Stanton Glantz, an established tobacco researcher, writes on his blog that the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) has made important additions to the list of "harmful and potentially harmful ingredients" in tobacco products, the HPHC list.
Don't foretell e-cig associations
The original list was published in 2012 and primarily included toxic substances in cigarette smoke, other tobacco smoke, and smokeless tobacco. However, this list did not include important compounds in e-cigarettes and other “new” tobacco products. In 2019, the FDA proposed adding compounds found in these products, but no additions were made at that time. But now the list is being updated.
On April 22, 2026, the FDA announced that it had added 18 of the proposed new ingredients to the HPHC list.
The 18 added compounds are very important because the HPHC list provides a framework for assessing new products and claims of reduced risk, writes Stanton Glantz.
PG and VG are included
The FDA now includes propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) on the list. They are the main solvents in e-liquids.
Stanton Glantz is one of the authors behind the public opinion to include these. The argument is that PG damages the lungs and heating it generates other toxins, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein. These are on the original HPHC list. In addition, PG/VG, although not carcinogenic, dramatically accelerates tumor growth and metastasis.
Changing the view on e-cigarettes
Stanton Glantz concludes his blog post with a hope that the new list will also influence the FDA's policy regarding vaping and heated tobacco.
He writes:
“The question now is whether the FDA will seriously use the updated HPHC list to reconsider its permissive policy for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, as well as other newer tobacco products. Whether it will acknowledge that the disease risk for e-cigarettes is almost as high as for smoking. Or will it continue to assume that they are much safer than cigarettes because they do not burn tobacco.”
Source:
FDA adds 18 chemicals to list of harmful constituents in tobacco products, – Stanton Glantz blog
