“Popcorn lung” also known as bronchiolitis obliterans, is a serious and irreversible lung disease that can result from exposure to certain chemicals, particularly diacetyl. Diacetyl is a chemical compound that was once used in artificial butter flavoring, including in some microwave popcorn products.
In the early 2000s, there were cases of popcorn factory workers developing this condition after prolonged exposure to high levels of diacetyl in the workplace. This led to concerns about its safety and led to its removal from many food production processes.
Diacetyl, a flavoring agent that gives foods and other products a buttery flavor, was identified as a potential cause. In recent years, there have been concerns about diacetyl in e-cigarettes and vaping products. Although trace amounts have been found in e-liquid in the past, it has been in levels far smaller than in cigarette smoke.
Early studies found that some e-cigarette liquids contained diacetyl, which raised concerns about its safety. However, it’s crucial to note that reputable e-cigarette manufacturers have taken steps to remove diacetyl from their products. In the UK, diacetyl was banned in e-cigarette liquids under the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) in 2016. Several Governments also took action to prohibit diacetyl in vapor products, they include Australia and the European Union.
Diacetyl can be found in many brands of combustible cigarettes and people who smoke are exposed to as much as 750 times more diacetyl than people who vape. Despite this seemingly alarming exposure, there have been zero cases of popcorn lung linked to persons using combustible cigarettes and it is not considered a smoking-related disease by public health authorities.
In 2017, researchers published a three-and-a-half-year observational study of e-cigarette users who had never smoked. The researchers found no symptoms consistent with early signs of bronchiolitis obliterans. And, Cancer Research UK has stated that the use of electronic cigarettes does not cause popcorn lung. Getting popcorn lung from vaping is a myth that was debunked years ago.
Read more on common misinformation about nicotine.
