Disposable vapes, which are popular among young people, emit lead and other toxic metals at levels higher than those found in cigarettes, according to a recent study.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis found that a single disposable vape could release more lead in one day than smoking nearly 20 packs of cigarettes.
“Our study highlights the hidden risk of these new and popular disposable electronic cigarettes, with hazardous levels of neurotoxic lead and carcinogenic nickel and antimony, which stresses the need for urgency in enforcement,” Brett Poulin, a UC Davis environmental toxicology professor, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
In many of the devices, researchers found nickel and antimony — metals linked to cancer and nerve damage.
Lead study author Mark Salazar told the Chronicle that contamination levels were “so high” that he initially suspected a lab equipment failure.
The study, published in ACS Central Science Wednesday, examined seven devices from three major disposable vape brands, using lab machines to replicate hundreds of puffs per device.
Vapes have soared in popularity among teenagers, despite federal laws prohibiting sales to those under 21.
Vapes and e-cigarettes work by turning flavored liquids into puffs of inhalable vapor using battery-powered heating elements. While all vapes fall under the e-cigarette umbrella, many come with bigger tanks and tweakable settings for users chasing thicker clouds or stronger hits.
Study researchers traced the metal contamination to degrading heating coils and leaded bronze components inside the vapes.
Meanwhile, industry groups have stayed silent while critics turn up the heat, demanding tougher rules on how disposable vapes are built and what toxins they might be hiding.
Yet many disposable devices continue to enter the U.S. through online retailers and black-market channels, skirting regulations put in place by the Food and Drug Administration in 2020.
