Overview

• In experiments published July 16 in PLOS One, pregnant mice exposed to propylene glycol and glycerol vapors produced offspring with significantly shorter and narrower skulls and lower birth weights.
• The study observed these developmental changes in the absence of nicotine exposure, challenging assumptions that humectant-only vaping is harmless.
• Researchers tested both 50/50 and 30/70 propylene glycol–glycerol blends, finding the higher glycerol mixture caused more pronounced craniofacial defects.
• Lead author Dr. James Cray said the unexpected results highlight an urgent need to study nicotine-free vaping products as thoroughly as nicotine-containing ones.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Heart Association are debating new research priorities and possible regulations to protect pregnant or potentially pregnant vape users.