MONTREAL - The ingredients used to flavour vaping products have not all been tested to determine if they can be inhaled safely, Health Canada is warning, adding that it is trying to remedy the situation.
Even if these ingredients are considered safe to consume as food and beverages, little is known about their potential health effects when inhaled, the federal ministry said.
In fact, "the inhalation of flavours, this happens with electronic cigarettes. It did not exist before this," said Mathieu Morissette, a researcher at the University Institute of Cardiology and Respirology of Quebec and professor at the Faculty of Medicine at l'Université Laval.
"There is no data on it," the professor added, saying he believes vaping is a subject area of great interest and research.
The federal government said that many of the vaping products currently available in stores have not been tested for inhalation.
The flavours of vaping liquids are extremely varied, from mint, vanilla, grape and chocolate-raspberry to cotton candy, bubble gum and cheesecake. There could be as many as 7000, said the researcher.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30.
