Electronic cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes (also known as e-cigarettes or e-cigs) are battery-operated devices designed to look like and to be used in the same manner as conventional cigarettes.  E-cigarettes claim to be a safe alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. The truth is there is no evidence to back up that claim.

Concerns of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• E-cigarettes are sold without any legal age restrictions and are available in different flavors (such as chocolate, strawberry and mint) which may appeal to young people.
• The devices do not contain any health warnings comparable to FDA-approved nicotine replacement products or conventional cigarettes.

Findings of an FDA analysis:

• One sample was found to contain diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in antifreeze. Several other samples were found to contain carcinogens, including nitrosamines.
• The Smoking Everywhere electronic cigarette cartridges listed as containing no nicotine, in some cases, had small amounts of nicotine present.

FDA actions:

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating manufacturers' health claims about electronic cigarettes and is deciding whether to ban the nicotine-delivery devices as the agency did with nicotine lollypops and drinks.
• The FDA has been examining and detaining shipments of e-cigarettes at the border and has found that the products it has examined thus far meet the definition of a combination drug-device product under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The agency has been challenged regarding its jurisdiction over certain e-cigarettes in a case currently pending in federal district court.
• Meanwhile, health care professionals and consumers may report serious adverse events or product quality problems with the use of e-cigarettes to FDA through the MedWatch program, either online or by phone at 800-FDA-1088.

View more information regarding the FDA's research of e-cigarettes.