E-vapor - Altria Science

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) or E-vapor products are a diverse and innovative tobacco product category which holds promise for harm reduction.

E-vapor products generally are battery-powered electronic devices that heat an e-liquid mixture, which creates an aerosol or vapor that is inhaled by the user.

e-vapor device The e-liquid mixture contains tobacco-derived nicotine, as well as varying compositions of flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and other ingredients.

The Harm Reduction Opportunity

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also acknowledged the existence of a continuum of risk among nicotine and nicotine-related products, and that e-vapor products may have a positive impact on public health. E-vapor products operate when the liquid is heated to create an aerosol that the user inhales. Since the products deliver nicotine without combustion, ENDS products have the potential to significantly reduce user exposures to the toxic constituents in cigarette smoke.

Vapor does not produce many of the dangerous compounds that combustible cigarettes do. In the U.K., the Royal College of Physicians is encouraging U.K. smokers to migrate to e-vapor, estimating that e-vapor products are likely up to 95 percent less harmful to health than smoking conventional combustible cigarettes.¹

Although the research is still ongoing, we continue to believe that the e-vapor category holds promise for harm reduction for the millions of adult vapers in the U.S., many of whom are former smokers, and the millions of adult smokers looking for satisfying smoke-free products.

That’s why, in 2018, Altria announced our investment in JUUL Labs, Inc., the U.S. leader in e-vapor. Altria’s investment represents a 35 percent economic interest in JUUL.

Learn More

For additional information on the scientific evidence supporting JUUL, visit jliscience.com.

Altria’s E-Vapor Research

To support this product category our science is guided by Altria’s Framework for Reduced Harm Products. Review each of the six sections of the framework to access the scientific evidence that supports this product category below: