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Study links e-cigarettes to incurable disease called ‘Popcorn Lung’ (South China Morning Post; Harvard School of Public Health)

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Although e-cigarettes are often touted as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes,  a study released by the Harvard School of Public Health shows that they may just pose a different threat than  their nicotine-filled counterparts.

South China Morning Post reports that according to the Harvard study, 75 percent of flavored e-cigarettes and their refill liquids were found to contain Diacetyl, “a flavoring chemical linked to cases of severe respiratory disease” such as the incurable condition called “Popcorn Lung.”

According to Harvard, the condition otherwise known as bronchiolitis obliterans was “colloquially termed “Popcorn Lung” because it first appeared in workers who inhaled artificial butter flavor in microwave popcorn processing facilities.”

Read the December 10, 2015 South China Morning Post article and Watch the Newsy Science video below.