The results of a recent study suggest a link between vitamin E acetate and vaping-related lung damage. Nearly all the Minnesota residents who had lung problems after vaping had been using products that contain the ingredient.
Although the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is working harder to point out the potential hazards of vaping liquids that contain vitamin E acetate, it’s still on a campaign to discourage the use of all e-cigarettes, whether they contain it or not.
What is Vitamin E Acetate and Why Is It In e-Liquids?
Vitamin E Acetate (Tocopheryl acetate) is a synthetic form of vitamin E that often used in skin creams and other topical products.
The compound is also used as a thickening agent in e-liquids. Especially (THC) marijuana vaping products.
THC is the main active compound in cannabis.
What the FDA and CDC Discovered
On September 5, 2019, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it had runs tests on e-liquid samples that were linked to recent vaping-related lung problems. According to the FDA, 56% of the samples tested positive for vitamin E acetate.
On November 8, 2019, the CDC identified Vitamin E Acetate as the main probable culprit in vaping-related lung illnesses. However, the CDC remains loathe to completely rule out other vape ingredients as well.
The CDC based its findings on fluid samples taken from 29 people with vaping-associated pulmonary injury. The evidence suggests vaping/inhaling vitamin E acetate may disrupt normal lung function.
A more recent study by the CDC’s looked at vaping-related lung damage in Minnesota. The results further suggest Vitamin E acetate may be capable of damaging the lungs.
However, it’s worth pointing out, the CDC acknowledges the fact that the use of Vitamin E acetate in vaping products is a relatively new phenomenon. This may explain why vaping-related lung damage has not been a problem until fairly recently.
The State of Affairs at the Moment
As of November 20, 2,290 vaping-related lung problems have been identified. There have also been 47 deaths.
Although the evidence at the moment points towards illegal cannabis vaping products that contain Vitamin E acetate, the CDC continues to imply legal nicotine vaping products may also have something to do with the problem.
At the moment, there is no evidence to support the CDC’s present stance against vaping products in general. Millions of people all over the world have been using such products for several years without any problems at all.
Concluding Thoughts
The results of a study conducted in 2016, by Public Health England, suggest vaping e-cigarettes is 95% less damaging to the health than smoking tobacco. Some doctors even support the use of vaping as a way to stop smoking.
According to an article by the BBC in 2017, Vaping e-cigarettes had helped an extra 70,000 people to quit smoking. [‘Half as many Britons’ vape as smoke]
The same article points out vaping is not risk-free, but is better than smoking, which claims the lives of 100,000 UK citizens each year.
Obviously, the best thing to put into your lungs is air, but Vaping e-cigarettes can be a better option than smoking. At the moment the evidence suggests the recent problems with vaping-related lung damage may be due to Vitamin e Acetate.
The best course of action may be to only buy e-liquids produced by reputable suppliers and, above all else, to read the labels carefully and stay away from illegal products and anything that contains Vitamin E Acetate.