As electronic cigarette use rises, consumer body sounds alert

With growing repression on smoking in public places on the rise in France, combined with fears of health risks from cigarette smoke, French people are resorting more and more to substitute products - notably the discreet electronic cigarette, whose use is increasing astronomically. An estimated one million people are now regular users of electronic cigarettes, which give a vaporized dose of nicotine or another product that replaces the effect of cigarette smoking, health authorities indicated here. But while many people believe there is little or no risk from these novel products, a consumer body warned here on Monday that electronic cigarettes are not without risk and generate cancerous substances, even the electronic cigarette types that do not contain a nicotine dose. Consumer group "60 Million Consumers" said in a study that some electronic cigarettes, which vary according to brand and content, could be even more dangerous than regular cigarettes depending on their composition and the toxins they generate. The consumer group has alerted the public health authorities to be vigilant and look closely at electronic cigarette use, which is not covered by any particular legislation, except for a ban on sale to people under 18. "Up to 60 Million Consumers" maintained in its report that electronic cigarettes produce "formaldehyde, acrolein and acetaldehyde" chemicals, which are toxic and present a health hazard. The study also pointed out individual risks with different brands of electronic cigarette. More alarming, toxic substances like acrolein, which is inhaled or absorbed orally from electronic cigarettes and regular cigarettes, were found to be higher in some brands of electronic cigarettes than produced from regular smoking. While the latest study does not seek to compare directly the noxious effects of electronic and regular cigarettes, it does alert to a cancer risk from the electronic replacements, a finding not confirmed yet by health authorities, which say the electronic cigarettes increase throat and other respiratory "irritation" for the user. The French government is due to organise a parliamentary debate on electronic cigarettes next month and will likely legislate to fill the regulatory vacuum for these products. Meanwhile, the debate continues between producers and vendors of electronic cigarettes, who are benefiting from a lucrative market, and health professionals concerned about the risks from this new and growing fashion.