One particular e-cigarette flavour ‘could seriously damage people’s lungs’, experts warn

A common flavouring chemical used in cinnamon e-liquids could seriously damage people’s lungs, experts have warned.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tested cinnemaldehyde – the chemical which gives cinammon its smell, and which is used in e-liquid.

Many e-cigarette flavours are certified as safe in foods – but have not been tested as safe for inhalation, the scientists warned.

The researchers exposed lung cells to e-liquids with different concentrations of cinnemaldehyde – and measured how cells responded.

Lead author Phillip Clapp said, ‘Our data suggest that when used in e-cigarettes cinnamaldehyde, like toxic aldehydes in cigarette smoke, significantly disrupts normal cell physiology in ways that may have implications for the development and exacerbation of respiratory disease.

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‘Our finding that cinnamaldehyde impairs normal airway cilia motility is significant because it demonstrates that a common, food-safe flavoring agent, in the context of e-cigarette use, is capable of dysregulating a critical anti-bacterial defense system in the lungs.’

‘E-cigarette emissions contain chemicals that have not been evaluated for inhalation toxicities. The inhalation of flavoring agents, which are frequently reactive aldehydes, poses a significant unknown in regards to the potential health risks of e-cigarette use as many of these chemicals are structurally similar to toxic aldehydes in cigarette smoke.

‘Moreover, aldehyde flavoring agents are often used in exceedingly high concentrations in e-cigarettes, which may lead to high exposure doses.’