Researchers from Spain’s Ministry of Health have revealed that 80% of the country’s 156,000 authorized vaping products contain toxic substances. Presented at the Spanish Society of Epidemiology’s (SEE) annual meeting, the findings highlight a regulatory loophole that has permitted potentially hazardous chemicals to flood retail shelves.
According to researchers Nuria Ruiz and Aarón Rebollar, the issue stems from Royal Decree 579/2017, which transposed European Union tobacco directives into Spanish law. While the directive banned outright CMR (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, or Reprotoxic) compounds, it failed to specify other toxic additives, leaving individual member states to define their own restrictions.
Because Spain has not maintained a specific list of prohibited non-CMR toxins, manufacturers have legally introduced ingredients classified as hazardous by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
The study identified 45 ECHA-classified toxic substances in authorized products. While some strictly prohibited CMR compounds—such as the carcinogen isophorone and the reprotoxic methyl salicylate—were detected and subsequently withdrawn, dozens of legal but harmful substances remain highly prevalent.
| Substance | ECHA Classification / Hazard | Affected Products (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Furaneol | Corrosive to respiratory tract | 35,355 |
| Benzoic Acid | Direct respiratory irritant | 33,621 |
| Menthol | Additive associated with increased palatability | 30,622 |
| Maltol | Flavor enhancer/additive | 28,014 |
| 2-Ethylhexyl Salicylate | Respiratory tract corrosive | 10,501 |
The prevalence of these lung irritants is particularly concerning for youth, who are the primary consumers of e-cigarettes. The publication of this study closely follows Spain’s first documented case of EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping product use Associated Lung Injury), involving a young woman who suffered a severe pulmonary hemorrhage.
In response, Spain’s Ministry of Health is fast-tracking a reform to Royal Decree 579/2017. The amendment, which will soon be submitted to the State Council, seeks to ban characterizing flavors and explicitly catalog these toxic additives. If approved as drafted, Ministry experts confirm the law will ban eight out of ten vaping products currently sold in Spain.
