If you read the paper, it assumes a 100% absorption rate of the heavy metals emitted.
I'm not here to defend vapes but I think that is a seriously overlooked flaw in this study. Most people don't puff a cigarette/vape and hold it in their lungs until it's completely absorbed.
Couldn't see anything about the bioavailability of these carcinogens via lungs factored into the absorption rate either.
Ontop of that the sample size from this study is abysmal and from the same manufacturer and there is also a declared conflict of interest.
IMO more studies need to be done before we can conclusively determine the damage and risks of disposable vapes.
Cigarettes have a myriad of carcinogens like toluene, benzene, formadelhyde, hexamine, napthaline and acetone
Stating that vapes are more toxic than cigarettes over one metric is disingenuous journalism.
I'm not disagreeing about the lead content but studies like this get picked up by journalists with the comprehension of a tomato and are then misconstrued into these fear-creating headlines for engagement.
The adoption of vapes tremendously ate into the big tobacco profits, its an extremely effective way of getting off cigarettes. (for better or worse)
If we instead listened to these studies and developed a similar form of nicotine replacement therapy with harm minimisation in mind under industry regulation we'd do far more for smokers, vapers and our healthcare systems than any fear mongering 'don't do it!' campaigns which time and time again do not work.