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Respiratory Diseases

Question for Department of Health

UIN 225733, tabled on 27 February 2015

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of chronic lung disease are recorded as being linked to (a) butterscotch flavoured e-liquid and (b) electronic cigarettes in general.

Answered on

6 March 2015

The Department does not hold the requested information.

There are reported cases of butterscotch, and other flavours of e-liquid, containing the chemical diacetyl which has been strongly associated with a form of lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans via occupational exposure.

This substance is not intentionally present in e-liquids and because of the potential of this chemical to cause disease, a precautionary approach should be taken. Many responsible producers have taken steps to remove this chemical from e-liquids.