Issue link: https://hi.iaq.net/i/625510
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. With the growing popularity of vaping, other controlled and uncontrolled substances are being introduced. For example, THC is already in e-liquid form and how to vape your favorite alcoholic beverage is on YouTube. In addition, vaporizer pens and ―G‖ pens, also called ―vape pens‖, resemble fountain pens and are available in smoke shops and online. Vape pens are being used by teenagers to get high in and out of school. They are hard to recognize because of their resemblance to writing pens and there is little to no odor associated with their use.They can be packed with highly concentrated marijuana or other drugs. What's in the secondhand aerosol? Anyone that has used the internet has found an increasing number of unsolicited e-mail ads for electronic cigarettes. The claims regarding the benefits of e-cigarettes vary between manufacturers. Testimonials from users (vapers) provide personal experiences of how these devices help them on a daily basis. The ads make it look sexy and inviting, while the use of celebrities make it look like it is the ―in thing‖ to do. However, the single question that begs to be asked, Is It Safe?The simple truth of the matter is,We Don't Know! A search on the internet will find thousands of references on how good or how bad e-cigarettes are. Most of these address the benefits to the vaper (user) by removing or reducing the harmful constituents contained in tobacco products. Likewise, most research to date addresses the health effects to the vaper (user) to demonstrate a better (safer?) alternative to smoking. Some studies are by the manufacturers of e-cigarettes and supplies, some by cigarette companies, and some by independent third parties. It goes without saying that those with a vested interest in the e- cigarette industry likely bias their research for a favorable result. However, most independent research paints an unclear picture of the potential health effects of e-cigarettes to the user or bystander. To date, little researchhas been conducted to determine what is emitted in the exhaled e-cigarette aerosol, inhaled by the bystander, and dispersed into the surrounding indoor environment, and for good reason. If you don't know whatand how much of a substance is in the product being tested, how do you know how to test and measure what comes out? Even products by the same manufacturer with different samples of the same type of e-juice have different results within the same study. As noted previously,with the exception of e-cigarettes used for therapeutic purposes, the e- cigarette industry is unregulated. Products may containvarying strengths of nicotine, and include a wide range of additives, and flavorants. In addition, the e-cigarette devices, while in principal operate similarly, may react differently to the same e-juice. For example, voltage and inhaled volume has been shown to have a significant impact on what is inhaled by the user and likewise exhaled into the surrounding environment. To prevent this unknown cause and effect, regulations must be established to standardize the e-cigarette manufacture and their respective supplies.