[Harmful health effects of flavors in e-cigarettes].

Background:  Almost all e-cigarettes contain flavorings that make the product more attractive. In the evaluation of e-cigarettes on health, flavors have so far played a subordinate role.
Method:  Selective literature search in PubMed, supplemented by legal regulations on the use of flavors in e-cigarettes.
Results:  Flavors make it easier to start using e-cigarettes and have a consumption-promoting effect. Deeper inhalation increases nicotine uptake and the absorption of toxic substances from the e-cigarette liquid. For some flavors, pathological effects have been demonstrated in addition to other toxic components of the e-cigarette. To date, no toxicological analyses are available for the vast majority of flavors contained in e-cigarettes.
Conclusions:  The proven consumption-promoting effect and the health risks that can be extrapolated from preclinical data are significant for the political discussion of a ban on flavors for e-cigarettes, analogous to the ban on flavors in tobacco products already in force.
Competing Interests: Klaas Franzen, Stefan Andreas, Wulf Pankow, Wilfried Kunstmann und Reiner Hanewinkel sind ehrenamtlich für das Aktionsbündnis Nichtrauchen tätig. Natascha Sommer erhielt für Ihre Forschung zu E-Zigaretten finanzielle Unterstützung der Balzan-Preis Forschungsgruppe des Deutschen Zentrums für Lungenforschung (DZL) – Erika von Mutius, Klaus F. Rabe, Werner Seeger und Tobias Welte.
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