Is vaping a safe replacement for smoking?
Proponents of e-cigarettes agree with the findings of Public Health England. Dr. Joel Nitzkin, a New Orleans physician and a fellow at the R Street think tank, says that while nicotine is not harmless, the other ingredients in e-cigarettes are known to be safe.
“We know exactly what is in e-cigarettes and related nicotine vapor devices,” he says.
The propylene glycol used in e-cigarettes has long been used as theatrical fog, Nitzkin says, and in the past has been used as a propellant in asthma inhalers. Other ingredient, glycerine and additional flavorings, are considered safe for ingestion, he says, “although they may pose some risk of lung irritation.”
