E-cigarettes with menthol flavoring may be more toxic to your lungs, according to a new study using a specially designed robotic system that mimics human breathing and vaping behavior. Researchers found that adding mint flavor to e-cigarette liquid produces more toxic micro-particles compared to menthol-free juice.
An additional analysis of patient records revealed that menthol vapors take more shallow breaths and have worse lung function compared to non-menthol smokers, regardless of age, gender, race, and the use of nicotine or marijuana vaping products. The senior author says "Many people, especially youth, erroneously assume that vaping is safe. But even nicotine-free vaping mixtures contain many compounds that can potentially damage the lungs."
More than 2.5 million U.S. kids used e-cigarettes in 2022, and menthol flavors are extremely popular, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey. The FDA banned flavored vape cartridges in 2020 but still allows menthol products.
