"E-Cigarettes Can Churn Out High Levels Of Formaldehyde"

"Vapor produced by electronic cigarettes can contain a surprisingly high concentration of formaldehyde — a known carcinogen — researchers reported Wednesday.

The findings, described in a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine, intensify concern about the safety of electronic cigarettes, which have become increasingly popular.

'I think this is just one more piece of evidence amid a number of pieces of evidence that e-cigarettes are not absolutely safe,' says David Peyton, a chemistry professor at Portland State University who helped conduct the research.

The e-cigarette industry immediately dismissed the findings, saying the measurements were made under unrealistic conditions."

Rob Stein reports for NPR's Morning Edition January 21, 2015.