The Dangers of Non-Nicotine E-Cigarettes and Vitamin Vaping

Aug.25.2022
The Dangers of Non-Nicotine E-Cigarettes and Vitamin Vaping
Non-nicotine e-cigarette health claims, including cancer prevention, asthma treatment, and improved energy, are unproven and may be unsafe. FDA warns.

In the trend of electronic cigarettes in recent years, some people have started inhaling nicotine-free "healthy" products that are believed to boost energy and have various health benefits, including cancer-fighting abilities, treatment of conditions such as asthma and ADHD, and even prevention of anemia. However, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning in late 2021 regarding these products, stating that "these claims are unsubstantiated, the products may be ineffective, a waste of money, and unsafe.


Electronic cigarettes have received negative attention due to their potential health effects on young people, especially companies like JUUL that produce a variety of flavors specifically attractive to young people. Many of the concerns are similar for non-nicotine electronic cigarettes.


Doctor Jorge Mercado at Langone Medical Center at New York University, specializing in pulmonary medicine, stated, "Just because one way of taking vitamins is safe doesn't mean another method of absorption is safe. The lungs are not the primary organ for drug absorption.


There is still much unknown about how various substances are absorbed by the lungs and react with cells. General research on e-cigarettes tends to focus on the potential harmful effects of flavorings in e-cigarette products. These health impacts include cellular toxicity, or toxicity to cells, oxidative stress, and inflammation. In a study on e-cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes, the highest level of active oxidative stress was produced by Vitamin Vape B12. The study also observed inflammation in lung epithelial cells and macrophages, which are white blood cells that identify and destroy microbes and dead cells.


The manufacturer of Vitamin Vape B12 also produces another e-cigarette related to Vitamin B12 called Breath B12. In December 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to Vitamin Vape saying "the use of your 'B12 VITAMINVAPE' product has raised safety concerns, as the ingredients or impurities in the orally inhaled product may cause laryngospasm or bronchospasm, toxic to tissue in the upper or lower respiratory tract, or may be absorbed and result in adverse systemic effects or organ toxicity.


Many health products, such as supplements and vitamins, are not regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration, partly because they are not classified as food or drugs.


The FDA has stated that in this case, the product is considered a "new drug" and therefore requires approval from the FDA, which regulates it.


However, some damage may have already occurred. Vitamin Vape continues to sell its products and has 18,000 followers on Instagram. The US Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to other companies that offer similar products, including VitaCig, Eagle Energy, NV Nutrition, and VitaStik. These companies have been asked to correct any illegal actions. If they do not comply, the FDA may take enforcement action to prevent the products from reaching consumers.


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