Electronic cigarettes contain carcinogenic chemicals that
make some as harmful as normal tobacco, a new French study has claimed.
The report comes after government plans announced in May
this year to ban electronic cigarettes from public places in France.
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Now monthly magazine 60 Millions Consommateurs (60
Million Consumers) has branded the devices as "far from the harmless
gadgets they're sold as by manufacturers".
The magazine - which reports the findings of the National
Consumers' Institute - said it tested ten different rechargable and disposable
models for carcenogenic and toxic properties.
Editor Thomas Laurenceau wrote: "We detected a
significant quantity of carcinogenic molecules in the vapour of these
cigarettes which have thus far gone undetected.
"In three models out of ten the levels of the
carcinogenic compound formaldehyde come close to those of a conventional
cigarette.
"The highly toxic molecule acrolein was also detected
in the vapours of e-cigarettes, sometimes at levels even higher than in
traditional cigarettes."
The report also criticised certain models for lacking
child-proof safety caps because nicotine levels contained in the liquid content
of an electronic cigarette could be lethal to children.
Mr Laurenceau added: "It's not a reason to ban them,
but a good reason to control them."
Toxic levels of various molecules were found in some of the
e-cigarettes meaning they could be just as dangerous as traditional cigarettes.
Image shows lung cancer cells
Toxic levels of various molecules were found in some of the
e-cigarettes meaning they could be just as dangerous as traditional cigarettes.
French Health Minister Marisol Touraine announced in May
that the ban on smoking in public places would be extended to cover electronic
cigarettes, and that they would be subject to the same controls as tobacco.
The move has sparked outrage among sellers and users of the
battery-powered devices which contain liquid nicotine that is turned into a
vapor when inhaled.
Ms Touraine said: "The e-cigarette is not an ordinary
product.
"We need to apply the same measures as there are for
tobacco.
"That means making sure it cannot be smoked in public
places, that its sale is restricted to over 18s and that firms are not allowed
to advertise the products."
E-cigarettes are currently legal to use in bars and
restaurants and all other public places, where traditional smoking has been
banned.
A ban would harm the booming e-cigarette industry in France,
where around one million people now use the gadgets, vendors insist.
E-cigarettes were first invented in China in 2003, as many
nations began imposing bans on smoking, and are aimed at giving the user a
similar sensation to smoking a cigarette.
In March this year, health expert Professor Bertrand
Dauzenberg told France's Europe 1 radio that e-cigarettes could have the
opposite effect that is designed for.
"These electronic cigarettes could also lead children
to start smoking and sale should be banned to minors.
"However for heavy smokers, I believe these will reduce
the health risks, but the best way to quit smoking is the patch or chewing
gum."
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