In response to the Economist articles on e-cigarettes that I mentioned recently -- which noted that "a switch from smoking to vaping could improve public health, some say" -- a couple of the letters to the editor make clear that there are differing views out there. Here is one of critical letter:
you gave short shrift to the potential adverse effects of the nicotine vapour, organic compounds (propanediol, propanetriol, diacetin) and both fine and ultrafine particulates in the e-cigarette formulation that would doubtless be delivered to the deep lung.
E-cigarettes may turn out to be safe when sufficient evidence is available, but at least three recent studies raise questions about their long-term safety. Little is known about the possible lung or systemic harm of e-cigarettes.
And here's another:
I sat next to a heavy smoker who used e-cigarettes, which enveloped the workspace in foul, artificial odours. This person used the e-cigarettes to tide her over between chain-smoking in her own time and space, hardly an endorsement for encouraging less intake of toxic combustion components from tobacco. Millions have given up tobacco as a result of indoor air preservation laws. Rolling these restrictions back for these steaming, stinky devices will slow the progress of the current smoking bans.
