Research e-cigarettes sometimes more problematic than normal smoking

Anxiety: According to a study, e-cigarettes are worse in some areas than tobacco consumption
For years, a dispute raging about unhealthy e-cigarettes. Although some people see it as a better alternative to tobacco, the electronic vaporizers are by no means healthy. A new study showed that e-cigarettes have even more problematic effects than normal smoking in some areas.
Dangerous chemicals in e-cigarettes
Although some experts point out that e-cigarettes can facilitate smoking cessation, more and more study results show that e-cigarettes are not harmless. Only a few weeks ago, US scientists in the journal "Environmental Health Perspectives" reported that electric cigarettes are apparently even more dangerous than previously thought. Some contain harmful chemicals that can cause a so-called popcorn lung. It is diacetyl, a substance that is also used in the production of microwave popcorn.

Study shows risks of e-cigarette. Image: Pixelot - fotolia

When the chemical is inhaled, it can lead to severe chronic lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans. Since especially workers in popcorn factories are affected by the problem, the disease is also referred to as "popcorn lung".

Partly worse effects than tobacco consumption
Researchers from Italy have now reported further dangers posed by electronic cigarettes. Therefore, they have in some cases even worse effects on human health than the burning of conventional cigarette tobacco. This is what scientists of the National Research Council CNR, the "Istituto di Neuroscienze" in collaboration with the University of Statale di Milano have found in a new study. Their findings were presented in the journal "European Neuropsychopharmacology".

Stronger occurrence of anxiety
"Www.news.at" is reported to have been tested on two groups of laboratory mice given the same amount of nicotine from electronic and regular cigarettes for two months. "It has been shown that inhaling electronic cigarette smoke creates less dependence and cognitive deficits," explains project leader Cecilia Gotti. But in return, a greater incidence of anxiety and compulsive behaviors has been noted. Even longer time after nicotine withdrawal, this phenomenon occurred. "In addition, the fact that in the substrate of electronic cigarettes many unregistered and unknown in their effect additives are incorporated," said the Italian researcher.

One of her colleagues, Francesco Clementi, said that in addition to the effects on the brain investigated by the Italian scientists, the most important thing to be warned about is the harmful effects on the nervous system. Even the nicotine produced in the electronic cigarette - which was considered harmless for a long time - had adverse consequences for the development of embryos. The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg also recently warned that health effects from nicotine are also threatening with e-cigarettes. (Ad)