Australian researchers tested 10 different “nicotine-free” vape liquids to find 60 percent of them contain nicotine.
People have been arguing for years over the purported health benefits of vapes. While experts insist that the liquids used in e-cigarettes contain a bevy of harmful chemicals—including carcinogens—advocates typically take a “lesser of two evils” line of argument, based on the fact that many vaporizers don’t include the addictive alkaloid found in cigarettes and therefore serve as a gateway to quitting.
But a team of Australian researchers recently investigated the matter by putting 10 different varieties of allegedly “nicotine free” e-liquids under the microscope, the ABC reports. The study, published today in the Medical Journal of Australia, found that six of the sample substances contained nicotine. The study’s authors have subsequently blamed the error on Australia’s lack of regulation for vape products.
“There is little to no regulation of their manufacture, and potentially dangerous ingredients and incorrect nicotine levels have been identified,” the paper reads. Lead researcher Alex Larcombe added that “in a lot of cases, people who are using e-cigarettes are unaware of what they’re breathing in.”