Potential health issues with e-cigarettes

Your article (Nov 1) refers to e-cigarettes as “harmless”.

According to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland’s guidance these should not be supplied through retail pharmacy businesses in Ireland because their quality, safety and efficacy have not been appropriately established.

The FDA in the USA have also warned consumers about the potential health risks associated with electronic cigarettes.

A study in the University of Athens found they caused “significant airways resistance”.

The cartridges contain chemicals filled with nicotine, flavour and other chemicals that are vaporised and inhaled by the user and have been found to contain carcinogens, including nitrosamines.

Industry sources say the products have improved since then, but because they are unregulated we cannot be sure.

I would suggest that while these products may have potential as a smoking cessation method in the future smokers and are probably less harmful than smoking, smokers should instead consider those products that have been approved for this purpose.

Conor Phelan

Phelans Pharmacy

Carrigaline

Co Cork