The Facts on E-Cigarettes

Q: Have scientists confirmed that e-cigarettes cause an incurable respiratory disease called “popcorn lung”?

A: No. The vapor of some e-cigarettes contains a chemical associated with popcorn lung, but there’s not enough evidence to conclude they cause the disease.  

FULL QUESTION

I ran into an article about vaping that I’m not sure about. I know there’s been a ton of media coverage on the topic and it’s pretty difficult to sort the fake from the real, at least for me. If you could verify this article for me, that would be fantastic.

FULL ANSWER

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, deliver nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals to users in the form of a vapor. They’re “designed to simulate the act of tobacco smoking” and “often promoted as safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes,” writes the National Institute on Drug Abuse. 

One of our readers forwarded us an article on e-cigarettes published on the website Discover Newz in April. The article’s headline said, “Confirmed: E-cigarettes Cause a Horrible Incurable Disease Called ‘Popcorn Lung.’ Worse Than Lung Cancer!” Other websites have published identical pieces. Cumulatively, Facebook users have shared this article tens of thousands of times.

While the body of the article summarizes the findings of a legitimate scientific , the