E-cigarettes may have unknown health risks: Study

E-smokers beware! There is not enough evidence to prove the claim that e-cigarettes are an healthy alternative to smoking.

"Despite the apparent optimism surrounding e-cigarettes and their purported therapeutic role in smoking cessation, there just simply is not enough evidence to suggest that consumers should use e-cigarettes for this purpose," explained allergist Andrew Nickels from Mayo Clinic's division of allergy and immunology.

Another cause for concern is that when people use e-cigarettes in public and still smoke regular cigarettes at home, "they continue to expose children and asthma sufferers in the household to dangerous second-hand smoke", researchers warn.

Dual use of both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes carries the risk of second-hand smoke exposure, causing worsening respiratory effects on children and asthma sufferers.

"It also promotes ongoing nicotine dependence," said Chitra Dinakar, a professor of pediatrics at Children's Mercy Hospitals.

Because e-cigarettes are fairly new, there could be other long-term health complications that are yet to be discovered.

Due to the lack of production oversight, most consumers do not know what is in the e-cigarettes they buy.

"Nicotine delivered by any mechanism represents a drug exposure," said the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) statement.

Inhaling irritants such as smoke and vapours has an impact on the lungs, whether it is mild or severe.

And irritants can cause asthma attacks in some individuals, said the study published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.