Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Wollongong, NSW, 2500, Australia.
Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 Nov 1;192:98-111. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.07.031. Epub 2018 Sep 12.
Since the introduction of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in 2003, the technology has advanced allowing for greater user modifications, with users now able to control voltage, battery power, and constituents of the e-cigarette liquid. E-cigarettes have been the subject of a growing body of research with most research justifiably focused on the chemical makeup and risk analysis of chemicals, metals, and particulates found in e-cigarette liquids and vapor. Little research to date has focused on assessing the risks associated with the drug delivery unit itself and its potential for use as an illicit drug delivery system. In light of this, a range of illicit drugs was researched focusing on pharmacodynamics, usual method of administration, the dosage required for toxicity, toxic effects, and evidence of existing use in e-cigarettes in both literature and online illicit drug forums. A systematic literature search found evidence of current use of e-cigarettes to vape almost all illicit drug types analyzed. This presents both a potential population health risk and a management issue for clinicians. It also raises the issue of policing illicit drugs due to potential altered characteristic smells and storage within e-cigarette fluids. E-cigarettes are a viable illicit drug delivery system with evidence both inside and outside of the formal medical literature detailing their potential use for drug delivery of a wide range of illicit and legal drugs.
自 2003 年电子烟问世以来，技术不断进步，用户现在可以控制电压、电池功率和电子烟液体的成分，从而实现更大程度的用户定制化。电子烟已经成为越来越多研究的主题，大多数研究都合理地侧重于电子烟液体和蒸汽中发现的化学物质、金属和颗粒的化学成分和风险分析。迄今为止，很少有研究关注与药物输送单元本身及其作为非法药物输送系统的潜在用途相关的风险。有鉴于此，研究了一系列非法药物，重点研究了它们的药效学、通常的给药方式、毒性所需的剂量、毒性作用以及在文献和在线非法药物论坛中电子烟使用的现有证据。系统文献检索发现，目前有证据表明电子烟被用于吸食几乎所有分析的非法药物类型。这既给民众健康带来了潜在风险，也给临床医生的管理带来了问题。由于电子烟液体中可能存在特征气味和储存方式的改变，这也引发了对非法药物的监管问题。电子烟是一种可行的非法药物输送系统，无论是在正式的医学文献内外，都有证据表明它们可用于输送广泛的非法和合法药物。
