What did Doctor Burstyn do?
- Rather than conducting a scientific investigation, Burstyn conducted a research review whereby he collected and analysed information already in the public domain.
Why should I believe what he says?
He has an awesome beard.
What did he look at?
- Burstyn reviewed all of the data concerned with the make up of e-liquids and its chemistry.
- He compared research findings, advisory limits and standards agreed for safe levels of exposure.
- He made assumptions for worst-case scenarios meaning that he would assume the device was being used continually and that high nicotine content juice was used at a high temperature.
Where do the worst-case scenarios exist?
- These would be encountered in places like chemical production plants. The maximum safe exposure level in the production of PG liquid, for example.
How is this measured?
- He refers to the threshold limit value (TLV), which is the absolute maximum anyone should expose himself or herself to.
- In the worst case scenario it is the maximum an employer would legally be able to allow their employee to be exposed to in the chemical plant.
So, the worst-case scenario is still a legal and safe level?
- Yes, we can think of the worst-case scenario as still being considered as a safe level by industry standards, allowing their employee to remain healthy without any adverse effect to their health.
Does this cover all parts of e-liquid?
- No, Burstyn states that there is no industry standard for the inhalation of nicotine, no job requires it.
- He only looked at the other chemicals that travel into the lungs along with the nicotine.
How do we know what a safe level of nicotine is then?
- Burstyn reminds the reader that a nicotine user will self-dose to their required level.
- Vapers automatically adjust the duration of daily vaping or through selecting nicotine content in the liquid.
- Vapers will cease vaping when the desire for nicotine has been met.
What assumptions did Burstyn make?
- Vaping involves breathing in a small volume of vapour along with a large quantity of air.
- The amount of vapour taken into the lungs is minute compared to the volume of air breathed in.
- A vaper would vape for eight hours.
- A vaper would take 150 individual puffs during this eight-hour period.
- 8 litres of air would be breathed in every minute.
- That each time the vaper used the device they would obtain an equal amount of vape containing the same level of parts
But we don’t know what’s in e-liquid!
- Burstyn uncovered over NINE THOUSAND studies covering the chemical composition of e-liquid.
What were his results and conclusions?
- There is no data that supports the position that vaping e-liquid presents a health risk.
- The levels of all the chemicals that make up e-liquid are well below the TLVs.
- There is no cause for concern over the production or levels of acrolein or formaldehyde.
- The levels of tobacco nitrosamines are in such trace quantities that they do not pose any threat to health.
- The levels of tobacco nitrosamines imply no real risk for cancer.
- The levels of metals are at such small levels too that they to pose no harm
But what about those who tell us there is a danger?
- Burstyn states that those claiming they a danger exists are exaggerating or misrepresenting their findings.
Does he suggest any further action?
- Further research into the vaping of PG and VG in the quantities that vapers do.
- The creation of a machine to replicate the action of vaping so that the vape can be studied in more detail to identify compounds present.
Where can I get a beard like that?
- Unfortunately beards are not easy to come by.
