The Updated Meta-Analysis of E-Cigs & Health Outcomes: Still Critically Flawed
February 23, 2026 by substack.com
The Updated Meta-Analysis of E-Cigs & Health Outcomes: Still Critically Flawed
Two years ago, tobacco control activist Stanton Glantz and his colleagues published a meta-analysis on e-cigarettes and health outcomes. They systematically reviewed existing studies, grouped them by disease categories such as cardiovascular disease and COPD, and calculated pooled effects for each outcome. However, a meta-analysis is only as reliable as the studies it includes. Most of the underlying papers were based on population survey data that showed correlations between e-cigarette use and nearly every measured health condition. Such correlations are often methodologically weak, as they are prone to confounding and do not establish causation.
