A popular vanilla flavoring in e-cigarettes may interfere with some of the earliest steps of human development. In lab experiments, vanillin caused embryonic stem cells to lose their ability to develop normally and pushed them toward forming only certain types of tissue.
E-cigarettes with gourmet fragrances seduce by their softer image than tobacco. Their aromas, however, remain chemical cocktails rarely tested on the very first stages of life. Precisely, the aroma of vanilla has just shown an unexpected power on embryo stem cells.