The Myth of Second-Hand Vaping:

Results of Study Show Indoor Vaping Not Likely To Pose Harm To Bystanders

It has already been debunked in the past, the myth that second-hand vapor from an e-cigarettes is just as harmful as second-hand smoke simply due to the scientifically proven fact that vapor doesn’t contain the 4,000 toxins that second-hand tobacco smoke does.

A new study just released this week reveals that the vapor emitted by electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices are “unlikely” to pose a health risk to non-vapers present in the same enclosed space. This study proves yet again, that second-hand vapor really is just a myth.

The main goal of the study was to determine if the particles in e-cigarette vapor affected the indoor air quality of an enclosed room and if it would affect any bystanders were present. The research was a joint effort between Fontem Ventures, EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, the Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania and ETH Zurich the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

The Results: E-Cig Vapor Particles Evaporate Within Seconds

During the study, vapers were given “closed-system vapor products” to use and while they were vaping the scientists measured the particle concentrations present in the air surrounding them. The scientists found that right after the participants exhaled, the vapor particles rapidly evaporated with air quality levels returning back to the same state as the surrounding air levels within seconds.

Meaning that the quickly evaporating e-cigarette vapor left no effect on the surrounding air quality. The same results were also discovered in a room with no ventilation conditions, which represented a worst-case scenario during their investigation.

The results of the study were presented at the 4^th Workplace and Indoor Aerosols Conference in Barcelona, where members of the research team spoke at length on their results. It should be pointed out that the lead researcher on the study is Professor Dainius Martuzevicius, an esteemed indoor air quality expert who is also Vice Dean for Research at the Faculty of Chemical Technology at the Kaunas University of Technology.

Read: Aerosol Concentration Variations In A Room During Use Of An E-Cigarette

“There is little data available on the properties of exhaled e-cigarette particles in the scientific literature and as a result there is a growing discussion amongst the public health community as to whether the particles exhaled following use of vaping products have potential implications for indoor air quality.” Stated Professor Martuzevicius, noting the necessity of studies such as this.

Following the results of this study, Fontem Ventures will be continuing its research with additional studies to fully analyze the chemical properties of e-cig vapor particles and other aerosol based consumer products. These results will be presented at the Global Forum on Nicotine in Warsaw, Poland in June 2016.

Marc Michelsen, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Communications of Fontem Ventures concluded, “This initial data supports the conclusions of Public Health England, the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health, Cancer Research UK and others that vaping indoors is unlikely to pose an air quality issue to bystanders and non-vapers.”

Read: England Finds Vaping 95% Less Harmful Than Tobacco Cigarettes