Urgent warning to vapers over ‘deadly toxins lurking in popular flavour’

PEOPLE who use vapes on a regular basis have been warned over toxins that could be lurking in a popular flavour.

Millions of people in the UK vape and it’s become a cheaper alternative to smoking cigarettes.

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Vaping is popular in the UK and the US and it hailed by the NHS as one was you can stop smoking[/caption]

Vapes and e-cigarettes have helped millions of people stop smoking and the NHS says they can help you manage your nicotine cravings.

A government report in the UK previously found that e-cigarettes are around 95 per cent less harmful than tobacco products.

Scientists have now warned that people who opt for menthol or mint flavours could be at risk of poisoning.

Experts at the Duke University School of Medicine found that manufacturers are using synthetic agents in some products.

In particular, they found WS-3 and WS-23 agents to have been included in vape liquids at higher levels than the World Health Organisation (WHO) considers to be safe.

Many suppliers have opted to make inserts that have the same cooling effect as the menthol cigarettes – but without the minty taste.

As part of their research, the medics looked at popular brands that use a cartridge replacement system.

They used sophisticated technology to separate e-liquids and synthetic coolants.

Then they looked at the margin of exposure (MOE) to determine how big of a risk the use of synthetic coolants are in e-cigarettes.

Of the 25 refillable e-liquids they examined, 24 had WS-3 present.

These synthetic cooling agents were not only found in menthol and mint type products, but were also present in fruit, candy and many other sweet-type flavours that are popular and attract younger vape users.

The scientists said: “When the MOE is below 100, regulators such as the (Food and Drugs Administration) FDA or WHO should review the safety of the product and advise manufacturers about steps to make the product safe to use.

“Our measurements and calculations demonstrate that e-cigarette users inhale WS-3 and WS-23 at levels higher than those considered safe by WHO, with the potential to cause organ toxicity.”

Organ toxicity can be deadly as this can impact changes in circulation, which can lead to cell poisoning.

The experts added that regulators should consider reviewing products from the Puffbar brand that they had tested.

This, they said, is because these two chemicals in particular can be used as food additives, but they are not safe to be inhaled.

The researchers added that manufacturers are ‘flying blind’ when adding such chemicals into their products.

Other medics have also previously warned of the dangers of e-cigarettes.

Researchers in California said that popular e-cigarettes could ‘trigger dangerous damage to brain and heart’.

It was also suggested that vaping is as bad as cigarettes for reducing blood vessel function.

In the US the FDA published a proposal to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes as well as all flavoured cigars and tobacco products.

The ban wouldn’t affect menthol e-cigarettes but it could impact the sale of other products, such as heated-tobacco devices or cigarettes with very low nicotine levels.

Menthol cigarettes have also banned in the UK as part of initiative by the European Union (EU) to protect people from the harmful effects of tobacco.

The Sun has contacted Puffbar.