Vapeboss – Recently, many reports have been circulating that put electronic cigarettes in a negative light and state that the product can cause acute kidney failure, similar to the case of syrup cough medicine.

Chairman of the Indonesian Personal Vaporizer Association (APVI) Aryo Andrianto said that Propylene Glycol (PG) found in electronic cigarette liquid is different from Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG). He denied that electronic cigarettes could cause acute kidney failure, as in the widely discussed syrup medicine case.

"Recently, we have been faced with news reports accusing electronic cigarettes of being unsafe because they contain harmful substances. This explanation is intended to address those unsubstantiated reports," said Aryo.

Aryo explained that, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PG is a synthetic liquid substance that absorbs water. This content is often used by the chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries to absorb water content while maintaining the moisture of medicines, cosmetics, or certain food products.

In fact, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies PG as a substance generally safe for use in food. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that the substance has been evaluated for acceptable daily intake by a joint committee of the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on food additives.

"Its contents state that Propylene Glycol does not affect basal metabolism (organ function). Therefore, Propylene Glycol is not the same as Diethylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol," said Aryo.

The General Chairman of the Indonesian Nicotine Delivery Entrepreneurs Association (APPNINDO), Teguh B Ariwibowo, also spoke out about the same matter. He said that the assumption that electronic cigarettes have the potential to cause acute kidney failure for their users is highly unfounded because there are no credible sources or comprehensive scientific studies.

"The government is currently working hard to find out the cause of the acute kidney failure cases that are rampant in Indonesia. It would be wise if we all support the government in solving this problem by not developing unsubstantiated assumptions about electronic cigarettes being one of the triggers for acute kidney failure," Teguh emphasized.

According to Teguh, the current spread of this assumption among the public will further weaken the potential of electronic cigarettes to provide an alternative for adult smokers to switch to lower-risk products. The worst impact could even be that the prevalence of smoking in Indonesia will be difficult to reduce.

"Public and industry interests must be protected by providing accurate access and information on alternative tobacco products from credible institutions and scientific studies, so as not to be misled by the false assumption that electronic cigarettes have the potential to cause acute kidney failure. We hope that this crisis situation is not exploited for the benefit of irresponsible groups," he concluded.

Source: Harian Jogja