Updates are available Correction dated 2022-06-30

Article History

Received: 12 December 2020

Accepted: 13 February 2021

First Online: 23 March 2021

Change Date: 30 June 2022

Change Type: Correction

Change Details: A Correction to this paper has been published:

Change Details: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-022-03043-4

Compliance with ethical standards

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: RP is a full-time employee of the University of Catania, Italy, and Medical Director of the Institute for Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology at the same University. In relation to his work in the area of tobacco control and respiratory diseases, RP has received lecture fees and research funding from Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, CV Therapeutics, NeuroSearch A/S, Sandoz, MSD, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Duska Therapeutics, and Forest Laboratories. He has also served as a consultant for Pfizer, Global Health Alliance for treatment of tobacco dependence, CV Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Duska Therapeutics, ECITA (Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association, in the UK), Arbi Group Srl., and Health Diplomats. RP has served on the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board (MSAB) of Cordex Pharma, Inc., CV Therapeutics, Duska Therapeutics Inc, Pfizer, and PharmaCielo. Lecture fees from a number of European EC industry and trade associations (including FIVAPE in France and FIESEL in Italy) were directly donated to vaper advocacy no-profit organizations. RP is also the founder of (1) the Center for Tobacco Prevention and treatment (CPCT) at the University of Catania and (2) the Center of Excellence for the acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) at the same University, which has received support from Foundation for a Smoke-Free World to conduct eight independent investigator-initiated research projects on harm reduction. RP is also currently involved in the following pro bono activities: scientific advisor for LIAF, Lega Italiana Anti Fumo (Italian acronym for Italian Anti-Smoking League), the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives (CASAA) and the International Network of Nicotine Consumers Organizations (INNCO); Chair of the European Technical Committee for standardization on “Requirements and test methods for emissions of electronic cigarettes” (CEN/TC 437; WG4). JBM has received honoraria for speaking and financial support to attend meetings/advisory boards from Wyeth, Chiesi, Pfizer, MSD, Boehringer Ingelheim, Teva, GSK/Allen & Hanburys, Napp, Almirall, AstraZeneca, Trudell, Cook Medical, Medela AG and Novartis. He has been an expert witness for a solicitor company acting for BATSA and all proceeds of the work were donated to a number of charities. All other authors have no relevant conflict of interest to declare in relation to this study.

: This observational (non interventional) study has been approved by our local ERB. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

: All participants provided informed consent prior to their participation.