Second-hand smoke is bad. So what about second-hand vapor?

E-cigarettes are a popular alternative to smoking now. 

As more people puff in public places, researchers decided to put second-hand vapor to the test. They compared the vapors of three brands of e-cigs to the real thing to measure levels of nicotine, airborne particles and carbon monoxide and other chemicals. The results did find some nicotine, but it’s only about 1/10 of that found in tobacco smoke. Second-hand vapor did not contain the particle pollutants and other toxic compounds found in traditional second-hand smoke.

The bottom line: If you’re worried about someone else’s e-cig exhaust, relax. They didn’t find anything to alarming in there. The study does recommend that e-cig smokers refrain from blowing their vapor towards vulnerable types such as pregnant women, young children or people with a cardiovascular condition that could be aggravated by exposure to nicotine.