Over the past few years, E-cigs have become the new cool thing. Rumors suggest that they are a healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes, but in reality that are far from healthy. This electronic toy has created a whole culture of “vaping”. According to a CDC study in 2014, “e-cigarettes surpassed cigarettes as the most commonly used tobacco product by middle school and high school students.”

E-cigs are battery powered vaporizers which aerosolize solutions of propylene glycol, glycerol, nicotine and flavorant chemicals. The flavors mask the chemicals to make it seem like a friendly product. But in fact, the nicotine used in these e-cigs are the same as any tobacco based smoking product. The electronic devices can range from no nicotine to 24-36 mg/ml. Data shows that the nicotine in e-cigs can damage lung tissue and reduce the lung’s ability to function correctly. Because e-cigs have become such a trend, young teens have taken up the hobby. This poses many dangers to the developing brain. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that activates a feeling of sensory pleasure (reward pathways). It is different from all other addictive drugs because it is directly releases gratification neurotransmitters into the brain. Long term use of nicotine changes the structure and function of the brain so it is difficult to comprehend certain triggers, such as stress.

http://www.drugdevelopment-technology.com/projects/nicvaxfornicotineadd/nicvaxfornicotineadd1.html

Irina Petrache, professor at Indiana University School of Medicine, conducted a study which exposed lung tissue to nicotine alone, cigarette smoke, and e-cig vapors. All three types of exposure damaged the lung tissue so it could no longer protect itself from harmful bacterias. Petrache then conducted a follow-up trial which exposed mice to nicotine and e-cig vapors. According to Science News, “These exposures caused increased oxidative stress and resulted in a buildup of inflammatory cells in the lungs of the mice.” These experiments prove that nicotine alone is harmful to lung tissue. Although it is true that cigarette have a greater negative impact, e-cigs still contain threatening amounts of nicotine. 

I think these experimental studies strongly prove the effect of nicotine on lung tissue. The first study manipulates third variables and chance because in a lab setting they expose the three drugs directly to the lung tissue. This makes for a strong inference in data because it was a good experiment with good field observations proving that nicotine destroys the lungs ability to be an effective barrier to outside substances. I agree with the findings of this experiment because the study proves that there is a direct causality with nicotine on lung tissue. The test is valid because the measured variables are reasonable. Nicotine intake through e-cigs (The X-variable) results in damaged lungs (Y-varaible) measures reasonable variables which proves our test to be valid. Therefor the alternative hypothesis is that the nicotine in e-cigs damage lung tissue the same way real cigarettes do.