E-cigarette vapor

[Bardoux]

Sorry if this is the wrong section, but i am rather concerned by my situation at work, were i am on occasion sat next to someone who spends the whole day puffing away on an e-cigarette. He is a lovely guy and i always try and move to a different section of the office so as not to embarrass him, but today i had to sit within a few metres of him. There is something about the chemicals in the water vapour - gives it that fruity smell that i really can't stand - that not only irritated my lungs but also inflamed my face. I mean i went to the toilet and looked in the mirror and was like woah! My question is does the vapour contain anything harmful or agents which bind to estrogen when breathed in?

Thank you! x

[SunKat]

I have issues with e-cigarettes as well.  The vapor doesn't have a lot of the tars and chemicals you'd find in a regular cigarette, but it certainly has nicotine.
Aside from not wanting to inhale second hand nicotine, I'm also allergic to one of the carriers used.  Propylene Glycol.  If it gets on my skin I turn all red, puffy and blotchy.

Regardless of which ingredient you are reacting to you shouldn't have to be exposed to either of these chemicals at work.  Unfortunately, the level of denial about the dangers of second hand vapor is at about the same level as it was for cigarettes 20 years ago.  If you can't get your HR rep to get him to smoke outside, you should at least have them change to a VG (Vegetable Glycerin) based solution. 

[Kaelin]

My workplace bans consuming these on the premises due to the nicotine content -- simple, nicotine is a drug, and those are not allowed here.

Definitely talk to HR, since they're generally designed to handle issues such as these, and you won't have to be the one to ask the person to stop.

[SlateRDays]

I'm curious about this subject as well. I had a dear friend of mine who weening off his smoking habit awhile back by using these. We were in a car and he decided to take a puff of it. When he exhaled I imediately had a mini asthma attack. Something is his had a harshness in it. There was no fruitiness, but there was a..chemical scent. Needless to say I was hacking all the way home. He did stop using them once he noticed my immediate reaction and hasn't used it again ever since.

[SunKat]

This quote is from www.virginvapor.com/blogs/news/4283012-allergic-reactions-to-e-liquid#

"I get quite a few customers who come to Virgin Vapor because they are experiencing allergic reactions when vaping.  The most common culprit is propylene glycol (PG), a commonly used base in e-liquids.  PG can cause allergic symptoms ranging from a scratchy throat to sinus problems, headaches, and even feelings of nausea.  In extreme cases, PG can even cause numbness in the face and tongue as well as swelling and redness in these areas.  Be certain to first assess if your symptoms are being caused by nicotine overdose.  Symptoms of nicotine overdose can include nausea, headache, rapid heartbeat and a general feeling of being unwell.  Nicotine overdose can be a very serious medical emergency, so be alert for signs and symptoms that may be coming from nicotine poisoning rather than a reaction to PG."

It's also possible to have an allergic reaction to the scents and flavorings that are used as well.  I have severe allergies to nuts so anything "Hazelnut" or "Peanut Butter"  flavored is literally deadly for me.  It's worse than regular cigarette for me.

[Tori]

Perhaps ask them to switch to pure VG (vegetable glycol)? It is basically the stuff used in fog machines at rock concerts. Or suggest they hold their hit for a few seconds, this will greatly reduce vapor release.

PG gives the vapor harshness so it feels more like real smoke, VG provides the vapor so it looks right when exhaled. The combined effect can be quite helpful for someone trying to quit smoking. It helps them feel like they are still burning tobacco. It is quite effective, as you can see their popularity has skyrocketed recently. Way more effective than gum or patches. But they do sell pure PG and/or VG juice. If there is a problem on your end it is probably the PG or, your reaction may be psychosomatic. I say this out of honesty.

I am an actor, and we use fog a lot. Every time it is used, many in the audience start to cough well before the fog hits them. It just makes people think they should cough and have trouble breathing. Kind of like how yawns are contagious.

Also, perhaps ask them to change flavors. Some flavors are much more fragrant than others.

Finally, consider burning incense. Make THEM breathe smoke! :p

But really, consider giving them some options first. It would be a shame if they went back to smoking because if a workplace conflict. Over time, they should be able to cut back, and use the vape during smoke breaks, but for a while it is good to have it close, all the time.

[SlateRDays]

Well genuinely I have asthma, but I get what you're saying. I only coughed because the vapor caused a burning sensation I'm familiar with when I used to smoke when a lot younger. Thankfully he's stopped smoking (we don't get to hang out much) and I gave up smoking before that. If it helps I won't stop them, but now know my own limits on it.

[Tori]

I have very mild asthma, never had an attack, but it has been diagnosed.

I use An E cig to keep from smoking, but I take smoke breaks to use it, or sneak a toke or four when I am away from my coworkers. I know the odor, I smell it when others around me use one, it beats smoke, but it is not always pleasant. Some flavors actually smell quite good to me, others, very chemically. Most flavors are kind of like the flavoring in candy like jolly ranchers, which kind of have that artificial taste and smell to start. The vapor itself is quite odorless, but PG can be a bit harsh 1st hand, so I imagine it can do the same 2nd hand if someone is sensitive.

[Bardoux]

I have issues with e-cigarettes as well.  The vapor doesn't have a lot of the tars and chemicals you'd find in a regular cigarette, but it certainly has nicotine.
Aside from not wanting to inhale second hand nicotine, I'm also allergic to one of the carriers used.  Propylene Glycol.  If it gets on my skin I turn all red, puffy and blotchy.

Regardless of which ingredient you are reacting to you shouldn't have to be exposed to either of these chemicals at work.  Unfortunately, the level of denial about the dangers of second hand vapor is at about the same level as it was for cigarettes 20 years ago.  If you can't get your HR rep to get him to smoke outside, you should at least have them change to a VG (Vegetable Glycerin) based solution.

Ah that's exactly the reaction i had! Airways get irritated and lungs feel like something is sitting on them. That and the extreme redness which is absolutely shocking. Can it also affect estrogen absorption by any chance?

[Tori]

Not that I know of, but smoking can increase risk of blood clots. I do not know if it is the nicotine or the smoke which does that. If it is nicotine, there may be a slight risk, but 2nd hand smoke is dangerous, not because people get addicted to nicotine, but because smoke is bad for anyone to breathe in regularly. You are taking in far less than 1% of the vape your co-worker exhales. There is no solid science on the safety of 2nd hand vape, however VG is proven safe and that is why it is used in arena rock concerts w/o posted warnings unlike strobe lights.

But really, there are plenty of options and compromises that should work for both you and your co worker.

I know I am playing Devil's advocate a bit here, but when I chain smoked, it was common for people to get near me (20 feet) and start waving their hand in front of their face and fake coughing (a real cough is different, trust me) when they were upwind of me on a windy day. A person's moral perspective greatly influences their reaction. And as I have said, the very thought of smoke can make people cough and react.

To un-Devil's Advocate, you should no more have to smell e juice at work than heavy cologne or body odor. But unlike BO, you may be able to work something out with your co worker, without HR, if you can have a mature discussion with them.

[Bardoux]

I feel my lungs get irritated and then i look around and notice the e-cig. They still feel a little irritated even though it was yesterday. Argh i seriously can't stand the stuff, and no offense to you, but i really can't stand smoking in general.

[Jennygirl]

Well I've been vaping like crazy ever since I started HRT, and I would say I'm happy with my results to say the least

I don't think it affects estrogen at all..

And also, the way that nicotine enters the bloodstream when comparing vaping to cigarettes is completely different. The blood clotting risk only exists for cigarettes because of the additives they use to give the user that "jolt" type of feeling, whereas with vaping it is much more gradual and there is no sudden change to blood pressure.

[Jennygirl]

Nicotine is itself a poison, but it is only toxic in very high doses... i.e. if you were to eat the concentrate.

[dalebert]

Perhaps ask them to switch to pure VG (vegetable glycol)? It is basically the stuff used in fog machines at rock concerts.

There may be fog machine fluid you can get based on VG, but most of it is PG as well. PG is also an additive in a lot of foods. I tried vapor cigs for a while even though I never smoked cigarettes. Eventually, I realized it was no longer a pleasure for me and was just a need. I was mildly addicted. So I tapered off for a few weeks and then quit altogether. I made a point to stop ordering the fluid that I really like and just smoked some of my less appealing flavors just to take the edge off and eventually I didn't care about it anymore.

[TedTurek]

Sorry if this is the wrong section, but i am rather concerned by my situation at work, were i am on occasion sat next to someone who spends the whole day puffing away on ecigs. He is a lovely guy and i always try and move to a different section of the office so as not to embarrass him, but today i had to sit within a few metres of him. There is something about the chemicals in the water vapour - gives it that fruity smell that i really can't stand - that not only irritated my lungs but also inflamed my face. I mean i went to the toilet and looked in the mirror and was like woah! My question is does the vapour contain anything harmful or agents which bind to estrogen when breathed in?

Thank you! x

I don't think so. E-cig is harmless if of good quality.. I have been using it for years without any problem..

[dalebert]

I wouldn't go so far as to confidently say it's harmless. However, I would say that it's leaps and bounds less harmful than actual cigarettes. To say otherwise seems patently absurd to me. So considering how hard it is to quit smoking despite all the health risks, if you find you can avoid smoking by vaping, that's probably going to add many years to your life as well as increase the quality of your life. For one thing, you won't have to go outside all the time at parties and you won't stink to high Heaven from tobacco products. I haven't met anyone yet who is bothered by vaping. It's often a pleasant scent, actually. But I know many people who can't stand to be around cigarette smoke, and I'm one of them.

[teeg]

If there's a question if something's bad for you or not, it probably is in some way and you should do without it.

Smoking, whichever type of cigarettes, is pretty much a useless habit. Nothing good can come from it health wise. I think it's gross seeing people smoke anything.

Do whatever you want though.

[Jennygirl]

I have a feeling living in big city air is way worse for you than an e-cig. Just a hunch

[dalebert]