Australia's Health Department Examines A Number of Seized Products For Cancer-Causing Substances

On 26 July, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News reported that the Queensland Department of Health is using specialised equipment to test confiscated e-cigarettes for polonium-210, a radioactive isotope found naturally in cigarette tobacco and now suspected by Australian scientists to be present in e-cigarettes.

It is worth noting that the e-cigarettes being tested are those seized by Australian law enforcement officials, and so far the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has shown pictures and videos covering brands such as IGET, MHK, and PUFF, but as of this writing, no announcement has been made by the scientists at this time as to whether polonium-210 has been detected in them.

Health hazards of radioactive polonium-210

Polonium-210 is a potential threat to lung cancer and has also been used as a spy weapon. A radioactive element that occurs naturally in very small quantities, the element was discovered in 1898 by Nobel laureate Marie Curie and named after her native Poland.

David Pass, a senior chemist at Australia's Department of Health, analysed the confiscated e-cigarettes to check whether they contained illegal nicotine so that retailers could be prosecuted.

However, he also found carcinogens such as formaldehyde.

He believes that there are some problems in the industry, with sellers selling these products at very high prices, most of which contain nicotine, which makes them addictive. He emphasised that the only thing that should be inhaled is air.

Focus on future regulatory policy

Whether or not e-cigarettes contain nicotine, Tatiana Komarova, head of inorganic chemistry at Queensland Health, said:

"We have no doubt they are dangerous."

Scientists in the news also reported they have also discovered more chemicals in e-cigarette casings. These include heavy metals such as lead, chromium and aluminium, which have been identified as harmful to the respiratory system and children's development.

With the use of e-cigarettes reaching 14.5 per cent among 18 to 29 year olds in 2022, Queensland's Chief Health Officer John Gerrard highlighted the dangers of e-cigarettes in his recent Queenslanders' Health Report.

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【1】Queensland scientists test vapes for polonium-210 after finding cancer-causing substances