E-cigarette flavorings may harm lungs

Certain flavorings in e-cigarettes can harm lung cells, researchers report May 17 at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in Denver.

Researchers exposed human lung cells to various doses of 13 flavorings for either 30 minutes or 24 hours. Five of the flavorings tested caused harmful effects, such as reducing cell replication. At higher doses, these same flavorings — hot cinnamon candies, banana pudding (southern style), kola, vanilla and menthol tobacco — spurred cell death.

Nicotine and the other components of e-cigarette liquid (propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin) did not cause the same harmful effects in the cells. The study is one of many raising the risks of e-cigarettes (SN: 6/28/14, p. 9).