E-Cigarettes Use Behaviors in Japan: An Online Survey

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has become increasingly widespread throughout the world, including in Japan. However, little is known about how e-cigarettes are used in Japan, a country with heavy restrictions on nicotine-containing e-liquids and/or vaping products. This study examined e-cigarette use (e-cigarette use duration, frequency of use, device type, electrical resistance, nicotine use, favorite e-liquid flavors) among users in Japan, through an online survey using a web-based self-reported questionnaire which included questions about sex, age, combustible cigarette and heated tobacco product (HTP) use behaviors. Of 4689 e-cigarettes users analyzed, 93.5% were men and 52.9% had been using e-cigarettes for 1–3 years. Over 80% used e-cigarettes every day; 62.3% used nicotine liquid, and half of the nicotine liquid users used nicotine salt. The most popular liquid flavor was fruit (prevalence: 68.1%), followed by tobacco (prevalence: 48.4%). While 50.9% were e-cigarette single users, 35.2% were dual users (e-cigarettes and cigarettes or HTPs) and 13.8% were triple user (e-cigarettes, cigarettes and HTPs). This is the first comprehensive survey of Japanese e-cigarette users and our finding suggest more than half use nicotine liquid, although e-cigarettes containing nicotine liquid have been prohibited by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act since 2010 in Japan. The study also showed 49.1% of participants used cigarettes and/or HTPs concurrently (dual or triple users).

Progresses on quantification of nicotine content and form distribution in electronic cigarette liquids and aerosols

Each electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) is a battery-powered system which converts electronic cigarette liquids (e-liquids) into the inhalable phase by heating the solution when it is in use. After four generations...

Hyperpolarised NMR to aid molecular profiling of electronic cigarette aerosols

SABRE hyperpolarisation enhances NMR signals of low concentration nicotine and acrolein and allows quantitative detection in electronic cigarette aerosol solutions.

Effect of Conventional and Electronic Cigarettes Smoking on the Color Stability and Translucency of Tooth Colored Restorative Materials: An In Vitro Analysis

This in vitro study compared the effects of conventional and electronic cigarettes on the aesthetics (color stability and translucency) of two types of composite resins: micro and nano-hybrid. Methods: A total of 120 specimens from two different composite materials Filtek Z250 XT (Nano-hybrid, 3M) and Filtek Z250 (Micro-hybrid, 3M) were divided into four groups (n = 30); shade A2 was used. The samples were exposed to conventional and electronic cigarette smoke via a custom made chamber device. The color values and measurements were recorded using a spectrophotometer before and after the exposure. The color and translucency were evaluated using the three-dimensional CIE Lab. Results: There was a significant change in the color (ΔE) and the translucency parameter (TP) in all of the specimens exposed to electronic cigarettes and conventional cigarettes. The results showed that the highest ΔE mean is for the nano-hybrid composite exposed to conventional cigarettes with 1.74 ΔE while the same material is 0.64 under the electronic cigarettes and the difference is significant with (p < 0.05). The micro-hybrid composite data showed less changes in color under both exposures with 0.85 ΔE mean under the conventional cigarette smoke and 0.48 under the electronic cigarette smoke with (p < 0.004). Conclusions: The conventional cigarette smoke has more effect on the color stability of the composite resins than electronic cigarettes. From a clinical point of view, the effect of smoke exposure on the tested specimens’ color, for the time duration to which the specimens were exposed, were moderate (ΔE < 2). The micro-hybrid composites showed better color stability as compared to the nano-hybrid composites.

Fabrication and Validation of an Economical, Programmable, Dual-Channel, Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Generator

Vaping (inhalation of electronic cigarette-generated aerosol) is a public health concern. Due to recent spikes in adolescent use of electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) and vaping-induced illnesses, demand for scientific inquiry into the physiological effects of electronic cigarette (ECIG) aerosol has increased. For such studies, standardized and consistent aerosol production is required. Many labs generate aerosol by manually activating peristaltic pumps and ECIG devices simultaneously in a predefined manner. The tedium involved with this process (large puff number over time) and risk of error in keeping with puff topography (puff number, duration, interval) are less than optimal. Furthermore, excess puffing on an ECIG device results in battery depletion, reducing aerosol production, and ultimately, its chemical and physical nature. While commercial vaping machines are available, the cost of these machines is prohibitive to many labs. For these reasons, an economical and programmable ECIG aerosol generator, capable of generating aerosol from two atomizers simultaneously, was fabricated, and subsequently validated. Validation determinants include measurements of atomizer temperatures (inside and outside), electrical parameters (current, resistance and power) of the circuitry, aerosol particle distribution (particle counts and mass concentrations) and aerosol delivery (indexed by nicotine recovery), all during stressed conditions of four puffs/minute for 75 min (i.e., 300 puffs). Validation results indicate that the ECIG aerosol generator is better suited for experiments involving ≤ 100 puffs. Over 100 puffs, the amount of variation in the parameters measured tends to increase. Variations between channels are generally higher than variations within a channel. Despite significant variations in temperatures, electrical parameters, and aerosol particle distributions, both within and between channels, aerosol delivery remains remarkably stable for up to 300 puffs, yielding over 25% nicotine recovery for both channels. In conclusion, this programmable, dual-channel ECIG aerosol generator is not only affordable, but also allows the user to control puff topography and eliminate battery drain of ECIG devices. Consequently, this aerosol generator is valid, reliable, economical, capable of using a variety of E-liquids and amenable for use in a vast number of studies investigating the effects of ECIG-generated aerosol while utilizing a multitude of puffing regimens in a standardized manner.