Electronic Cigarettes
Are Not a Safe Alternative to SmokingIntroductionCapewellquestion, Martin McKeeand Simon (pg.
17) point out that about 21% of the adult population in the United States occasionally
utilize tobacco products. Smoking is an increasing health burden that results
in global deaths attributed to cardiovascular, pulmonary and cancer diseases.
However, there has been a significan
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Electronic Cigarettes
Are Not a Safe Alternative to Smoking
Introduction
Capewellquestion, Martin McKeeand Simon (pg.
17) point out that about 21% of the adult population in the United States occasionally
utilize tobacco products. Smoking is an increasing health burden that results
in global deaths attributed to cardiovascular, pulmonary and cancer diseases.
However, there has been a significant decline in the prevalence of smoking in
recent years due to the availability of what people have termed as healthier
alternatives. Smokers are now shifting to electronic cigarettes. Electronic
cigarettes have been marketed and promoted as healthier and safer alternatives
to traditional smoking of tobacco, but are they? Based on recent empirical
research, this growing and the popular trend could just be as harmful to
overall health despite being used both as an alternative and to stop tobacco
addiction. Etter, Jean-Francois (pg. 125) estimate that over 700,000
individuals currently use electronic cigarettes in an attempt to stop their
habitual tendencies of smoking tobacco. Moreover, from 2010 to 2015, the use of
electronic cigarettes in middle schools have raised from 0.6 to 5.3 percent
among students with the use also rising exponentially among adults in the US (Capewellquestion,
Martin McKeeand Simon, pg. 21). The sale of these electronic pens globally has
tripled in the last ten years.
Electronic cigarettes also known as
e-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery patches are devices powered by
batteries and designed to deliver nicotine containing aerosols and other
flavored chemicals in the form of vapor. They have been consistently produced
to resemble cigars, pipes or traditional tobacco cigarettes or daily items like
USB drives and pens. There are approximately 250 brands of e-cigarettes in the
global market with distinct names among the youth such as e-cigs, e-hookers,
vape pens, vape pipes, or mods (Etter, Jean-Francois, pg. 127). E-cigarettes use
cartridges filled with e-liquid or e-juice that contains flavorings, nicotine, and
other chemicals. The heating elements in electronic cigarettes convert the
e-juice to vapor that people inhale. For this reason, e-cigarettes are called
“vaping” Although there is no combustion that takes place, nicotine is
delivered from tobacco to satisfy taste buds and curbs smoke addiction. This
delivery is thought to be less harmful than conventional tobacco smoking.
However, ingredients such as glycerol, nicotine, propylene glycol, and other
chemicals released have proven to be harmful making them unsafe among users.
This paper will highlight the reasons why electronic cigarettes are not a safe
alternative to habitual smokers.
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