Improved Indoor Air Quality in Vape Shops Associated With Business Pattern Shift: Impact of Tobacco Regulation in California
HAOXUAN CHEN, Siri Langmo, Muchuan Niu, Yuan Yao, Yifang Zhu, University of California, Los Angeles
Abstract Number: 367
Working Group: Chemicals of Emerging Concern in Aerosol: Sources, Transformations, and Impacts
Abstract
Vape shops have become widespread due to the rapid growth of the electronic cigarette (e-cig) market over the past decade. These establishments serve customers for purchasing and sampling e-cig products and also function as social spaces where vaping is permitted indoors. Our previous study revealed alarmingly high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in vape shops, reaching levels as high as 276 μg/m3 during business hours due to extensive indoor e-cig use, which poses serious environmental and public health concerns. Prompted by the concerning popularity of flavored e-cigs among teenagers, California implemented a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products in November 2022. To understand the impact of tobacco regulation in California on indoor air quality in vape shops, we conducted a follow-up study by recruiting more vape shops, including those previously studied, across Southern California to comprehensively evaluate the indoor air quality and characterize e-cig aerosols in vape shops.
Our results show a substantial decrease in vaping density in vape shops contributed by customers compared to the previous survey results, reflecting a shift in the business patterns where customers spend less time vaping in the shops. Additionally, the ventilation of the vape shops improved, as indicated by higher air exchange rates. Collectively, the PM2.5 mass and particle number concentrations decreased significantly, but still remained times higher than the air quality standards. Vaping density serves as a strong predictor of particle concentrations. Ongoing work will analyze the nicotine and flavor compositions of PM to quantify contributions from e-cigs and flavored products. In addition, we will assess the environmental exposure risk to e-cig-sourced PM in vape shops based on lung deposition modeling.
This study provides novel insights into understanding the impact of tobacco regulation on protecting public health by reducing environmental exposures.