1 in 4 Youths Exposed to Secondhand Aerosol from E-Cigarettes

One in 4 US youths are exposed to secondhand aerosol (SHA) from electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), according to a recent research letter published in JAMA Pediatrics.

“Secondhand aerosol from e-cigarettes can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances including nicotine, heavy metals, ultrafine particulate, volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, and other toxicants,” the researchers wrote.
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For their research, the authors assessed the extent to which US youths were exposed to SHA from e-cigarettes using the 2015 National Youth Tobacco Survey that included data from 17,711 middle and high school students. Exposure to SHA was assessed using a question which asked, “during the past 30 days, on how many days did you breathe the vapor from someone who was using an electronic cigarette or e-cigarette in an indoor or outdoor public place."

Overall, their findings showed that 24.2% of students (6.5 million) reported SHA exposure, (26.7% among girls and 21.9% among boys). In addition, 27% of non-Hispanic white individuals reported exposure to SHA, and 15.3% of non-Hispanic African American individuals reported exposure to SHA. Further, they reported that exposure was 51.5% among current users of other tobacco products, 32.3% among former tobacco users, and 16.8% among never-users.

“These findings underscore the importance of tobacco prevention strategies, including comprehensive policies that address both (secondhand smoke) and SHA, to prevent youth exposure to this public health threat,” the researchers wrote. “Specifically, pediatricians can incorporate screening for e-cigarette use and SHA exposure into clinical practice, and counsel parents, youths, and caregivers about the potential harms of SHA and the importance of avoiding exposure.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Wang, TW, Marynak KL, Agaku IT, et al. Secondhand exposure to electronic cigarette aerosol among US youths [published online March 20, 2017]. JAMA Pediatr. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.4973.