Electric cigarette is health risky

NRW Health Minister warns: Electric cigarette is hazardous to health

12/17/2011

If electric cigarettes contain nicotine, they are at least risky in terms of health, as the Health Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Barbara Steffens (Alliance 90 / The Greens) announced today. The Minister made it clear that the sale of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes in Germany is prohibited. There is no scientific evidence that the replacement cigarettes are safe and do not endanger the consumer.

Use endangers the health
In the meantime, many smokers have learned about the new e-cigarettes. They are intended as a balancing product to limit the consumption of conventional stinks or even in the period of withdrawal help to overcome the addiction. However, the electrical products with so-called Liquids are not sold in the retail trade, but mostly sold on the Internet or in special stores. The NRW Health Minister Barbara Steffens warned on Friday before consumption in the belief that you do not endanger the application of his health. The products the „currently marketed on the market, are all not approved or tested“, clarified the minister in Dusseldorf. The currently purchased liquid mixtures (Liquid) would contain very high levels of nicotine, so they should be classified as a medicine. Thus, the e-cigarette is subject to the strict requirements for approval of the drug law.

If the e-cigarettes are used, the liquid mixtures evaporate with the various ingredients and are then inhaled. The devices and mixtures are primarily on the Internet but also in so-called „E-Shops“ offered. So far, there is no scientific evidence that the products „are safe“, stressed Steffens. At the next Conference of Ministers of Health Ministers want to deal with the topic in detail. In addition, an EU Commission is planning a rigorous review to better assess the health consequences.

Basic evaluation is still pending
The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) in Bonn emphasized that there is no conclusive assessment on the current status. Accordingly, a fundamental decision is still pending. However, the evaluation institute has received numerous applications from state authorities, which demanded a fundamental review of individual models and mixtures. In a first case, a product was classified as a drug subject to authorization, as the authorities spokesman Maik Pommer said. However, the named article will not be distributed in Germany and has not been put on sale here either. For each liquid a case-by-case examination is undertaken.

The expert explained that nicotine evaporates with the electric cigarettes and thus has a pharmacological effect. Therefore, the assumption is close, „that it is a medicine. In order to determine this, a careful case-by-case decision is always required.“ Among the aspects to be examined is to determine the proportion of nicotine and which substances are inhaled into the organism.

Experts warn against cancer
Recently, the German Cancer Research Center warned against the careless use of the products. Thus, the cancer researcher Dr. med. Martina Pötschke-Lange, „The electric cigarettes are not harmless alternatives“. Many mixed liquids contain, for example, propylene glycol. This substance can irritate the respiratory tract and is also suspected of triggering allergies. The compositions of the fine aerosols are also unexplained, regardless of the nicotine. In addition, carcinogenic nitrosamines have been discovered that could potentially endanger consumers and passive smokers. The only advantage over conventional glow stems is that no burnt tobacco smoke gets into the lungs. The doctor is the head of the Cancer Prevention Unit at the German Cancer Research Center and the WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Control.

E-cigarette study showed a high proportion of neurotoxins
Concerning the nicotine contained in some liquid fluids, the technicians demanded health insurance warnings to attach the concentrates. After all, nicotine is one „Nerve poison and an addictive substance“. For this reason „also include warnings on the bottles“, As a spokeswoman for the cashier demanded. Especially adolescents could otherwise be seduced into consumption. The health insurance company is of the opinion that the offered products are not a healthy alternative and therefore no „healthy smoking“ take place, as is often suggested by the manufacturers. The nicotine consumption at „An electric cigarette is at least as high as conventional smoking stalks“. The TK cites its statement to a study by the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine of the University of Geneva. According to the results of the study, the content of the nicotine degradation product cotinine was about the same as in normal smokers. However, the subjects stated that the otherwise common smoker's cough was significantly reduced. However, the study was a low-participant study (89 subjects). Only a long-term study with a larger number of participants can provide reliable results. (Sb)

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