Public health consequences of e-cigarettes

Millions of Americans use e-cigarettes. Despite their popularity, little is known about their health effects.

Some suggest that e-cigarettes likely confer lower risk compared to combustible tobacco cigarettes, because they do not expose users to toxicants produced through combustion.

Proponents of e-cigarette use also tout the potential benefits of e-cigarettes as devices that could help combustible tobacco cigarette smokers to quit and thereby reduce tobacco-related health risks.

Others are concerned about the exposure to potentially toxic substances contained in e-cigarette emissions, especially in individuals who have never used tobacco products such as youth and young adults.

Given their relatively recent introduction, there has been little time for a scientific body of evidence to develop on the health effects of e-cigarettes.Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes reviews and critically assesses the state of the emerging evidence about e-cigarettes and health.

This report makes recommendations for the improvement of this research and highlights gaps that are a priority for future research.