Boston University Study indicates E-Cigarettes can cause Lung Cancer

“They may be safer [than tobacco], but our preliminary studies suggest that they may not be benign. The next step is to conduct further experiments on the genes altered by the e-cig vapor to discern their Cancer-causing potential. These studies will determine the impact of e-cig exposure on Lung carcinogenicity and provide needed scientific guidance to the FDA regarding the physiologic effects of e-cigs”

Genomics and Lung Cancer researcher Dr. Avrum Spira, on his Research paper in the Journal Nature as published in DigitalTrends on Wednesday April 9^th 2014

If this research is in fact true, it thus indicates that despite their billing in the Public’s eyes, E-Cigarettes are no safer to smoke than regular Cigarettes as stated in “NEW STUDY FINDS THAT E-CIG VAPOR AFFECTS CELLS THE SAME WAY AS TOBACCO SMOKE”, published April 9, 2014 by Drew Prindle, Digitaltrends.

In fact, the Vapour may also have effect on humans as well, far from being just harmless Water Vapour as I’d previously though myself and expressed in my Geezam blog article entitled “The Electronic Cigarette – Puff the Magic Dragon”.

This according to a recently concluded study by a team at Boston University led by Genomics and Lung Cancer researcher Dr. Avrum Spira. The study indicates that, surprisingly, Vapour from the E-Cigarettes was shown to cause the same level of gene mutations in healthy Lung cells that resembled those exposed to normal Cigarette smoke.

This recent study, which was presented at the American Association of Cancer Research’s Annual Meeting this week, indicates that what was thought generally about E-Cigarettes being safe may not be true. Further studies needs to be conducted on the carcinogenic effects of Nicotine on Lung cells.

Vaping is not safe - Lung Cancer from Second Hand Vapour/Nicotine Aerosol is possible

To be fair, E-Cigarettes don’t just produce Water Vapour. When working, the electronic cartridge, which contains Nicotine, is heated and Vapourized and inhaled, giving the same high like a Cigarette but without the noxious smell and the Tar. The fact that the E-Cigarette smoke causes the same kind of mutations in healthy Lung cells like regular Cigarettes indicates that Nicotine by itself is an active enough a carcinogen sans the tar and ash to cause Lung Cancer.

As for the Water Vapour, depending on how the E-Cigarettes are constructed, the blowback from inhaling and exhaling would mix Water Vapour droplets with Vapourized Nicotine and thus travel a greater distance than normal. Thus Water Vapour/Nicotine aerosol may passively deliver the same potent carcinogen in second hand smoke, creating the risk of persons developing Lung Cancer from Second Hand Vapour/Nicotine Aerosol.

In the US of A, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is taking awhile to implement much needed regulation on a field that basically a free-for-all. Because they're technically not Cigarettes and are labeled as a devices or gadgets, E-Cigarettes are even being sold in electronics stores and without Identification checks, often to minors below the age of 21.

Here in Jamaica, we've recently since July 2013 banned Cigarette Smoking as stated in my blog article entitled “Adventists want Ban on Vehicle Pollution as Smoking Ban looms on Saturday July 15 2013 - Dr. Fenton Ferguson's Escape Plan leads” albeit we're yet to move to ban smoke producing vehicles which are also carcinogenic.

Or even ban the use of Malathion (C₁₀H₁₉O₆PS₂) Fogging and the importation of Mosquito Destroyers as a means of killing mosquitoes as stated in my blog article entitled “Ministry of Health attempted murder of Ocho Rios High School in St Ann by spraying Malathion - Malathion Spraying and Destroyers ban needed  and Citronella Candles and Education introduced” and “Minister of Health calls for Public Support for ban on Smoking in Public Spaces - How to kill mosquitoes using a Carbon Dioxide Generator Mosquito Trap” respectively.

Modification of E-Cigarettes – Marijuana Delivery Mechanism that’s Trending

In the meantime, the worry should be shifting focus to people modifying their E-Cigarettes to use Marijuana in Public smoking, which I predicted would happen thanks to the increased taxation on Cigarettes in Jamaica as stated in my blog article entitled “Carerras and e-Cigarettes - THC Thanks You for Smoking The Next Big Thing” and my Geezam blog article entitled “Jamaican use of E-Cigarettes usage set to rise as CAF placed on Tobacco Products”.

Albeit decriminalization is around the corner in Jamaica, with Pharmaceutical Marijuana usage being pushed heavily in Jamaica by the GOJ (Government of Jamaica) as stated in my blog article entitled “Dr. Fenton Ferguson want Marijuana Medicine – Pharmaceutical Marijuana means big Profits and Taxes for the GOJ”, it may already be a case that Teenagers (ages 13 to 17) and Millennials (ages 18 to 28) may be already experimenting with this idea.

It’s not hard to extract the active ingredient from Marijuana, THC (Tetra Hydro Cannabinol) as described in my blog article entitled “Ras Puddler says Legalization of Marijuana benefits large Scale Growers - How Teenagers can Learn to Extract THC for personal Use to make Chocolate Cookie, Brownies and Sorrell Cake for Christmas”.

Thus it’s possible to have an E-Cigarette than can allow anyone to technically smoke Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) in public without much hassle. A bad thing for teenagers, but a possible safer delivery mechanism for Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) as our local Medical Marijuana Industry blossoms as explained in my blog article entitled “Dr.Henry Lowe launches Medicanja and jump-starts Pharmaceutical Industry in our Back yard – Pharmaceutical Research Renaissance in Jamaica”.

I await further published reports on the potential Carcinogenic effects of Water Vapour/Nicotine Aerosol especially its effects on those who are in the vicinity inhaling their Water Vapour/Nicotine Aerosol. Something tells me a ban and regulation on E-Cigarettes production may also be needed as well.