The FDA has released an analysis of electronic cigarettes which shows that they contain a variety of dangerous toxins, some of which are found in real cigarettes. E-Cigarettes are battery-operated devices, some of which are made to look like real cigarettes, complete with glowing red LED lights and simulated puffs of smoke. When turned on, they heat up a solution of nicotine in propylene glycol to deliver a fine mist of nicotine to the smoker. The problem is that many contain nitrosamines (the same carcinogen found in real cigarettes), as well as diethylene glycol, the poisonous ingredient in antifreeze. E-cigarettes are available at thousands of retail stores. Over this past year their sales have grown from about $10 million to $100 million, according to the Electronic Cigarette Association, the industry’s trade group. They come in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, mint and apple, which could make them appealing to children and adolescents. [via the Houston Chronicle]
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.