Below you will find a chart that shows the total amount of cancer causing agents in a varity of items.
Maximum Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamine Levels in Various Cigarettes and Nicotine-Delivery Products (ng/g, except for nicotine gum and patch which are ng/patch or ng/gum piece)
|
Product
|
NNN
|
NNK
|
NAT
|
NAB
|
Total
|
|
Electronic cigarettes (2)
|
3.87
|
1.46
|
2.16
|
0.693
|
8.183
|
|
Nicotine gum (1)
|
2.00
|
Not detected
|
Not detected
|
Not detected
|
2.000
|
|
Nicotine patch (1)
|
Not detected
|
8.00
|
Not detected
|
Not detected
|
8.000
|
|
Swedish snus (3)
|
|
|
|
|
2400
|
|
Winston (1)
|
2200
|
580
|
560
|
25
|
3365
|
|
Newport (1)
|
1100
|
830
|
1900
|
55
|
3885
|
|
Marlboro (3)
|
|
|
|
|
6600
|
|
Camel (1)
|
3100
|
1400
|
2800
|
150
|
7450
|
|
Skoal (1)
|
4500
|
470
|
4100
|
220
|
9290
|
|
Marlboro (1)
|
4300
|
1800
|
4900
|
190
|
11,190
|
Sources:
- Stepanov I, Jensen J, Hatsukami D, Hecht SS. Tobacco-specific nitrosamines in new tobacco products. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2006; 8:309-313. (Link)
- Laugesen M. Safety Report on the Ruyan e-cigarette Cartridge and Inhaled Aerosol. Christchurch, New Zealand: Health New Zealand Ltd, 2008. (Link)
- Wahlberg I. Tobacco-specific Nitrosamines in Unburnt New Zealand Tobaccos. Report to Health New Zealand Ltd. Swedish Match, 2004. (Link)
As these data show, the level of tobacco-specific nitrosamines present in electronic cigarettes is at the trace level. It is measurable in parts per trillion (nanograms per gram). It is comparable to the nitrosamine levels in nicotine replacement products which are approved by the FDA.
In contrast, the level of tobacco-specific nitrosamines present in tobacco products are 300 to 1400 times higher. On a weight-for-weight basis, Marlboro has 1400 times higher the level of tobacco-specific nitrosamines than an electronic cigarette cartridge. And keep in mind that these represent the levels in the cartridges and cigarettes, not in the tobacco smoke or e-cigarette vapor which are directly inhaled. Because of the much higher temperatures generated in tobacco combustion compared to propylene glycol vaporization, the delivery of these carcinogens into the vapor is expected to be much lower than into the tobacco smoke.
Moreover, there are approximately 56 other carcinogens that have been identified to be present at high levels in tobacco smoke, while there are NO other carcinogens that have been identified to be present in electronic cigarettes.
Based on these data, and upon knowledge that the conventional cigarette contains at least 10,000 other chemicals, including known toxins and carcinogens, while the electronic cigarette does not, there is exceedingly strong evidence that electronic cigarettes are much, much safer than conventional ones.