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Indoor e-cigarette use can set off smoke detectors: perceptions of an emerging issue

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Numerous health organizations and researchers support including e-cigarettes in smokefree legislation due to the potential risks associated with exposing non-users to chemicals in exhaled aerosol and renormalizing smoking. Another potential risk of indoor e-cigarette use is setting off smoke detectors. E-cigarette users exhale an aerosol of particulates and chemicals, which can trigger both ionization and photoelectric-based smoke detectors. National fire surveillance systems collect reports of smoke detector false alarms. However, there is no reportable code for e-cigarettes (personal correspondence, Lawrence McKenna, PhD, U.S. Fire Administration). Therefore, the extent to which e-cigarette use is setting off smoke detectors remains unclear. However, recent media reports suggest this is an emerging issue, as e-cigarette use has been setting off smoke detectors in a variety of environments, including airports, high schools, and university dorms. Additionally, social media posts also describe e-cigarette use triggering smoke alarms. Little is known about public perceptions of e-cigarettes setting off smoke detectors.

Source: Tobacco Control

DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-054994

Authors: Andrew Seidenberg, Kurt M Ribisl

Institutions: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

Language: English

Topic: Smoking Behavior and Cessation

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Cancer Institute