Thirdhand Smoking Research

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 addiction to tobacco, nicotine, and smoking is something the humans have embraced and battled since the early 1800’s. With more and more people falling into the habit and becoming addicted, many detrimental health effects on the body caused people to question what was going on and what was causing these negative reactions in the body. Soon enough, the healthy and “cool” cigarettes that everyone was smoking became the face of lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, birth defects, and many other deadly bodily reactions. In the early 2000’s electronic cigarettes (ECs) were developed by a Chinese pharmacist that hoped to allow smokers to maintain their nicotine addiction, but limit or end the harmful and detrimental effects of tobacco on the body, due to his father’s death of tobacco-attributable lung cancer.1 A typical EC consists of a rechargeable lithium battery, a heating tool called an atomizer, which vaporizes a humectant (typically propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and/or polyethylene glycol 400). The humectant contains liquid nicotine. When the smoker inhales, the heating tool is activated by an airflow sensor, and the nicotine is vaporized.1 2

While e-cigarettes contain fewer toxic chemicals, findings suggest that potential potential increase in harmful cigarette use may follow.

Subsequently, e-cigarettes are known to be dangerous at any rate, because they contain toxic chemicals such as lead, formaldehyde, propylene, and many more which are all popular for initiating cancer (SCOPE, 31). More importantly, people exposed to secondhand smoke released (as vapor) from e-cigarettes should take extra precaution, because the vapor contains many carcinogens, as mentioned earlier, all a factor of cancer (www.lung.org, 2015). Be

Many argue that e-cigarettes decreases the chance of developing lung cancer. The good and bads of these devices have seen a significant amount of attention from both health experts and the

“ 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.

The conclusion is that due to the amount of time the “e-cig” or the vape pens have been on the market more research is required to look at its short and long-term safety effects on a smoker's health. The use of second generation vaporizers considerably reduce cigarette consumption without causing significant side

Today the biggest question is, “Are they harmful?” Electronic Cigarettes are being tested and thoroughly examined to identify the helpful and hazardous effects they may have. Most importantly, they are being compared to traditional cigarettes to determine whether or not they are a safe alternative for smokers. According to the Food and Drug Administration, there are trace amounts of toxic and carcinogenic ingredients found in several cartridge samples of e-cigarettes. The FDA tried to regulate them as drug delivery devices; however, a federal judge ruled in 2010 that it lacked such authority, so the FDA is currently moving to regulate them as tobacco products (Feldman, 2014).

For many people E- cigarettes still remain in the unknown, because they are fairly new. Understanding the them and their effects are very important before you get involved with them. The article “

Each month, the scientific literature surrounding e-cigarettes grows and shows that the e-cigarette causes less harm than smoking. We have seen more than 150 published scientific studies associated with

In addition to nicotine, e-cigarettes emit other potentially harmful constituents like carbonyls that result from thermal degradation of propylene glycol and glycerol; which are the most commonly used solvents in e-liquids [PMCID: PMC5226727]. Several studies reported that aerosols from these devices contain significant levels of carbonyls, including various aldehydes; such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein. [PMID: 23467656], [PMID: 24958024]. To this end, although earlier studies that used first generation e-cigarette devices did show that the levels of these constituents are much lower than those found in tobacco smoking, more recent studies in which newer generations

Cigarette has been a topic of debate ever since its existence. Whether it’s the health issues of cigarettes or the negative impact of cigarette advertisement, it has been in our culture for the longest time. Recently, a divergent of cigarette called E-Cig had entered the market and have seen some unexpected success. In 2014, studies showed that electronic cigarette revenue has topped more than 500 million US dollar. With this huge industry appearing out of seemingly nowhere, many people has begun to question its health and safety effects on us, specifically is E-cig better than normal cigarette?

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