Might the peppermint e-liquid really go away?
Mint is a common plant that is usually used as food additives and additives for some medicines. Our most common chewing gum has mint added. Mint is very popular because it gives a cooling sensation and a minty aroma, so there are also mint flavored cigarettes in cigarettes, mint flavor is also very popular in the vape industry, but now this popular mint e-liquid It was banned, why?
Menthone, an oily compound previously banned by the FDA as a food additive because of its potential carcinogenicity, is found in high levels in mint- and menthol-flavored e-liquids. While scientists remain controversial about the underlying toxicity of menthone, a new study has raised concerns about a lack of human exposure studies, especially with regard to inhalation exposure.
It is understood that this chemical is a natural compound found in plants. Its minty scent is probably the most recognizable and is often found in aromatherapy oils or perfumes. Last year, however, the FDA largely banned the substance as a food additive after animal toxicology studies suggested it could cause cancer.
In the new study, researchers tested some of the currently popular mint- or menthol-flavored e-liquids and found that they all contained high levels of menthone. The researchers estimated that its levels would lead to a higher risk of human exposure than previously identified food additives or menthol cigarettes.
Sven-Eric Jordt, lead author of the new study, said: "The tobacco industry has long known about the dangers of menthol and has worked hard to minimise the levels in menthol cigarette flavours, so menthol cigarettes have far lower levels than e-cigarettes. Our analysis shows that users of menthol- and menthol-flavored vapes and tobacco are exposed to levels of menthone intake above what the FDA considers acceptable, as well as smokers of combustible menthol cigarettes."
Clearly, this study sheds light on the unregulated nature of e-liquid flavors, an issue that has come to the fore after a number of vape-related hospitalizations in the United States. Since 2019, the United States has begun to prohibit the production and sales of mint e-liquid, and the problem of mint e-liquid has gradually attracted the attention of other countries, and many countries have begun to follow the example of the United States.
Peppermint is a food additive with a long history. It will be directly absorbed into the body. As a food additive, it has no side effects, so using it in vape will make people feel that it is safe in their inherent thinking. Yes, but it's not.
Sairam V. Jabba, a research partner at Duke University, argues that concerns about adding the chemical to e-liquids are justified if the FDA considers the chemical a dangerous food additive, especially when lung when the stomach is more sensitive to chemicals than the digestive tract.
"Our findings suggest that before recommending menthol- and menthol-flavored vape and smokeless tobacco products as alternatives to combustible tobacco products, the FDA should take steps to reduce the health risks associated with menthone," Jordt said.
As a major category of e-liquid, mint e-liquid is deeply loved by users, but since it has risks, we should be cautious. Now, many companies have begun to ban the sales of flavored e-liquids, including mint e-liquids. If the harm of mint e-liquids cannot be solved well, mint e-liquids will gradually disappear.