BioQuakes

AP Biology class blog for discussing current research in Biology

Pass Me My E-Cigarette Please…

First the world switched from cd’s to iPods, and then books to e-books. This time we’re ditching the cigarettes and buying E-Cigarettes.

Photo Credit: momentimedia

A new invention that is gaining popularity throughout the world is E-Cigarettes. E-Cigarettes is a fake cigarette that when you treat it like a normal cigarette and take a breath from it, releases nicotine vapors into your body. It is designed to rival the experience of an actual cigarette, while still promoting a healthier option. But is it actually healthy? In this article, scientists and other advocates of cigarette abstinence say no.

Traditionally, the usual ways of quitting smoking can vary from cold turkey to using FDA approved products that also include Nicotine gum. However, these E-Cigarettes have been shown to dramatically aid the quiting process, as seen in a study done by the University of Catania. “After six months, more than half the subjects in Dr. Polosa’s experiment had cut their regular cigarette consumption by at least 50 percent. Nearly a quarter had stopped altogether.” 

Not everyone is so thrilled by E-Cigarette success. The FDA, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Action on Smoking and Health, and the Center for Tobacco-Free Kids have banded together against E-Cigarettes. “They argue that the devices, like smokeless tobacco, reduce the incentive for people to quit nicotine and could also be a “gateway” for young people and nonsmokers to become nicotine addicts. And they cite an F.D.A. warning that several chemicals in the vapor of e-cigarettes may be “harmful” and “toxic.””

In many ways E-Cigarette science must still be studied, along with the potential harms it could have on someone’s body. However the incentives to encourage the use of E-Cigarettes instead of normal Cigarettes are clear: “On a scale of harm from 1 to 100, where nicotine gums and lozenges are 1 and cigarettes are 100, he estimated that e-cigarettes are no higher than 2.” 

So what do you think? Should major anti-smoking agencies oppose this potentially safer cigarette substitute? Do you think that smoking is okay? How do you think people should quit if they choose to do so?

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Previous

It Seems that Our Eyes are Quite Similar to Our Skin

Next

Doing Nothing is Still Doing Something

4 Comments

  1. biologiamaster

    While at first glance E-cigs may seem no less harmful than cigarettes, there absence of tobacco and much of the 599 additives (many which are carcinogenic and/or toxic) does establish them as “healthier” than a typical cigarette. A family member of mine is quitting smoking with an E-cig and one largely unnoticed benefit is that their is no 2nd hand smoke with an e-cig.

    http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm

  2. idolph94

    When I first glanced at the article, I immediately read that these E-Cigarettes still release nicotine vapors into the body. From reading this information, my mind completely associated E-Cigarettes with bad connotations. However, as I read further into the article, I began to realize how there are benefits to the E-Cigarettes(not healthy benefits, but benefits for quitting smoking. I believe that the E-Cigarette could be a good asset to the quitting process of smoking cigarettes. Also, the E-Cigarette does not contain as many chemicals and does not build tar in the lungs. Although the E-Cigarette might not be “healthy”, they can definitely be beneficial for smokers who are trying to quit. I found a site with more information regarding the E-Cigarette, Check it out! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette

  3. buddhabear28

    I agree with lp719 in that E-cigarettes can’t be that great an alternative to smoking actual cigarettes. If nicotine is still being put into someone’s body, how are E-cigarettes any better than regular cigarettes? In doing further research, I found that E-cigarettes are potentially better than regular cigarettes because they are tobacco free. However, I think that E-cigarettes aren’t really that useful because their appeal, which includes fruity flavors and so on can lead to further addiction to nicotine.

    http://news.discovery.com/human/e-cigarettes-health-nicotine-tobacco-110127.html

  4. lp719

    This article caught my attention because I am completely against smoking. When I first heard about E-cigarettes I didn’t think that they would be a healthy alternative to smoking because they still put nicotine vapors into your body. Although they are safer than regular cigarettes, I would not advocate their use. I researched the topic further to find out if they are a good alternative to smoking, despite what I thought. The article I found discusses how E-cigarettes are extremely unsafe and might actually prolong tobacco cigarette smoking!

    http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/e-cigarettes-are-not-safe-and-heres-why.html

Leave a Reply to idolph94 Cancel reply

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén

Skip to toolbar