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Hector Lopez

Professors Saadi

English 1302 681

20 May 2023

E-cigarettes Vs. Cigarettes

Nicotine has been a revolting drug that has been rising in use since the early 2000s. Due

to this fact, researchers everywhere are trying to figure out which form of nicotine is better, e-

cigarettes (vapes) or the natural state of nicotine cigarettes. Cigarette smoking is known

worldwide for its cancer properties, decreased fertility, and can even weaken your immune

system. While e-cigarettes contain a variety of harmful chemicals, can cause lung injury, and are

even known to explode at random. Even though both forms of nicotine are considered

conventionally harmful, this research paper aims to figure out which is the safer alternative. Most

researchers advocate that e-cigarettes are safer, but is that the case? In order to figure out which

one is better, I studied a daily e-cigarette smoker and a daily cigarette smoker to see how each

cigarette affected them differently. Which one of them had better stamina, heart pace, and even

blood pressure?

Cigarettes have various downsides, but the main ones, as mentioned before, are cancer

fertility problems and are even known to weaken your immune system. Cigarettes can cause

cancer due to harmful chemicals and carcinogens in tobacco smoke. When a person inhales

cigarette smoke, these chemicals and carcinogens enter the lungs and can cause damage to DNA

in the cells lining the lungs. Over time, this damage can lead to mutations that cause cells to

grow uncontrollably, leading to tumors. Additionally, smoking can weaken the immune system,

making it more difficult for the body to fight off cancer cells. The risk of developing cancer
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increases with the time a person smokes and the number of cigarettes they smoke daily. Even

though cigarettes are mainly known to cause different types of cancer, they can also cause

various fertility problems for women and men. Cigarettes can cause fertility problems due to the

toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke. In women, smoking can lead to reduced fertility, early

menopause, and an increased risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. In men, smoking can

cause a decrease in sperm count, motility, and morphology, as well as erectile dysfunction. The

chemicals in cigarettes can also damage the DNA in sperm and eggs, leading to disabilities and

developmental problems in children. Lastly, we have how extremely cigarettes can attack your

immune system. Smoking cigarettes can weaken the immune system by causing inflammation

and damage to the cells that make up the immune system. The chemicals in cigarettes, such as tar

and carbon monoxide, can impair the function of immune cells, making it harder for the body to

fight off infections and diseases. Additionally, smoking can increase the risk of developing

disorders where the immune system attacks healthy cells. Overall, smoking cigarettes can have a

significant impact on the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illness and

disease.

Even though cigarettes cause various problems to the human body, e-cigarettes can cause

similar reactions. For instance, they have numerous chemicals that can cause cancer, they can

affect your lungs, and, worst of all, they can explode if they get too hot. Because of the many

chemicals in e-cigarettes, they can eventually lead to any form of cancer and multiple lung

problems. These chemicals include nicotine, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein. Nicotine

is highly addictive and can increase blood pressure and heart rate. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen

that can cause cancer, while acetaldehyde and acrolein can irritate the eyes, throat, and

respiratory system. Additionally, e-cigarette aerosol can contain heavy metals such as lead and
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nickel. Long-term use of e-cigarettes may also increase the risk of lung disease and

cardiovascular problems.

It is believed by researchers that e-cigarettes are the safest option to quit smoking,

however, they still have a few downsides that are like those of smoking cigarettes. In closing, the

worst part about e-cigarettes is that there have been hundreds of stories that have been written

about how they have mysteriously exploded. Several reasons have been attributed to e-cigarettes

exploding in the past, including faulty batteries, improper charging, and manufacturing defects,

however the causes may vary. In some cases, overheating of the battery can result in the e-

cigarette catching fire or exploding. The explosion has sometimes caused severe burns, facial

injuries, and even death. The lithium-ion batteries used in e-cigarettes are susceptible to

overheating and explosions if damaged or improperly handled. After intensive research, it is

evident that e-cigarettes and cigarettes are terrible for your body. However, the question was if

you needed nicotine to function, which would allow a person to live their life better.

After extensive research on cigarettes and e-cigarettes, it was time to experiment over

thirty days to figure out which form of nicotine was better for the human body. The experiment

began by analyzing two individuals heavily. One person was a twenty-year-old who leaned

towards e-cigarettes more, while the other was a heavy cigarette smoker. Both parties started

smoking simultaneously, had similar qualities, and were generally close in health. The tests

began by testing out both individuals’ blood pressure, heart pace, and stamina at the beginning of

the thirty days, and every week they would be examined to see in the thirty days whose health

was ultimately declining the fastest. Over 30 days, you can see that the person who preferred

smoking cigarettes would run out of breath faster, their blood pressure was constantly high, and

if they didn’t smoke a cigarette, their heart pace could be 120 beats per minute, which is

unhealthy. Even though the cigarette smoker had these harmful results, the e-cigarette smoker
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had bad results, but compared to the cigarette smoker, they were much healthier. For example,

his stamina and heart pace were average, and his blood pressure would rise only if he had

smoked too much that week. Ultimately the results backed up by this experiment and researchers

are that e-cigarettes are conventionally better. Nicotine, in general, is a highly addictive drug, but

people are going to put in their bodies whatever they want, and if e-cigarettes are the safer

option, then more people should lean towards it. Of course, people shouldn’t promote cigarettes

or e-cigarettes, but they're always a part of our world, so if we can save more people with the

safer option, we should consider it.

Work Cited
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Soneji, Samir et al. “Association Between Initial Use of e-Cigarettes and Subsequent Cigarette

Smoking Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-

analysis.” JAMA pediatrics vol. 171,8 (2017): 788-797.

doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.1488

Drope, Jeffrey et al. “Who's still smoking? Disparities in adult cigarette smoking prevalence in

the United States." CA: a cancer journal for clinicians vol. 68,2 (2018): 106-115.

doi:10.3322/caac.21444

Leventhal, Adam M, and Michael J Zvolensky. "Anxiety, depression, and cigarette smoking: a

transdiagnostic vulnerability framework to understanding emotion-smoking

comorbidity." Psychological bulletin vol. 141,1 (2015): 176-212.

doi:10.1037/bul0000003

Hartmann-Boyce, Jamie et al. "Biomarkers of potential harm in people switching from smoking

tobacco to exclusive e-cigarette use, dual use or abstinence: secondary analysis of

Cochrane systematic review of trials of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation." Addiction

(Abingdon, England) vol. 118,3 (2023): 539-545. doi:10.1111/add.16063

Polosa, Riccardo et al. "Effect of an electronic nicotine delivery device (e-Cigarette) on smoking

reduction and cessation: a prospective 6-month pilot study." BMC public health vol. 11

786. 11 Oct. 2011, doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-786