Our Opinion: Study health consequences of e-cigarettes

Greater knowledge of the health consequences of smoking allowed more smokers to make informed decisions. In many cases, they quit.

Doesn't it make sense to investigate and reveal the consequences of e-cigarettes, battery-powered devices that deliver nicotine as an inhalable vapor?

We believe so, particularly since the largely unregulated industry is growing and attracting young people with colorful packaging and flavored nicotine.

The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week announced new regulations to study the devices and ingredients, which could lead to new findings and consumer protections.

The announcement is long overdue, coming years after the "vaping industry" has become established. An estimated 20 million Americans use e-cigarettes and federal statistics show more than 15 percent of high school students report using e-cigarettes, an increase of more than 900 percent during the past five years.

Incidents of the devices catching fire have been reported, and medical cases of children treated after accidentally swallowing liquid nicotine are on the rise.

What is needed is a process to convert anecdotal data into statistical evidence so risk assessments and potential consumer protections may be advanced.

Some lawmakers, largely Republicans, already are complaining about "nanny" government. Bear in mind - as the Center for Responsive Politics observed in an Associated Press story - tobacco and associated industries, including e-cigarettes, are major contributors to many congressional campaigns.

We're no fans of nanny government, either.

But we are fans of analysis, facts and information.

Countless people suffered medical maladies because big tobacco failed to reveal the health consequences of ingesting tar, nicotine and smoke. Subsequent public health investigations and advisories have prompted a steady decline in tobacco use.

Whether e-cigarettes deliver similar health consequences is unknown, but it is foolhardy not to find out.