The highly addictive nature of nicotine makes it difficult for people who have started smoking regular cigarettes to quit their habit. Developers of electronic vapor cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, promote their devices as a way to get around the perils of smoking, such as tar buildup in the lungs. Doctors and scientists, however, are divided on whether the devices are as safe and effective as manufacturers claim. Below are three reasons why electronic cigarettes are currently a hot-button issue.
Unresolved Health Concerns
Because electronic cigarettes have only been around for a few years, there hasn't been enough time for the scientific and medical community to thoroughly study their health effects. For instance, the devices produce a propylene glycol vapor that is known to be a lung irritant, but its long-term effects and secondhand exposure are yet unknown. Health experts also do not know what effects e-cigarettes have on pregnant women and their fetuses.
Making Smoking "Sexy"
There's an entire generation of young people in the U.S. who have never seen an advertisement for smoking on television. Prior to being banned in the early 1970s, commercials made smoking seem alluring, attractive, and sexy. Electronic cigarettes have now made their way onto television screens around the world, and widespread use of e-cigarettes in environments where traditional smoking is banned will introduce many youth to the idea of smoking. This increased exposure could cause an increase in the cigarette-smoking rate among young people, which is something that health experts have been trying to lower for decades. Additionally, electronic vapor cigarettes can come in a variety of flavors such as watermelon or cherry, and these features may entice young people to try them.
Smoking Cessation Questions
Opinions over whether the use of electronic vapor cigarettes helps people quit smoking are mixed. These devices are known to deliver nicotine at a faster pace than nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches. Because nicotine is the addictive ingredient in traditional cigarettes, they may just give people who smoke regular cigarettes another way to fuel their addictions. The devices allow you to get nicotine even when smoking a regular cigarette is prohibited or inconvenient.
