IAQA - White Paper Archives

IAQA 18th Annual Meeting & Indoor Environment and Energy Expo (IE3) The views and opinions herein are those of the volunteer authors and may not reflect the views and opinions of IAQA. The information is offered in good faith and believed to be reliable but it is provided without warranty, expressed or implied, as to the merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or any other matter. Electronic Cigarettes: The Science and Current Policy Trends Cynthia Hallett, MPH – Berkeley, California Donald C. Herrmann, CIAQP, CIEC, LEED AP – Tampa, Florida Abstract Electronic or e-cigarettes are ElectronicSmoking Devices (ESDs) designed to mimic combustible tobacco cigarettes and, in most cases, contain varying levels of nicotine as well as flavorants. Some products are marketed as nicotine-free devices; however, a 2009 study by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found trace levels of nicotine in products labeled as ―nicotine free.(1)Currently, e-cigarettes are not regulated by the FDA or any another agency, so the constituents of the product are not consistent across brands or within a single brand. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) of 2009 gives the FDA the authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products to protect public health. E-cigarettes are included in the definition of tobacco products or product derived from tobacco.(2) The Tobacco Control Act preserves the authority of state, local, and tribal governments to regulate tobacco products in certain specific respects such as the inclusion of e- cigarettes as products that cannot be used in smokefree environments.(3) The rise in popularity of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, has many in the public health community scrambling to determine whether they are just a fleeting fad or a viable product that will take over the traditional combustible tobacco cigarette market. While they are promoted by manufacturers as ‗safe' alternatives to cigarettes, there are several peer reviewed studies that outline that there may be significant health hazards associated with use of the product. Because of the vast majority of electronic cigarette types (i.e., devices, liquids, flavoring) it is currently difficult to understand the short term and long term impacts that the use of electronic cigarettes has on the indoor environment for both the user and bystanders. The science base on the short- term and long-term health effects of the use of e-cigarettes or exposure to the secondhand aerosol is growing, and the initial findings indicate there is risk associated with use and exposure. (4) Many IAQ and public health experts have concluded that the secondhand aerosol is a new source of indoor air pollution containing toxins, carcinogens, volatile organic compounds, and nicotine.(5) People exposed to e-cigarette aerosol absorb nicotine (measured as cotinine), with one study showing levels comparable to passive smokers.(6)(7) Given health concerns and very little information about electronic cigarettes and impacts on health about exposure to secondhand aerosol, several legislative decision makers have followed current smoke free regulations and banned and/or prohibited the use of e-cigarettes in smoke free environments. As of January 1, 2015, 286 municipalities and three states prohibit the use of e-cigarettes and other electronic smoking devices in smokefree laws. Until more relevant and clear scientific information is published, it is to be expected that transportation boards, airlines, and hotel chains including additional agencies will continue to adopting and/or amending rules that prohibit the use of electronic smoking devices, including but not limited to electronic cigarettes, in smokefree environments as well. This presentation will discuss the how e-cigarettes work, current e-cigarette phenomenon, highlight current voluntary and legislative policies that regulate the use of e-cigarettes in

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