[reremedies]

Hi, I'm a magician, and in my act, I have to take some puffs from an e-cigarette.  Often times, due to other props in my pockets during the show, sugar gets into the ecigarette, and when that happens, the puff burns my throat badly.  From what I understand, ecigs contain glycerin.  Is that what I'm feeling?  A reaction from the sugar and the glycerin?  If so, is that toxic?  Just wondering how bad that chemical reaction is to inhale, since it happens somewhat frequently.

Thanks!

[billnotgatez]

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[Borek]

All possible disclaimers go here.

My bet is you are reacting just to products of sugar decomposition and caramelization. I don't think these are highly toxic, after all, caramelization is a process used when preparing food, so we deal with these products on a daily basis. But if you find the smoke containing them irritating, you better organize your show in such a way you can avoid them - like never put the sugar in the pocket where the e-cigarette is, or have a special thin pocket just for e-cigarette added somewhere.

[reremedies]

Thanks, yes pocket management is probably the best solution, although they are pretty maxed out as it is.  Just wondering what the actual chemical is that comes from mixing sugar and glycerin.  Anyone?

[Babcock_Hall]

Nothing said here in any way shape or form constitutes medical advice.  Sugar and glycerin will not react at room temperature (glucose and glycerin might react under favorable conditions).  I doubt that you are reacting to them.  However, the heat from the ecigarette means that all bets are off.

[Dan]

Often times, due to other props in my pockets during the show, sugar gets into the ecigarette, and when that happens, the puff burns my throat badly.  From what I understand, ecigs contain glycerin.  Is that what I'm feeling?  A reaction from the sugar and the glycerin?  If so, is that toxic?  Just wondering how bad that chemical reaction is to inhale, since it happens somewhat frequently.

As you say, pocket management is probably your best option.

The harsh taste is known in the literature as "dry puff" (the vaping community call it a "dry hit"). It is caused by the overheating due to insufficient liquid in the device's wick, generally caused by incorrect use of the product or inadequate maintenance/cleaning. I guess this could be caused by foreign objects clogging up the device. Also, sugars will caramelise on the heating coil and interfere with the device's operation, which is why they are avoided/minimised in e-liquid formulation.

The bad news is that dry puff is associated with the production of several toxic compounds, notably formaldehyde (from thermal decomposition of glycerin), which is responsible for the unpleasant taste and was the subject of an overblown media scare campaign early this year. The fact that significant amounts of formaldehyde are only produced if the device is misused was not reported by the media. If you are infrequently experiencing "dry puff" with your e-cig, that is a small but certainly avoidable health hazard. If the problem isn't resolved through pocket management, I would seek advice on operation and maintenance on a dedicated e-cig forum (feel free to PM me if you want suggestions).