WASHINGTON — Though e-cigarettes are viewed as safer alternatives to regular
tobacco, a new study indicates they may be full of carcinogens, and far more
dangerous than anyone previously thought.
Researchers at the Japanese Ministry of Health analyzed various brands of e-
cigarettes and found
carcinogens such as formaldehyde at dangerously high levels — up to 10 times the
level found in the smoke from regular cigarettes.
E-cigarettes work by heating flavored liquid, which often contains nicotine, and
turning it into a vapor that is inhaled. They’re branded as healthier options because
smoke isn’t involved.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced plans to
regulate e-cigarettes in this country. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention warn that e-cigarette use has tripled in
recent years among American teenagers.
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