purchased, including disposable products (33%), refillable products (14%), and e-liquids (53%). Overall, e-cigarette products had an average of 6.2 (SD = 3.6) flavouring chemicals. E-cigarettes with sweet flavours (e.g., desserts, alcoholic drinks) had a significantly greater number of flavouring chemicals when compared with tobacco- and menthol-flavoured products (p < 0.05). Approximately one fifth (21%) of products contained flavouring chemicals with potential risk of inhalation toxicity (benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, vanillin). An additional 8 toxicants (e.g., acrolein, diacetyl) were detected in a total of 14 e-cigarette products. Measurable levels of TSNAs were detected in 70% of tested products. CONCLUSION: E-cigarettes purchased in Ontario, Canada, contained several constituents that may present excess risk, including some flavouring chemicals and carcinogenic nitrosamines. Further research is needed to determine whether the levels of these constituents have implications for the magnitude of risk to users. The findings reveal several policy gaps that may be addressed by developing regulatory product standards and labelling practices for e-cigarettes.
OBJECTIVES: The current study examined constituents of e-cigarette products on the Canadian market, with a focus on the province of Ontario. METHODS: E-cigarettes were systematically purchased at 80 retail outlets across 4 cities in Ontario, Canada, in January-February 2015. Product constituents were identified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Additionally, tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) were quantified in tested products using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: A total of 166 e-cigarette products were purchased, including disposable products (33%), refillable products (14%), and e-liquids (53%). Overall, e-cigarette products had an average of 6.2 (SD = 3.6) flavouring chemicals. E-cigarettes with sweet flavours (e.g., desserts, alcoholic drinks) had a significantly greater number of flavouring chemicals when compared with tobacco- and menthol-flavoured products (p < 0.05). Approximately one fifth (21%) of products contained flavouring chemicals with potential risk of inhalation toxicity (benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, vanillin). An additional 8 toxicants (e.g., acrolein, diacetyl) were detected in a total of 14 e-cigarette products. Measurable levels of TSNAs were detected in 70% of tested products. CONCLUSION: E-cigarettes purchased in Ontario, Canada, contained several constituents that may present excess risk, including some flavouring chemicals and carcinogenicnitrosamines. Further research is needed to determine whether the levels of these constituents have implications for the magnitude of risk to users. The findings reveal several policy gaps that may be addressed by developing regulatory product standards and labelling practices for e-cigarettes.
Entities:
Keywords:
Electronic nicotine delivery systems; Health policy; Nitrosamines
Authors: David Hammond; Christine M White; Christine D Czoli; Christina L Martin; Paul Magennis; Samantha Shiplo Journal: Can J Public Health Date: 2015-10-09
Authors: Zachary T Bitzer; Reema Goel; Samantha M Reilly; Ryan J Elias; Alexey Silakov; Jonathan Foulds; Joshua Muscat; John P Richie Journal: Free Radic Biol Med Date: 2018-03-13 Impact factor: 7.376
Authors: Maciej Lukasz Goniewicz; Jakub Knysak; Michal Gawron; Leon Kosmider; Andrzej Sobczak; Jolanta Kurek; Adam Prokopowicz; Magdalena Jablonska-Czapla; Czeslawa Rosik-Dulewska; Christopher Havel; Peyton Jacob; Neal Benowitz Journal: Tob Control Date: 2013-03-06 Impact factor: 7.552
Authors: Konstantinos E Farsalinos; I Gene Gillman; Matt S Melvin; Amelia R Paolantonio; Wendy J Gardow; Kathy E Humphries; Sherri E Brown; Konstantinos Poulas; Vassilis Voudris Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2015-03-24 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Konstantinos E Farsalinos; Giorgio Romagna; Dimitris Tsiapras; Stamatis Kyrzopoulos; Alketa Spyrou; Vassilis Voudris Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2013-12-17 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Joseph G Lisko; Grace E Lee; J Brett Kimbrell; Michael E Rybak; Liza Valentin-Blasini; Clifford H Watson Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2017-04-01 Impact factor: 4.244
Authors: Brian Vincent Fix; Richard J OConnor; Maciej Lukasz Goniewicz; Noel L Leigh; Michael Cummings; Sara C Hitchman; Geoffrey T Fong; Georges El Nahas; David Hammond; Ann McNeill; Ron Borland; Bill King; Mary N Palumbo Journal: Tob Control Date: 2021-05-21 Impact factor: 6.953
Authors: Hussein Traboulsi; Mathew Cherian; Mira Abou Rjeili; Matthew Preteroti; Jean Bourbeau; Benjamin M Smith; David H Eidelman; Carolyn J Baglole Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2020-05-15 Impact factor: 5.923
Authors: Alayna P Tackett; Samantha W Wallace; Caitlin E Smith; Elise Turner; David A Fedele; Irina Stepanov; William V Lechner; Jessica J Hale; Theodore L Wagener Journal: Tob Use Insights Date: 2021-03-30
Authors: Isaac Armendáriz-Castillo; Santiago Guerrero; Antonella Vera-Guapi; Tiffany Cevallos-Vilatuña; Jennyfer M García-Cárdenas; Patricia Guevara-Ramírez; Andrés López-Cortés; Andy Pérez-Villa; Verónica Yumiceba; Ana K Zambrano; Paola E Leone; César Paz-Y-Miño Journal: Biomed Res Int Date: 2019-12-19 Impact factor: 3.411
Authors: Benjamin W Chaffee; Elizabeth T Couch; Janelle Urata; David Cash; Miranda Werts; Bonnie Halpern-Felsher Journal: Tob Induc Dis Date: 2020-08-28 Impact factor: 2.600