With the help of a bailiff's report, FIVAPE decided to make public information on vaping, which had been published and then withdrawn from the website of the Public Health Information Service (SPIS) - www.santé.fr : Vapoter est-il dangereux ?
On October 30, 2024, the Service public d'information en santé (SPIS), under the authority of the Ministry of Health, published an article on its website www.santé.fr under the heading Dépendances / Addictions, entitled: Vapoter est-il dangereux1 ?
On the eve of Mois Sans Tabac, this article was immediately welcomed by many observers of the vaping issue in France. Clear, concise and well-supported, this information for the general public was based on reliable, recognized scientific references, clarifying preconceived ideas and sweeping away the confusion sown for many years by the tobacco lobbies.
All the specialists agreed that this publication was totally disruptive and welcome, but also unexpected. Many announced on social networks that they had backed up the article "just in case...". Indeed, the recent episodes of gagging and slander that led, among other things, to the dissolution of the SOVAPE association2association, have demonstrated the tobacco industry's ability to inflict harm on vaping and its advocates.
It was this poisonous climate that prompted FIVAPE, as a precautionary measure, to have a bailiff's report drawn up to record the article. Is vaping dangerous? from the Public Health Information Service website www.santé.fr as of October 30, 2024, the day of its publication.
On October 31, 2024, without explanation or replacement page, the article was removed from www.santé.fr.
FIVAPE regrets the withdrawal of a publication that was intended to be objective, impartial and solidly based on science. In the public interest, FIVAPE has therefore decided to make this information available to the public in the form of a complete copy of the contents, as certified by a bailiff, and delivered in extenso below.
Nevertheless, Fivape points out that, from its point of view as regards regulation and control, the perspective of the SPIS article remains questionable. Regulations exist and controls are particularly strict: e-liquid composition submitted to ANSES, containers limited to 10 ml for nicotined liquids, nicotine levels limited to 20 mg / ml, regular DGCCRF controls, labeling obligations, prohibition of sales to minors, prohibition of advertising and propaganda, prohibition of self-service sales, and so on.
ADDICTIONS / DEPENDANCES - VAPOTER EST-IL DANGEREUX?
Information provided by:
SERVICE PUBLIC D'INFORMATION SUR LA SANTÉ (SPIS)
PUBLISHED 10/30/2024, RETIRED 10/31/2024
Is vaping dangerous?
Designed to help people stop smoking, electronic cigarettes (or vapoteuses) are used by almost 7% of adults in France, or some 3 million people. This figure has been rising steadily over the past twenty years. The use of these vaporizers does not appear to present any major danger, as long as you don't smoke at the same time. Good oral and dental hygiene are also essential.
Vape for what it is (or should be): a tool for quitting smoking
Invented in China and available on the French market since 2005, the electronic cigarette (or vapoteuse) is an aerosol generator. Heated by a battery, the liquid contained in the vaporizer is transformed into vapor, which is inhaled by the user.
The liquids used for vaping most often contain nicotine - the addictive but non-toxic substance found in tobacco, propylene glycol - an alcohol used in the cosmetics and food industries, vegetable glycerine, as well as flavorings and, occasionally, colorants.
Devoid of the toxic substances present in tobacco and released during combustion (tar, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, etc.), vape is designed to replace cigarettes and help smokers quit.
Is vape a good smoking cessation tool?
In 2022, the Haut Conseil de la Santé Publique (French High Council for Public Health) considered thatthere was insufficient evidence for electronic cigarettes to be proposed by healthcare professionals as smoking cessation aids in the management of smokers.
But in January 2024, a cross-referenced analysis of clinical studies, carried out by the Cochrane Institute, concluded that electronic cigarettes appear to be more effective than other nicotine substitution aids (patches, gum, etc.), but also than behavioral support alone. A Swiss study published a month later concurs. So, today, we can say with certainty that vape is a useful tool in smoking cessation.
But can we use these vaporizers without fearing undesirable effects? Today's data are rather reassuring, provided, of course, that you completely stop smoking tobacco when you vape (which is unfortunately not always the case).
Addiction risk and the myth of the gateway effect
E-cigarette liquids contain nicotine in varying doses, so that former smokers gradually lose their dependence on this substance. But nicotine withdrawal can be very slow, and it's not uncommon for a person to vapourize for several months or even years.
Beware: for people who don't smoke, vapourizing can induce nicotine dependence. For this reason, it is recommended not to use electronic cigarettes when you don't smoke. However, some teenagers who have never smoked turn to vape for the stimulating effects of nicotine, or to reduce their appetite in a bid to control their weight.
Among young people, contrary to what may have been feared for a while, e-cigarettes do not appear to be a gateway to tobacco. According to a 2020 study by Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale): "Overall, experimentation with e-cigarettes first (as opposed to tobacco first) (is) associated with a reduced risk of daily smoking at age 17-18.5." In 2023, an English study concluded, meanwhile, that nicotine replacement products appear to compete with cigarettes rather than promote smoking, and that regulations allowing their sale are associated with a reduction rather than an increase in smoking.
Are vaping harmful to health?
Twenty years after the introduction of electronic cigarettes, data on their medium- and long-term toxicity appear reassuring. Studies do not seem to point to any increase in the risk of cancer, cardiovascular or respiratory diseases. On the contrary, the cardiovascular risk of ex-smokers (who have genuinely quit smoking) is lower, approaching that of non-smokers/non-vapers.
A report published in the UK by the Royal College of Medicine in 2024 concluded that "nicotine vaping is not associated with a high frequency of adverse health effects." It does, however, point out that, in theory, some flavors used may have some toxicity on the respiratory system, although nothing has been identified in users.
Pneumonia attributed to vaping in 2019-2020 in the United States was found to be due to the vitamin E acetate used as a diluting additive in certain refills, often sold under the table and containing THC(tetrahydrocannabinol), the active ingredient in cannabis.
Long-term use of e-cigarettes is associated with a slightly increased risk of cavities and gum problems (as with smokers). According to studies, this phenomenon mainly concerns people who also use illicit drugs.
Sometimes, at the beginning of the use of an electronic cigarette, undesirable effects can appear on a temporary basis: irritations of the throat or mouth, headaches, coughing and feelings of discomfort. Studies have also reported cases of atopic dermatitis-type allergies ("eczema") and sometimes an exacerbation of asthma in adolescents.
Finally, there have been a few cases of accidents involving children ingesting vape fluid, or burns caused by a hot battery or battery explosion.
Choosing and using your electronic cigarette
Electronic cigarettes are not sold in pharmacies, and are not considered to be either medicines or medical devices. Their sale is therefore unregulated, and the products do not benefit from strict controls. To avoid any accidents, it is advisable to choose AFNOR-certified products, and to buy from specialized stores. In addition, it is important to follow the instructions carefully, not to modify the vaping device, and not to place the battery where it could overheat or come into contact with metal objects or coins.
In conclusion, while vaping exposes users to the risk of maintaining their nicotine dependency, its dangers are infinitely less than those of tobacco. Thus, it appears that e-cigarettes are an effective smoking cessation tool, but non-smokers should refrain from using these devices to avoid developing a nicotine addiction.
Author: Public Health Information Service (SPIS)
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- Étude sur les pratiques de consommation des usagers de cigarettes électroniques enFrance, Anses, December 2022
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- Is vaping dangerous? - https://www.sante.fr/decryptage/nos-reponses/vapoter-est-il-dangereux - The article has been removed, the page is empty. ︎
- SOVAPE throws in the towel - https://www.sovape.fr/dissolution-sovape-jette-leponge/ ︎