It’s been a trend of people to try and turn what is stigmatized as “bad” for you into something consumable, such as marketing light beer without the calories to make it more appealing. However, the same marketing change from tobacco cigarettes to the more safe electronic cigarettes has caused some scientists to take a second look. While these “e-cigs” have been more safe than regular cigarettes, a study in the journal Circulation shows what people who smoke e-cigs are really inhaling. What people are inhaling are high levels of nanoparticles, which can trigger inflammation. These nanoparticles have also been linked to such diseases as asthma, stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Furthermore, e-cigarettes’ vapors also contain solvents of dissolved nicotine and flavorings, which can turn into carbonyls. Carbonyls are a group that contains cancer-causing chemicals, such as formaldehyde. Newer e-cigarettes contain more nicotine per puff, because earlier versions did not include as much nicotine as a hit of tobacco would. Although these vapors are only an issue if the smoke makes it all the way to the lungs, it still possesses an issue, and should be a concern for anyone who wants to puff an e-cigarette thinking it is completely safe. One more issue that is hidden under the surface is that e-cigarette vapors can make antibiotic-resistant bacteria harder to kill. The vapors, rich with nicotine, create a coating that protects the already hard to kill germs. With all of the commercials and advertisements lauding the safety of e-cigarettes, I would call a warning. While they are safer than tobacco cigarettes, thankfully, there are still many under the surface issues such as the ones posed in the journal that prove that they are not completely clean. The next time somebody offers you an e-cigarette and tells you it’s completely safe, this information should be told for the safety of everyone.
Sources:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/health-risks-e-cigarettes-emerge
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/129/19/1972.full
My uncle just stopped smoking by using an e-cigarette. I think that they are extremely helpful and when used correctly make a world of difference. I know that when people fully inhale it is not healthy but that is only a small amount of the users of e-cigarettes. Also there needs to be some nicotine in the e-cigarette because otherwise the people will be going cold turkey and that rarely works. I think that e-cigarettes should be promoted more because if used correctly they can get people to quick smoking and preserve smokers lives for years.
Hey Christopher, I think this topic is a good one to blog about because of the controversy it has covered today. I think that they are a better alternative to actual cigarettes however I think an even better one can be invented with less health risks. The nicotine inside the cartridges is addictive. When you stop using it, you can get withdrawal symptoms including feeling irritable, depressed, restless and anxious. It can be dangerous for people with heart problems. It may also harm your arteries over time. Here is a link to NBC news that further addresses the subject http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/whats-so-bad-about-e-cigarettes-n89366