ELECTRONIC CIGARRETTES

OUTLINE
Electronic-cigarettes or e-cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices. They tend
to look like cigarettes, but they work differently. The use of electronic cigarettes is
known as "vaping". The user inhales through the mouthpiece of the device. This
causes the vaporizer to heat the liquid inside the cartridge. The liquid contains nicotine,
flavorings and other chemicals, which are then set into inhaled vapor.
Some people believe that electronic cigarettes are safer than regular cigarettes and
can be used to help people quit smoking. But little is known about the health risks for
users, or whether it helps with smoking cessation. However, we know that some of the
dangers of electronic cigarettes are:
-They contain nicotine, which is addictive
-Contain other potentially harmful chemicals
-There is a relationship between the use of the electronic cigarette and the
consumption of tobacco cigarettes in adolescents
-The liquid in electronic-cigarettes can cause nicotine poisoning if someone drinks,
smells, or touches it.
Although the term "vapor" may sound harmless, the aerosol that comes out of an
electronic-cigarette is not water vapor and can be harmful. Electronic-cigarette aerosol
can contain nicotine and other addictive substances that can cause lung disease, heart
disease, and cancer.
As already mentioned, it is important to note that most electronic-cigarettes contain
nicotine. There is evidence indicating that nicotine causes damage to the brain
development of adolescents. If used during pregnancy, nicotine can also cause
premature births and low birth weight babies.
In addition to nicotine, electronic-cigarettes and electronic-cigarette “vapor” (aerosol)
contain propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin. These are substances used to
produce stage or theatrical fog, which have been found to increase lung and respiratory
tract irritation after concentrated exposure.
E-cigarettes are still fairly new, and more research is needed over a longer period of
time to know what the long-term effects may be. The most important points to know are
that the long-term health effects of e-cigarette use are still unknown, and that all
tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, can put people's health at risk. persons. For
example, electronic cigarettes can irritate the lungs and have harmful effects on the
heart.
Despite the unknown health effects of e-cigarette use, there are recent reports of
serious lung disease in some people who use e-cigarettes or similar devices. Reported
symptoms include:
Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Tiredness, fever, or weight loss
Some cases have been serious enough to require hospitalization, and some people
have died of their illness. However, it has not been clearly determined how many cases
have been generated or if they were all due to the same cause. There is a wide range
of vaping products available on the market, and an even greater number of chemicals
used in the liquid that can be used in these devices, including those that users add on
their own. Many of the illnesses have occurred among people who report tampering
with their devices to add THC, the chemical in marijuana responsible for producing the
mood-altering effects in users.
There have been reports of electronic cigarettes exploding and causing serious injury.
Explosions are usually caused by faulty batteries or batteries not being handled as they
should.
E-cigarette use by young people
As already mentioned, it is important to note that most electronic cigarettes contain
nicotine. There is evidence indicating that nicotine causes damage to the brain
development of adolescents.
Some studies have indicated that vaping among youth is strongly linked to later use of
conventional cigarettes and other tobacco products. E-cigarette use may in part
influence a child or adolescent to want to experiment with other, more harmful tobacco
products.
Electronic cigarettes help people to quit smoking?
E-cigarettes are not currently approved by the FDA to help people quit smoking. This is
because there is not yet enough research or evidence in this regard. On the other
hand, there is a large body of strong evidence that the use of FDA-approved anti-
smoking medications can be effective in helping people quit smoking, especially when
accompanied by counseling and emotional support.
Some people who smoke have chosen to try e-cigarettes as a method of kicking the
regular cigarette habit. Quitting smoking clearly has health benefits that are well
documented. But smokers who switch to e-cigarettes are still incurring serious health
risks. It is important to stop using tobacco in any of its forms, including electronic
cigarettes, as soon as possible both to reduce health risks and to avoid nicotine
addiction.
People who have completely switched from conventional cigarettes to e-cigarettes
should avoid going back to smoking conventional cigarettes, as not doing so could
expose them to devastating health effects.
Some people who smoke choose to use regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes at the
same time on an ongoing basis, whether they're looking to quit or not. This is known as
"dual use". Dual use of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes can cause considerable
harm because smoking any number of regular cigarettes is very harmful. People
should not use both types of cigarettes at the same time and are strongly encouraged
to stop using tobacco products altogether.