Beware of Ozone Emitters

My husband suffers terribly from environmental allergies. If he is having a bad spell, he can barely see straight because his eyes are red, itchy, and watering, in between sneezing fits that can last all day. He has to take daily antihistamines and nasal sprays, and we have to be careful about what we have in the house. 

We recently went to a renovation expo where we came across a booth selling air purifiers. He had had a bad morning, filled with so much sneezing that he could not stand to stay in the house. The idea that this air purifier could help with allergies (also claiming to help improve symptoms from asthma and other lung issues) was a welcomed idea, and we decided to purchase a small plug-in. 

This device was touted to be the most effective air purifier out there because it emitted ozone. 

I had never heard of this, but we were willing to try anything. 

We get home, we immediately turn on the device on low, and relax. 

Within half an hour, my throat and chest were bothering me, and the dogs went to sniff the device then would not go anywhere near it. So we looked it up. 

Apparently, the approved level of ozone to be inhaled is 0.1ppm (according to the CDC, Government of Canada, FDA, Mayo Clinic, and WebMD). Above that level is considered to be toxic to inhale, can cause lung problems, and can exacerbate allergies and, specifically, asthma. 

The levels, per hour, at which the device we purchased emitted ozone is 3.2ppm. 3.2! 

Safe to say, the device was promptly returned the following morning. When mentioning the reactions of the dogs and my throat, we were told simply not to use it with anyone in the home; to use it while out of the house. We still returned it. 

So please, if you use the ozone emitting devices, please use them understanding that inhaling ozone can be dangerous to one's health. As far as I have heard, it can do wonders to purify the air and help with unpleasant odours in the household, but please use with extreme caution. 

It is not worth it to risk your lungs to get rid of some cooking smells.

Seriously. 

As an aside, I am, personally, becoming quite frustrated with the advertising and marketing tactics that target individuals who are already struggling with health. I cannot tell you how many times people attempt to sell me on products claiming to improve the health of people like me; those with autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammatory illnesses, and who have to take many medications. 

Sometimes, I will admit, individuals selling the products often truly believe in the products and are just trying to help. I just hate that companies - who are aware that the benefits they are touting are no better than placebo effects or, worse, can actually worsen symptoms - specifically target ill individuals. They know that someone in constant unrelenting pain will become desperate and grasp toward any chance of feeling even remotely better, and they take advantage of that fact. I know it is just marketing and "just business", I am just getting sick of it. It is cruel. It is cruel to take advantage of people who are suffering all the time, and it is cruel to purposely get someone's hopes up enough for them to endorse a product for a placebo effect. It is even more cruel to tout that a product improves asthma when the very emissions from that product will, in fact, worsen asthma if inhaled. 

Now we plan on investing in a true HEPA filter air purifier.