Electronic cigarettes, also commonly known as e- cigs, personal vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems or hookah pens, are supposedly an alternative to traditional or tobacco smoking. They are battery- powered devices, which instead of burning tobacco, are used to vaporize a nicotine solution with liquid flavors. (1) They imitate the feeling of smoking. US patent application reports it as “an electronic atomization cigarette that functions as substitutes for quitting smoking and cigarette substitutes.” (2) Since their development in 2004, E-cigareetes have been widely marketed as smoking cessation aid and have also been advertised as an healthier and economical option as compared to traditional smoking. They have crossed the social…show more content… Studies prove this to be wrong. A study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine inferred that e-cigarettees correlate wit less quitting among smokers. As a matter of fact, it found that smokers are 28% less likely to quit traditional smoking if they were dependant on e-cigarettes. (5) Users claim that the feeling of vaping is not as fulfilling as smoking, which in turn leads to them smoking more. Using e-cigarettes leads to release of aerosols, flavoring substances and nicotine. Vaping has also led to concerns of passive vaping especially with the ultrafine particles settling in the indoor environment. (6) Studies have shown that the diacetyl used as a flavoring agent, when inhaled is linked to bronchiolitis obliterans. (7) Smokers who switch to e-cigarettes, forced out of habit inhale the vapor directly into their lungs, which could result in pneumonia. (8) Another ingredient in E-cigarettes, propylene glycol is associated with soft tissue irritant especially in the lungs, throat and eyes. E-cigarettes might not use tobacco but they do contain other carcinogens like formaldehyde, acrolein and propylene oxide which forms when propylene glycol is heated.
