Portland State University gets $3.5M to study e-cigarettes

PORTLAND, Ore. — Chemists at Portland State University have been granted $3.5 million in federal funding to study the potential dangers of e-cigarettes.

The Oregonian reported that PSU released a statement saying the five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health will go toward a comprehensive examination of the health effects of e-cigarettes.

PSU researchers have already conducted several studies on e-cigarettes, which allow nicotine users to inhale vapor and have become increasingly popular substitutes for tobacco cigarettes.

Their most recent study shows that vaping devices can deliver formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. They have also found that flavored devices can expose vapors to high concentrations of potentially toxic chemicals.

The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates tobacco, is providing funding for the grant.

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