Relatively recently, electronic cigarettes have become a bone of contention between researchers, smokers and non-smokers, who are sometimes or constantly forced to be near those who like to smoke. Is an electronic cigarette harmful to others in the same way as a regular one, or is its distribution rather a blessing, since it neutralizes the harmful effects of smoking?
This device is essentially an individual inhaler (in the form of a cigarette, cigar or pipe) with a mini-generator. The latter produces steam (aerosol) from the liquid located in the replaceable cartridge of the device. Inhaling dispersed vapor creates the illusion of regular smoking.
These devices were created in order to deceive the body of a smoker who decided to quit the addiction, but they are more often used as a harmless substitute for regular smoking. But is it really so harmless?
The liquid that is sprayed in this device is a mixture of several components:
- glycerin,
- propylene glycol,
- nicotine (it is absent in some types of e-liquids),
- essential oils,
- flavorings.
Glycerin creates vapor, and propylene glycol dissolves essential oils and creates respiratory irritation, as if a person were smoking a regular cigarette. These two components occupy the lion's share of the composition. They are harmless if inhaled. Moreover, their composition and properties allow them to be widely used in pharmaceuticals and the food industry, as well as aromatic additives. Nicotine is harmful, no doubt. True, there is less of it here than in traditional ones. But even its minimal presence worsens the functioning of the heart. That is, nicotine is the only reason why they say about electronic cigarettes that they are “just as nasty.” But this is for an active smoker. 
We are primarily interested in the fate of non-smokers. It has been proven that “passive” smoking, that is, being forced to be near those who smoke, is very dangerous, since most of the harmful substances are contained in exhaled tobacco smoke.
Research has found that people around a smoker consume significantly more toxic substances than the smokers themselves. As they inhale, they trigger the combustion process in the cigarette, which produces smoke containing carcinogenic substances. Smokers inhale the bulk of this smoke themselves, and release the rest outside. And in these “residues” the harmfulness turns out to be significantly higher than in what is swallowed by a smoker. And they, these substances, reach passive smokers when they breathe tobacco smoke in which various poisons are dissolved.
Let us clarify that all hazardous substances appear when tobacco is burned. In the electronic analogue of a tobacco cigarette, there is no combustion. Therefore, there are no carcinogens or harmful resins. And nicotine is almost completely absorbed by an active smoker when puffing. The exhaled contents have a low concentration of nicotine and cannot cause as much harm to others as tobacco smoke.
Who - whom: which cigarette is more harmful?
And yet, if nicotine is present in an electronic device, its breakdown products end up in the air. How many? And what is the real harm of electronic cigarettes to others?
The answer, as always, comes from science. Researchers have experimentally tested how much nicotine a vaping enthusiast (that is, a person inhaling the vapor of an electronic cigarette) injects into his lungs and how much gets to his neighbor. Two volunteers were placed in one small room for eight hours. Every five minutes, one of them smoked an electronic cigarette, the second had to be content with exhaled vapor.
Then they carried out measurements and calculations, and it turned out that the maximum nicotine content is 60 times less than allowed by labor safety standards. It was calculated that a non-smoking person would need to be near a viper for at least three months to “gain” the same amount of nicotine as a standard tobacco cigarette “gives” him.
It would seem that the answer to the question of whether the smoke from an electronic cigarette is harmful to others is given unambiguously: practically not. Why?
- The device does not emit harmful or dangerous compounds.
- There is no unpleasant odor coming from the clothes, hair, or mouth of the smoker.
- Thanks to aromas, the exhaled steam has a pleasant aroma.
- A well-made device is safe from a technical point of view (careless handling will not lead to a fire).
And yet, it cannot be stated with an absolute guarantee that the vapor from it is absolutely safe - simply because the issue has not been studied deeply, with a large number of subjects, from different angles. One thing is clear: by staying for a long time next to a person who actively uses such an invention, the people around him will not harm their health in the same way as happens from being in the vicinity of tobacco lovers.
There are ardent opponents of electronic cigarettes who argue against their distribution due to the possible harm to non-smokers.
We present them for the sake of maintaining a balance of opinions:
- The vapor inhaled by a passive smoker can lead to an unconscious addiction to nicotine and turn a non-smoker into a smoker.
- Promoting the safety of e-cigarettes and fruit flavors can attract new members of the smokers from among children and young people.
- Not containing tobacco, this invention does not fall under anti-nicotine bans and “corrupts discipline” when used in public places.
If the first two arguments are purely hypothetical and can hardly be taken seriously, then the third requires discussion and, possibly, a decision to equate electronic cigarettes with conventional ones in terms of negative effects, and on this basis limit vaping. But if “electronic smoking” needs restrictions, it will be for certain categories.
Who should not use it:
- For minors - so that they do not get used to smoking.
- Pregnant women and nursing mothers - due to lack of evidence of harmlessness to the fetus and child.
- For withdrawal symptoms – don’t smoke and don’t start!
- For allergy sufferers.
Everything would be fine, but...
So, we have found that e-cigarettes are much less harmful to others than those containing tobacco. But only if their manufacturer acts in good faith. After all, electronic analogues tobacco products, unlike the latter, are not subject to certification, and the composition of the liquid may not be checked.
In addition, the lack of large-scale clinical trials leaves doubts about the safety of e-cigarettes both for the active user and for unwitting “participants.”
What's the solution? Of course, the point is that people don’t smoke at all. This invention is able to help those who cannot get rid of this addiction on their own. Since the viper sets the strength itself, you need to regularly lower it and switch to nicotine-free electronic cigarettes. Or do the opposite of what was described, namely: significantly increase the nicotine component of the smoking liquid, which will most likely lead to a complete cessation of smoking - both tobacco cigarettes and electronic cigarettes. There is evidence of this. Thus, an electronic cigarette will benefit both smokers (let’s consider former smokers) and those around them.
Video
In this video you can watch an interesting experiment on analyzing the smoke of regular cigarettes and vapor from electronic cigarettes for the presence of harmful substances.
Today Muscovites began to fall into real panic. And no wonder! We read the press release of Rospotrebnadzor on August 4:
On the territory of Moscow, at 8-00 and 13-00, the maximum permissible concentration for carbon monoxide was exceeded in the South-Eastern Administrative District, the Eastern Administrative District - by 1.2-2.6 times; for suspended substances in the South-Eastern Administrative District - 3.2 times, in the Eastern Administrative District up to 2 times, in the North-Eastern Administrative District - 1.3 times. In addition, in the Kozhukhovo area and the city of Zelenograd at 7:00, the maximum permissible concentration for fine suspended particles PM10 was exceeded by 2.1-2.8 times.
In the Moscow region, the maximum concentrations of harmful substances in the air, as in previous days, are recorded in the cities of Kolomna and Lukhovitsy: at 7:00 - exceeding up to 11.0 MPC for carbon monoxide, up to 14.0 MPC for nitrogen dioxide, up to 10 MPC for suspended substances substances up to 3 MAC for sulfur dioxide; at 13:00 concentrations decreased to 6.9 for carbon monoxide, 3.2 MAC for nitrogen dioxide, 3.7 MAC for suspended solids.
It’s simply amazing how dense our country is and how slow our officials are! This is not the first time we have enjoyed the smoke of our fatherland, but we can’t find simple, sensible recommendations for the people. As before, the Internet is flooded with idiotic advice such as calls for everyone to wear masks (the sellers of masks in Russia are probably already getting rich!).
Before I talk about why smoke is harmful, I will list generally accepted recommendations (otherwise not everyone will make it to the end of the post):
BASIC MEASURES:
It is important to understand here that the damage from most toxic gases and heat is reversible ( headache, malaise and lethargy will pass). But finely dispersed carcinogenic and obstructive soot will settle in the lungs forever. Therefore, the main thing is to breathe less soot!
* Do not go outside during periods of peak smoke.
Keeping your home well sealed can help prevent you from inhaling particulate matter. The smoke concentration indoors can be one third less than outdoors. However, the most harmful fine particles (PM 10) penetrate into any room.
* Keep windows tightly closed at least at night and early in the morning when smoke is at its peak.
* Do not create additional dust or smoke at home:
o do not burn candles or incense
o do not vacuum
o do not use gas stoves
o during cooking, turn on forced hood
o Do not smoke at home under any circumstances!
* During periods of maximum smoke, be careful with air conditioners.
Air conditioners that draw air from outside can only be used if they are equipped with special filters (such as HEPA). It is also better to turn off split air conditioners during peak pollution, since a decrease in the temperature in the room will cause additional suction of smog from the street so that there will be more suspended matter inside than outside. If the heat is unbearable, reduce the temperature moderately (by no more than 5C).
* If possible, get out of Moscow and the region to smoke-free places. Take a vacation!
* Do not overexert yourself physically.
Physical activity causes you to breathe more quickly and deeply, which can cause long-lasting harm to your health in smoky conditions. No morning jogging or cycling! If your work is related to physical activity, in case of such smoke, demand from the employer a reduced working day.
* Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke to a minimum. Although only complete smoking cessation will truly help. Passive smokers, run away from smoky rooms!
* Persons with existing diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems must strictly follow the recommendations of doctors (regularly measure blood pressure and, if necessary, revise the dosage of medications). It is especially difficult for asthmatics, for whom I recommend it to everyone. possible ways drive outside the smoke zone. If there is a risk of blood clots, your doctor may recommend taking 1/4 tablet of aspirin daily.
ADDITIONAL MEASURES:
* Do masks help? I'll tell you straight - not really.
Conventional medical masks not only do not help, but also harm. They have sufficient clearances to allow smoke to pass through and pores to keep out the most harmful PM10 particles. But masks create an additional respiratory barrier, forcing you to breathe more often and deeper. Only special respirators that filter fine particles (type R-2, R-3) can really help, but they should only be worn during hours of maximum smoke. If you decide to wear an 8-layer cotton-gauze bandage according to the recommendations of domestic luminaries, be sure to moisten it with water. And remember: no masks will separate harmful gases (carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, etc.) from normal air gases. The way you breathed them is the way you will breathe.
* Oxygen cocktails and cans are an unscrupulous taking of money from the population.
* If possible, avoid ground transportation and take the metro. The busy highways are already smoking, but now it’s just hell!
* Humidify the air in your home in every possible way. If there are no special humidifiers, spray water from a spray bottle. In the heat, do not allow the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract to dry out!
* Drink enough fluids!
Together with humidifying the air in the room, this will help avoid drying out of the mucous membranes and effectively remove suspended particles with sputum.
* Remove soot that settles on the floor and furniture as often as possible with damp cloths.
* If it is not possible to keep the windows closed due to the heat, cover them with nets or gauze, which must be constantly moistened.
* For eye irritation, use products such as natural tears. It is recommended not to wear contact lenses (switch to glasses).
*Eat more plant foods, drink green tea and fresh juices instead of coffee and fizzy drinks. The antioxidants they contain are said to somehow help inactivate harmful peroxide substances in the body. Well, maybe you’ll lose weight at the same time :).
A LITTLE THEORY for those who have lived to see these lines :)
So, you need to understand that peat smoke is much more dangerous to health than ordinary wood smoke, since peat consists of partially decomposed organic matter, which, when burned, releases many compounds of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen. Peat smoke contains more irritating and smelly substances. It is also much thicker than “ordinary” smoke, since peat does not just burn, but smolders: lower combustion temperatures lead to greater smoke production with the release of larger volumes of suspended particles into the atmosphere.
2. Dust that causes pain in the eyes.
3. Smoke that makes breathing difficult leads to swelling of the nose and throat.
4. Ground-level ozone - a high concentration of ozone molecules at an altitude of 0-5 km, is toxic, causes lung problems, sore throat, watery eyes and dry eyes.
What to do to alleviate your condition
- To reduce the toxic effects of smoke and fumes, drink natural juices and eat fruits that contain antioxidants.Swim and visit the pool (the lungs work very actively, and particles trapped inside can be removed during active breathing).
Use moist gauze dressings as much as possible to reduce the risk of small particles entering the lungs.
Give up contact lenses in favor of regular glasses.
Symptoms of poisoning.
- Dizziness.- Headache.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Chest pain.
- At risk are people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, as well as chronic allergies and people with infectious diseases of the nasopharynx. There may be delayed consequences of inhaling air containing fumes and smoke.
A person who inhales forest fire smoke for a long time runs the risk of sudden death. Carcinogens accumulate in the human body. The result may be paralysis of the heart muscle or sudden liver failure.
Is marijuana smoke harmful, including through passive smoking? / What are the Negative Effects of Cannabis Smoking and Secondhand Smoke?
We have been hearing about the dangers of inhaling smoke since childhood, be it fire smoke or cigarette smoke. Since I love marijuana and sometimes smoke in front of others, I wanted to get a definitive scientific answer to the question of whether inhaling marijuana smoke is harmful to health, especially since the popularity of cannabis is growing and smoking is still the most popular way to consume it.
I have found that cannabis smoke is even harsher than tobacco smoke, and while it is widely believed to have health benefits that tobacco smoke does not, research shows that inhaling marijuana smoke, including secondhand smoke, may be harmful to your heart health. vascular system.
What are the effects of secondhand inhalation of marijuana smoke?
In a recent study conducted by the University of California, San Francisco, scientists studied the effects of passive inhalation of cannabis smoke in rats, measuring a parameter called “flow-mediated dilation” of arteries (that is, how much the arteries widen or narrow). In a nutshell, if blood flow is briefly blocked and then unblocked, the blood vessels must dilate to accommodate the increased blood flow. To illustrate this, imagine a device that squeezes a person's hand while measuring blood pressure.
According to Dr. Matthew L. Springer, whose team conducted the study, flow-mediated dilatation is “a real-time mechanism that is more effective in healthy vessels than in diseased vessels, and especially in young people without cardiovascular disease.” risk factors.”
To study the effects of secondhand smoke, the researchers gave rats a sedative - this allowed them to take accurate measurements and minimize damage. They then temporarily blocked blood flow in the large artery and measured dilatation after the blockage was removed. Some rats inhaled marijuana smoke, others did not. The experiment was designed to determine whether smoke has an effect on dilation, that is, the ability of blood vessels to dilate or not decrease after the blockage is removed. Dr. Springer explained: “We've known since the 1990s that tobacco smokers have worse blood flow-related dilatation; This is also reported by those who are constantly exposed to secondhand smoke. The effect is observed even when people do not inhale the smoke directly during the experiment.”
The result of the experiment was clear - rats that passively inhaled marijuana smoke showed a decrease in dilatation, that is, their blood vessels did not expand as quickly as those of the control group. In fact, after a minute of smoke inhalation, dilatation did not return to normal levels when measured after 90 minutes. This effect did not surprise the researchers, given how many toxic substances are contained in smoke. “Burning any plant material releases many toxic substances, including volatile organic compounds and harmful gases such as acrolein, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde,” explained Dr. Springer.
Are the harms of marijuana smoke due to the effects of cannabinoids?
The next question the researchers asked was whether THC or other cannabinoids were involved in the deterioration of blood vessels. For this purpose, they used cannabis that did not contain cannabinoids (THC, CBD and others). When rats inhaled smoke without cannabinoids, its effect on dilation was exactly the same. This suggests that THC and other cannabinoids by themselves do not contribute to the deterioration of dilatation.
“We showed that impairment occurs even when there is no THC in the marijuana and when tissue paper is not used,” Springer said. “We also verified that no pesticides were used in the growing of the marijuana and that there were no twigs or seeds in it.” " Thus, scientists were able to prove that the main psychoactive component of marijuana (THC) or other cannabinoids, for example, CBD, which has great healing potential, do not harm blood vessels.
Are these effects observed when vaporizing cannabis?
Dr. Springer explained what conclusions can be drawn from this study. “It is worth emphasizing that our results are not necessarily “anti-drug” in nature, since we showed that the problem was not caused by marijuana itself as a psychoactive substance, but by its smoke. We hope these results encourage people to think about how they consume cannabis/THC/CBD and make informed choices before putting themselves, their households, neighbors and friends at risk of smoke inhalation.” Given the negative health effects of smoke, marijuana users should consider smoke-free methods of consumption, such as vaporization.
To be clear, we asked Dr. Springer whether vaporization is truly a healthier way to consume cannabis. “This is a reasonable proposal,” he replied, “However, we do not know this for sure. Not only THC, but also other substances are present in the vapor produced by a vaporizer. The most reasonable conclusion from our results is to look for some smoke-free way to consume THC.”
Vaporization, marijuana products, and topical use are all much less harmful methods of consumption compared to smoking. And although smoking a joint in a circle is still very popular, it is worth considering vaporizing or eating marijuana, as this will save your own health and the health of others, who are the main victims of second-hand smoke.
Smoking cannabis under legalization
There are a lot of questions related to passive inhalation of marijuana smoke. For example, many adult marijuana smokers cannot use the substance in their own homes, which increases the risk that they will do so on the street or in other public places, exposing others to the smoke. This situation is especially stupid in states where marijuana is legalized but there are no public places where it can be legally consumed.
Dr. Springer explains: “I believe that secondhand smoke should be avoided at all costs, whether it is tobacco or marijuana. Laws prohibiting smoking in public places should be rewritten to include marijuana... People living with others, especially parents of young children, should be aware that smoking marijuana in the presence of children is just as bad for their cardiovascular health health, as well as smoking cigarettes with tobacco. In my opinion, this goes without saying when it comes to recreational use.”
Now that the Drug Enforcement Administration has eased marijuana regulations, studies like this will shape the future of marijuana use. As professionals, we need to understand all aspects of how this plant affects individual and public health
“The smoke of a fire creates comfort, the sparks go out on their own…etc.” And also: “Soar the blue nights with bonfires..” What is summer without bonfires? A fire warms and unites people; you can cook on a fire. tasty soup, and then fry the kebabs on the coals. But it cannot be said that fires are only beneficial. There is also harm, and very significant. We are not talking about forest fires, believing that people reading this article are careful enough and make fires in accordance with all fire safety rules. We will talk about the dangers of smoke from a regular fire. Often people think that harmful smoke It works only if you burn rubber, plastic, PVC, cardboard, and painted boards. This is wrong. Please note that in this article we are writing about the dangers of smoke from burning ordinary firewood from birch, pine, aspen and other dry trees.
So what happens to wood when burned? One of the most detailed descriptions process can be found in the book of Dr. Ph.M. n. Khosheva Yu.M. " Wood stoves. Processes and phenomena". The elemental mass composition of absolutely dry wood of all wood species is approximately the same: carbon 49-50%, oxygen 42-44%, hydrogen 6-7%, inorganic part 0.1-2% (oxides of potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, silicon and etc.). Wood also contains 0.1-1% bound nitrogen - it is this “wood” nitrogen that can form harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides when wood burns (atmospheric nitrogen does not interact with oxygen when wood burns). The listed chemical elements create three main groups in wood chemical compounds type of natural polymers: cellulose 39-58%, hemicellulose 15-38% and lignin 17-34% and up to several percent of waxes, resins, tannins, fats, essential oils.
Main feature flaming wood burning is the staged nature of log burnout with a change in the composition of combustible gases of wood pyrolysis (the so-called “volatile”) and with a change in the rate of release of volatiles. Essentially, the logs burn in the gaps between the logs, as in micro-fireboxes with hot, charred wood walls. There may not be enough oxygen inside the fire to completely burn the volatiles, and the fire turns into a “gas generator”, supplying flammable gases to the flames above the wood. Flameless form of combustion solid fuels called smoldering. Smoldering is characterized by the fact that it can occur more slowly than flaming combustion and can occur at a relatively low combustion temperature.
Scheme of a smoldering spot on the surface of wood. 1 - wood, 2 - heat flow deep into the wood, 3 - air intake, 4 - release of volatiles from the thermolysis zone through the carbon layer / with ignition-flame or in the form of bluish smoke /, 5 - “cap” of waste smoldering products CO2 and CO, 6 - radiant heat flow, 7 - coal zone, 8 - wood thermolysis zone, 9 - release of volatiles from the pores of wood with condensation in the form of white smoke.
One of the most harmful products burning and smoldering of wood produces visually visible smoke - a gas suspension of small solid and liquid particles. The process of smoke emission is called in foreign literature the emission of particles of substances - “emission of particles of matters” /PM/. Typically, “heavy” white smokes have a particle size of 1-10 microns, black smokes 0.1-1 microns, and “light” bluish smokes - less than 0.1 microns. The US Environmental Services considers emissions of particles smaller than 10 microns, and especially those smaller than 2.5 microns, to be the most harmful component of smoke gases, since these particles can easily pass through the protective system of the lungs into the alveoli (http://www.epa.gov/pm /).
The main bursts of smoke and carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) emissions occur when adding fresh wood to the fire; it is at these moments that an increased output of white, gray and black smoke is observed due to the appearance of uncharred wood surfaces in the fire and due to the increased release of volatile products thermolysis. Flue gases contain a large amount of water vapor, which is formed mainly during the combustion of wood chemicals, and not during the physical drying of the original wood. Let us note in passing that gases have the ability to dissolve in water, including drops of condensate. If the solubilities of nitrogen 0.015 m3/m3 and oxygen 0.031 m3/m3 are not large, then the solubilities of carbon dioxide 0.88 m3/m3, sulfur dioxide 39 m3/m3 and hydrogen chloride 440 m3/m3 are significant. Therefore, for example, the presence of sulfur in fuel leads to the conversion of droplets of water mist into droplets of sulfuric acid.
Let's look at the composition of white, gray and black fire smoke. White smoke is an aerosol of small droplets of liquid products of wood pyrolysis. When wood is heated, evaporating water carries along with it vapors of oils (“tar”). Boiling water, as is known, “distills” many hydrocarbons well, especially aromatic ones, which actually gives white smoke the specific “smoky” smell of smoldering wood. These water vapors with “tars”, formed inside the log near the hot zone of combustion or smoldering, ooze through the tracheids of cold wood, cool, and in the form of white smoke come out of the wood (mainly through the ends of the logs). As the log burns, the white smoke begins to evaporate and finally bursts into flames. In this case, the white smoke may disappear completely.
Blue smoke can come from hot, charred, but not flaming, surfaces of logs, including smoldering firebrands. This bluish smoke is formed as a result of evaporation and subsequent high-temperature condensation into a mist of the most difficult-to-boil oils and resins. Moreover, the higher the boiling point of the condensing resin, the “drier and lighter” the blue smoke looks. Blue smoke differs from white smoke by having significantly smaller particle sizes. And particles smaller than 400 nm preferentially scatter visible light in the violet region of the spectrum, rather than absorbing it like large particles of white smoke. Therefore, the transition from “heavy wet” white smoke to dry bluish smoke occurs gradually through grayish-bluish haze, familiar as the smoke of a cigarette.
Black smoke is essentially already burnt tar (“elemental carbon”, soot). Black smoke occurs during the thermal decomposition of hydrocarbons, mainly in a flame, with insufficient oxidation. Black smoke is very typical for the combustion of materials rich in carbon and, especially, containing benzene rings (benzene, fuel oil, polystyrene).
Black smoke formation diagram
When 1 kg of wood is burned, 7.5–8.0 m 3 of gaseous combustion products are released. Their composition, in addition to the products of complete combustion, includes: carbon monoxide, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, acids and other complex organic compounds.
Of course, one or two evenings by the fire will not cause any serious harm to your health. But we must try to avoid inhaling smoke and keep in mind that smoke from a fire lingers in the body much longer than tobacco smoke, and it contains a greater amount of carcinogenic substances.
Sources
Khoshev Yu.M. “Wood burning stoves. Processes and phenomena" 2014