E-cigarettes seem to be a part of
normal life today. Many individuals call them another way to quit smoking
relatively risk-free. Are they safe anyone? Before you or someone you care
about uses e-cigarettes to quit smoking, get the facts.
If you're a long-term cigarette
smoker and haven’t been able to cut back or stop smoking using approved
cessation methods, e-cigarettes and other vaping devices products appear to be
a safer alternative than continuing cigarette smoking. Do the potential risks
to your long-term health outweigh any enjoyment (or benefit) in the the
product?
1.
E-cigarettes
and other vaping devices are frequently used in addition to smoked cigarettes,
rather than in place of them: Many smokers
use these products alongside traditional cigarettes often at times and in
places where smoking is not allowed or is not convenient. The end result is an
increase in total exposure to nicotine and its harmful effects.
2.
E-cigarettes
and other vaping devices are not FDA approved: These
products are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a
smoking cessation aid. Until very recently, manufacturers and distributors of
e-cigarettes and other vaping devices were not bound by standards of safety set
by the FDA for smoked tobacco products. Despite the new regulations,
e-cigarette manufacturers are free to project a risk-free image in their
marketing, and offer enticing, candy-like flavors that appeal to children,
adolescents and young adults.
3.
E-cigarettes
and other vaping devices are not risk-free: Although
it’s generally agreed that these products are less harmful than smoking
cigarettes, there is no evidence that they are safe. There is a growing body of research to suggest that they may lead to negative health
consequences, including: Damage to the brain, heart and lungs, cancerous tumor
development, pre-term deliveries and stillbirths in pregnant women, and harmful
effects on brain and lung development when use occurs during fetal development
or adolescence.
4.
E-cigarettes
and other vaping devices are not used exclusively by people trying to quit
smoking: They are increasingly popular with young people, including
those who had never smoked cigarettes previously and never intended to. Research
shows that some young people begin to
smoke cigarettes only after using e-cigarettes.
5.
Nicotine can
affect brain development and functioning in young people: Young
people are particularly vulnerable to using e-cigarettes and vaping devices and
to their effects. The younger a person is when he or she tries nicotine the
greater the risk of addiction. The developing brain is more vulnerable to the
effects of addictive substances than a fully developed adult brain. Nicotine
can disrupt brain development, interfere with long-term cognitive functioning,
and increase the risk of various mental and physical health problems later in
life.
6.
The spread of
e-cigarettes and other vaping devices may be re-normalizing smoking behavior: The
increase in nicotine devices and products and their widespread availability is
reversing some of the progress made over decades of intense global, national,
and local efforts to reduce cigarette smoking especially among young people.
7.
There is little
consistency across different products: There are
limited federal oversight for e-cigarettes and other vaping devices. This makes
it difficult to assess the dangers of any specific product. There was
considerable variation in the nature and concentration of the ingredients,
including nicotine and other known toxins.
8.
There is no
evidence that the aerosol from these products is safe: There
is limited research into the long-term health effects of combining nicotine and
other chemicals in e-cigarettes and other vaping devices. It is clear that the
additives, heavy metals, ultrafine particles, and other ingredients they
contain include toxins and carcinogens.
9.
They contain
nicotine, a highly addictive drug with known health risks: Using
nicotine, regardless of how it is delivered, increases the risk of addiction.
Nicotine addiction is notoriously difficult to reverse, and addiction to
e-cigarettes can lead to using other nicotine products, including smoking
cigarettes as well as alcohol and other
drugs.
10.
Using
e-cigarettes and other vaping devices is not a proven method for quitting
smoking: E-cigarettes and other vaping devices would be a preferred
alternative to traditional cigarettes when used exclusively as a replacement
and only among smokers who have been unable to quit smoking using proven,
medically sound methods. There is little conclusive evidence that they reliably reduce cigarette smoking or lead to
smoking cessation.
“Cigarettes are like squirrels.
They are perfectly harmless until you put one in your mouth, and light it on
fire.” (Anonymous)[i]
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