April 10 (UPI) -- A new report has found smoking mint-flavored e-cigarettes is associated with poorer lung function compared to menthol-free vaping.
The study, released Monday by the University of Pittsburgh in Respiratory Research, found smoking menthol vapers resulted in shallower breaths and worse lung function.
"Many people, especially youth, erroneously assume that vaping is safe, but even nicotine-free vaping mixtures contain compounds that can potentially damage the lungs," said senior author Kambez Benam, associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
"Just because something is safe to consume as food does not mean that it's safe to inhale," Benam added.
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In the study, researchers used a robotic system to mimic vaping and human breathing. The "vaping robot" was able to mimic the temperature, humidity, puff volume and duration of a smoker, while also simulating the pattern of healthy and diseased breathing in response to lung toxicity caused by e-cigarettes.
Researchers found e-cigarette liquids containing menthol generated a larger number of toxic microparticles in the lungs compared to menthol-free juice.
In addition, the study analyzed patient records which confirmed the difference in lung function between menthol e-cigarettes and non-menthol smokers. Researchers found age, gender, race, years of smoking and the use of nicotine or cannabis-containing vaping had no impact.
A 2019 study found another common additive in cannabinoid-containing e-cigarette liquids, vitamin E acetate, was also responsible for generating toxic small particles, which can travel deep inside the lungs and line the walls of the trachea and bronchus.
Researchers in Monday's study say menthol additives could be just as dangerous as vitamin E acetate, but more research is needed.
Among the 2.5 million youth who reported smoking e-cigarettes in 2022, mint and menthol flavors were the most popular.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to pressure cigarette manufacturers to eliminate menthol in their tobacco products in order to turn people away from vaping and to prevent deaths.
"The main message that we want to put out there is for people, especially young adults, who haven't smoked before," Benam said.
"Switching to e-cigarettes may be a better, safer alternative for someone who is trying to quit smoking regular tobacco products. But it's important to have full knowledge of e-cigarettes' risks and benefits before trying them."
