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Electronic Cigarettes : Lesser Of Two Evils?

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Electronic Cigarettes: the Lesser of Two Evils? In the past few decades extensive research has gone into studying the effects of cigarettes on air quality. Many carcinogens and particulate matter (PM) exist in the second-hand smoke. The results from these studies have led to anti-smoking campaigns across the country; consequently changing the cultural acceptance of smoking into a cultural taboo. Not only did smoking affect the health of the consumer but conventional cigarettes also spewed several toxic chemicals into the environment that affected other people’s health. The environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has been associated with cardiovascular problems, asthma, respiratory infections, and lung cancer. Consequently, this has led to the ban of smoking in many public places like public buildings, bars, and restaurants (Schober et al.). Unfortunately, the nicotine in cigarettes makes this product very addictive and for several years many people wondered if a product could be invented that simulated smoking but without all the chemicals. This idea was brought to fruition, in 2003, by a man named Hon Lik who was a Chinese pharmacist. Lik called his invention an electronic cigarette, otherwise known as an e-cig (Bell & Keane). E-cigs seemed like the smart alternative to cigarettes. Soon after, Lik’s invention was launched by Ruyan Technology, a Chinese electronics company, and in 2007, acquired an international patent. Marketers quickly capitalized on this idea of a

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