What is “dry hitting” and what is the suspected cause of cytotoxicity from “dry hitting” e-cigarettes?
The term “dry hitting” (also known as “dry puffing” or “dry-wicking”) refers to using a refillable e-cigarettes when the tanks are in a low volume state, thus, creating additional byproducts. The source of additional toxicity from this practice is thought to be related to cotton smoke inhalation secondary to the thermal decomposition of the cotton wick.
Beard JM, Collom C, Liu JY, et al. In vitro toxicity and chemical analysis of e-cigarette aerosol produced amid dry hitting. Toxicology. Published online June 13, 2024. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2024.153865
Contributed by Kristin Reinaker, PharmD, DABAT on behalf of Rachel Lee, PharmD candidate 2025
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