An electronic cigarette, or E-cigarette, is a new form of tobacco product that is increasing in its popularity; it allows one to inhale a vapor in the same way one would smoke a traditional cigarette ("E-cigarettes and Lung Health"). Some people believe that E-cigarettes are better than cigarettes for various reasons, and this belief may be true. These claims do not mean, however, that E-cigs should be welcomed with open arms because of the risks still involved in them. E-cigarettes are dangerous, like tobacco, and their risks should be evaluated being that they are not a good choice for anyone. They should not be made accessible to teens because of the many dangers one can see just with a quick glimpse into E -Cigs. The first red flag one …show more content…
Electronic cigarettes are considered to be “a gateway drug,” which means one is more likely to use tobacco or a different drug after being exposed to nicotine from a traditional cigarette or additional harmful substances (Griffin). “A 2011 study by Eric R. Kandel and colleagues at Columbia University found that nicotine exposure increased mice’s sensitivity to cocaine’s rewarding effects via an epigenetic pathway; if the same holds true in humans, nicotine could serve as a gateway to the abuse of other substances (Volkow).” In other words, once one has allowed their body to be exposed to nicotine, in any form, they would be more likely to be involved with drugs or other harmful substances because of the addiction habits that can form just from their start in nicotine (Volkow). Even the flavor ingredients used in the vapor are not safe to inhale, though many manufactures would like to say different. The FEMA GRAS, or Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association Generally Recognized as Safe, status of the “vape juice” is a deceptive statement in that, it applies to food, but not inhaled substances ("E-cigarettes and Lung Health"). The side effects involved with those who ‘vape’ regularly are still not widely known but we do know that that the withdraw symptoms include depression, anxiety, lack of focus, and over all reckless behavior
Smoking e-cigarettes can start early addictions for teens. Most teens smoke e-cigarettes because it helps them relieve stress. However, nicotine is the chemical that makes e-cigarettes, cigarettes very addictive. The article called Teenagers Who Use Electronic Cigarettes are Six Times More Likely to Start Smoking Tobacco Cigarettes states “Cigarette companies have done their own studies that show if they can catch a child in his or her pre-teen or teenage years, they will most likely have a customer for life,” (par 3.) This is important because that means they will be fully addicted for life. In the article Vaping Can Lead to Teen Smoking, New Study Finds the author states, “E-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco, but they usually do
Everyone always wants to be with the latest trend, and as many celebrities and magazine ads have pictures of vaping, electronic cigarettes have become a "trend”. People are largely unaware of the emergency risks of vaping. According to a study by Mitch Zeller he states, “I can say definitely, that nicotine is harmful to a developing teenage brain. And no teenager, no young person. should be using any tobacco or nicotine-containing products”. Unlike true cigarettes, electronic cigarettes do not have
Electronic cigarettes have been around for about a decade. No one is sure of what havoc they can cause yet because of how new they are in existence. Throughout the past years more and more issues have been arising from this product that was originally assumed to be harmless. Now we are faced with the question are they really as safe as we thought or should increase investigation to see what they are really capable of. So far researchers have discovered many issues with the electronic cigarettes and every month more and more issues begin the surface the air. From explosion to toxic material. These issues will not only affect their
The e-cigarette format, however, does not eliminate concerns regarding public and individual health risks. The World Health Organization has called for e-cigarette usage to be monitored in the same way as more conventional tobacco products,(23) the US FDA is advocating for more research,(24) and there has been a dramatic increase in analyses of the chemical, physiological, psychological and socio-cultural aspects of e-cigarettes.(2-7,9-12,14-21,24-52)
The popularity of e-cigarettes and vapes has grown exponentially within the last couple of years. These two alternatives offer a “safe” way to consume nicotine or just a substitute to regular cigarette smoking. These products omit water vapor instead of tobacco smoke, constructing it as less of a health risk. Nicotine can be added to the mixture to help quit smoking or offer a healthier option to those with nicotine dependence. There has not been widespread research on conventional e-cigarettes, in addition to data on vapes been relatively premature. These smoking devices have not be regulated by the FDA yet, but the FDA has looked into e-cigarettes and its contents (FDA, 2015). Many e-cigarettes that are thought to be free of nicotine, have
The severity of the health problems that come from smoking e-cigarettes are that we are still unaware of what exactly do these electronic devices contain. At it is stated in the article “Drug Facts: Electronic Cigarettes” that they contain different amounts of nicotine, flavoring, and other unknown chemicals. With these unknown chemicals, we are unaware of what can be the consequences or risks are with long-term consumption of using e-cigs. There are over “400,000 deaths each year in the United States” at a cause from smoking and inhaling nicotine; yet the worst risks are the development of cancer and heart diseases (Drug
Electronic cigarettes have become very popular in the last few years, which has led both young children and teens to begin using them. There have been various instances in which children, as young as toddlers, have gotten their hands on their parent's electronic cigarettes or e-juice, leading to an increase in calls to the emergency room. The increase was so great that, "over half of the 2,405 calls to poison centers between September 2010 and February 2014 concerned children 5 and under who have come into contact with e-cigarettes" (Are E-cigarettes Safer Than Regular Cigarettes?). The effects of electronic cigarettes so far have not been proven to show any significant damage on the health of adults; however, the effects on children and teens may be more dangerous than one would
Although they might be slightly more effective than nicotine patches and other aids in helping people quit smoking, electronic cigarettes still stand as a gateway to nicotine addiction. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests more children and teens from middle school to high school are trying these new devices. About 1.8 million children admitted puffing on an e-cigarette with 160,000 of them doing so with never having tried an ordinary cigarette before. These implications mean electronic cigarettes have been getting a lot of attention lately from the community. The CDC indicates this trend as a serious concern.
“ The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror – not the glamour and sophistication the pushers in the tobacco industry try to portray ”. – David Byrne. Smoking has been an habit in teenagers and adults for a very long time and it is well known that it is harmful for them as well for the environment. Technology has advanced, and now there are electronic cigarettes, called E-cigarette, which are devices with battery that carry nicotine heated aersosol in a fashion that imitates common cigarettes, while carrying lower levels of toxins than a conventional lit cigarette. They can be used indoors, which allows smokers to get their fix wherever and whenever they want. A study from NBC News (Leshae) shows that electronic cigarettes are a technique for smokers to try quitting their addictions. Manufacturers consider that e-cigarattes are healthier than normal tobacco cigarattes, since smokers are inhaling vaporized nicotine rather of carcinogen-filled smoke. However, according to a Thomas Jefferson University Alumni article, some reseachers have found harmful ingredients in certain e-cigarettes, such as ethylene glycol poisoning, a primary ingredient in brake fluid and antifreeze. E-cigarettes mey seem like a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, nevertheless there is some research that proves the contrary and we still don’t know its long term effect.
In the United States, the usage of cigarettes is slowly declining, making way for alternative forms of tobacco and nicotine sources to become popular. In the past decade, one of these cigarette alternatives has become very popular, even widely among teens, and it’s referred to as “vaping”. Vaping is the use of electronic cigarettes that replace burning paper and tobacco with flavored steam, which usually has nicotine in it (Kriegel). Since vaping hasn’t been around very long and hasn’t become popular until recently, not much is known about the effects or how harmful it could be long term. One source says, “There's also a widespread belief that e-cigarettes are safe, or at least safer than conventional tobacco products. But several studies have suggested this may not be the case,” (Fox). Although there is a very strong debate on whether e-cigarettes are a safe alternative for cigarettes, there are too many risk factors involved due to conflicting information and studies, for vaping to be deemed safe.
In conclusion, more Americans need to be aware of the dangers of e-cigs including their addictive levels of nicotine, and harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde. Thedailybeast addressed the dangerous of e-cigs to not only the user, but other in this statement ,”Outside the risk of exposure to cancer-causing agents, e-cigarettes have been shown to prove dangerous to kids.” This shows that the dangers caused by e-cigs can indirectly harm others, and is posing as a threat to the user's health and can act as a bad influence toward the youth. This is why americans need to relook at how safe e-cigarettes
As FDA analysis indicated, e-cigarettes contain the same toxic substances and carcinogens found in traditional cigarettes, which contradicts the statement made by e-cigarette advocates that e-cigarettes are safer. Recently, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that about 47.1 percent of the cigarette and e-cigarette exposure-calls to poison control centers are now due to e-cigarettes (Kucinich, 2014). Therefore, I do not think it is reasonable to promote e-cigarettes to the public as safer alternatives to traditional tobacco cigarettes, let alone smoking cessation aids. Additionally, health experts have repeatedly mentioned that e-cigarettes maybe potential gateway drugs for many individuals, particularly the young. Pepper and colleagues (2013) reported that nearly 1 in 5 adolescent males in their study were willing to try e-cigarettes if offered to them; and being a smoker increased the willingness to try e-cigarettes. As teens are highly inclined to try e-cigarettes, extensive public promotion of e-cigarettes may mislead them into thinking that e-cigarettes are safe to use. The false claim may even spark teenagers’ curiosity and motivate them to try e-cigarettes and other tobacco products haphazardly. It is highly likely that the effort to promote smoke cessation through e-cigarettes could create an entirely new problem: e-cigarette abuse in teens. Overall, I take the stand against e-cigarettes. I
In the 1600’s when Native Americans smoked tobacco from pipes they never thought of later using an electronic pipe. Native Americans never though that 363 years later that someone would invent a device that allows you smoke a tobacco free product until 1963 when the first electronic vapor was invented, but were not actually released until 2003 when a Chinese pharmacists name Han Lik made the very first portable electronic vapor.
E-cigarettes appear as an innocent alternative to the real thing but the Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory identifying the “volatile” substances in the device and its emitted smoke may not be that harmless after all (“FDA: Second-Hand Smoke From E-Cigarettes May Be Harmful To Your Health”, 2013). Electronic cigarettes contain organic substances including propylene glycol, flavors, and nicotine which are emitted as a mist into the air in enclosed areas. FDA studies show that these microscopic liquid particles have the possibility of penetrating deep into our lungs. Also cited by the FDA in a German publication on electronic cigarettes shows
E-cigarette is believed to greatly reduce on the health effects associated with tobacco smoking. However, e-cigarette has been criticized as a leading cause of smoking among the youth due to its flavor as well as its novel appearance and campaigns. It is also believed to pose some health risks. Despite such drawbacks, e-cigarette has recently gained a lot of popularity and subsequent growth.