Are Electronic Cigarettes Harmful?

Electronic cigarettes, which are sometimes referred to as smokeless cigarettes, are battery-powered devices that use heat or ultrasonics to vaporize a solution of nicotine in propylene glycol. While some of the manufacturers, have been advertising these as a healthier alternative to the conventional tobacco cigarettes, some refer these cigarettes to be a smoking cessation device. Though the manufacturers claim that these devices provide the smoking experience without posing the health risks that are associated with tobacco smoking cigarettes, one must not go by the opinion of the manufacturers. Are electronic cigarettes harmful? Can these cigarettes really help one to quit smoking? Well, if you go through the reviews on these devices, you will find that these e-cigarettes are not really what they have been claimed to be. In this article, we will first find out how these electronic cigarettes work, and then delve into the health risks associated with them.

How do Electronic Cigarettes Work?

As mentioned earlier, an e-cigarette is an electronic device. Well, the components of this battery-operated device include a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, an atomizer and a cartridge. The cartridge, or the mouthpiece, acts as the storage unit for the nicotine solution. Vanilla, chocolate, menthol or other flavors may also be added in order to lure adolescents or the young crowd into using them. The main ingredient is nicotine, dissolved in propylene glycol. The heating element vaporizes the liquid nicotine, which is then inhaled in, while a mist of vapor is exhaled. While smoking, an operating indicator light at the front tip lights up. This red colored LED also likens the appearance of an e-cigarette to that of a conventional tobacco cigarette. The mist of vapors appears like smoke, and thus, manufacturers have tried their best to make them appear like regular cigarettes and simulate the act of smoking. Since these don't contain tobacco, the risk of passive smoking and inhalation of carcinogens is not present. One wouldn't have to worry about the nasty smell as well as the ashes. Some of the models are automated while some need to be operated manually. The manufacturers claim that though these electronic cigarettes provide the smoking experience, these do not contain the harmful carcinogens that are present in the conventional cigarettes, however, critics or health experts, have a different story to tell.

Are Electronic Cigarettes Harmful?

Are electronic cigarettes bad for you? Well, the manufacturers claim that tar, which is one of the most harmful ingredients in the traditional cigarettes, along with other carcinogenic compounds that are produced due to combustion of tobacco, are not present in the electronic cigarettes. However, they fail to mention about the electronic cigarettes health risks associated with the inhalation of nicotine. As mentioned earlier, these e-cigarettes contain nicotine dissolved in propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin. Nicotine, is very addictive in nature, and has a variety of adverse physiological effects on vital organs such as lungs and heart. This is the reason why Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has categorized the electronic cigarettes under drug delivery devices.

Some studies that were conducted on electronic cigarettes safety also revealed the presence of diethylene glycol and nitrosamines in e-cigarettes offered by some brands. These chemicals can pose certain health risks. Moreover, the amount of nicotine mentioned on the labels didn't correspond to the actual nicotine content. This raised issues regarding health issues that might stem from the use of these cigarettes. The use of flavoring agents in these cigarettes, has been viewed as a marketing gimmick to increase the sales by targeting the young crowd. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a directive to the manufacturers and the marketers to stop referring to e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation device. The major concerns regarding e-cigarettes is that these will contribute to nicotine addiction, which in turn, may increase the incidence of health problems associated with nicotine poisoning in the users.

This was a brief overview on electronic cigarettes. I hope that you got a satisfactory answer to your question on how are electronic cigarettes harmful. Though the health risks associated with the conventional cigarettes are numerous, and e-cigarettes are not as harmful as the regular cigarettes, one cannot call e-cigarettes completely safe. These have been touted as a safer alternative to the regular cigarettes, however, one must not ignore the fact that conclusive studies are yet to be conducted to ascertain the health risks associated with long-term usage of e-cigarettes. Nicotine addiction and poisoning cannot be ruled out, this is why sale of e-cigarettes is subject to regulation by the authorities in some countries, while some countries have banned them completely. Some states in the United States of America, are also considering a ban or restricting the sale on e-cigarettes due to the potential health risks cited by health experts.