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Recent studies conducted by researchers from various universities have shown that electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) aren’t at all as healthy as commercials would like you believe that they are. If you were thinking of replacing traditional cigarettes with electronic cigarettes you might want to reconsider.
For those new to the subject, electronic cigarettes are a battery-powered device that produces a vapor containing nicotine, the vice of all smokers. They’re not nearly as restricted as traditional cigarettes, with online sellers merely needing proof of ID to sell them to interested parties, including minors.
It’s not hard to see why they’ve enjoyed an increasing rise in popularity over the course of the past few years.
One study conducted in the Cell Biology and Physiology Department of the University of North Carolina revealed that some of the chemicals used to flavor the nicotine used with electronic cigarettes could alter cellular functions in lung tissue, not unlike how traditional cigarettes do. To make things worse, these chemicals could prove to be toxic if consumed in high doses.
Temperance Rowell, a graduate student from the University of North Carolina, gave a statement saying that “Specific chemical components underlying the toxic effects of these e-cigarette flavors on cell viability, proliferation, and calcium signaling in airway epithelia are undergoing further study in our lab”.
He goes on to add that with the increasing popularity of these flavored electronic cigarettes, it is urgently needed that we gain a better understanding of their ingredients, the potential health risks of said ingredients, and the causes of these risks.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive at Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), is of a different opinion. She gave a statement saying that the number of people who wrongly believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking is very worrying to her.
She firmly believes that the expansion of such a false notion threatens to discourage many smokers to use electronic cigarettes, which would not only engender the smokers own well being, but also the well being of those round them.
Arnott may be wrong however. Many people who’ve tried electronic cigarettes have reported a wide range of symptoms – from throat irritation, to dry coughs, to shortness of breath. Those looking to quit smoking should know that e-cigs may be a less healthy alternative than nicotine patches as people who traded off real cigarettes for nicotine patches have not reported any such symptoms.
Although initially conceived as a means of offering heavy smokers a supposed healthy alternative that could eventually help them give up the nasty habit altogether, a survey by the Health Promotion Agency has found that the number of British teenagers who have tried an electronic cigarette has almost tripled in the last two (2) years. The number was 20 percent last year.
The event has given researchers reason to worry that the electronic cigarettes will encourage even more people to pick up the habit.
It is important to note however that the number of ex-smokers who are staying off of tobacco by using electronic cigarettes is also growing.
Image Source: zmescience.com
