Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, have become very popular over the past decade among adults and adolescents. There has been a lot of buzz around e-cigarettes and there is little evidence known of whether or not they are harmful long term. Critics of e-cigarettes claim that they are targeted towards adolescents, there are short term effects, long term effects, and more research still needs to be done to know the full dangers. On the other hand, advocates of e-cigarettes claim that they can be used to help wean off of cigarettes and they are not as bad as regular cigarettes. E-cigarettes are dangerous because of their target towards adolescents, their short term risks, and the unknown long term risks that they encompass. E-cigarettes
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First time smokers may notice the effects but overlook them, and smokers who switch to smoking e-cigarettes rather than conventional cigarettes may not notice the short term effects because they are familiar with them from their previous smoking experience. A recent study says, “The most frequently reported minor AEs were cough, followed by throat irritation, headache, and dizziness” (D 'Ruiz). The short term effects of e-cigarettes listed are similar to the short term effects of conventional cigarettes, so it would be easy for them to be ignored. In addition to smoking e-cigarettes normally, there is also a method of smoking that is called “dripping” which allows for a stronger hit of nicotine and helps to switch from flavors in an easier way. Short term effects of this was found to be throats becoming dry and scratchy. Some also had to cough or choke and their mouths bled (Raloff). Dripping is a more dangerous way to use e-cigarettes but either way, it still causes short term effects. Short term effects are not to be overlooked, they may seem harmless at the time but could lead to greater problems in the future. In addition to short term effects, there is still a lot of research to be done on potential long term …show more content…
Some people believe that they can be used like patches or gum to quit smoking and they are overall better than normal cigarettes. One study says, “Advocates claim that the devices which use battery power to aerosolize nicotine into a chemical propellant, offer significant harm reduction because they do not create the carcinogenic combustion products found in conventional paper cigarettes” (Chang). This study says that people for e-cigarettes believe that they are better because they do not contain the combustion products that paper cigarettes do. In contrast to that, the FDA says that even though they do not give away toxins associated with combustion like cigarettes, they do still give away chemicals that could possibly be a concern (Kuehn). Even though they are better than conventional cigarettes in the way of not containing combustion products, we do not know if they ‘offer significant harm reduction’ because there is still a vast amount of research that needs to be done on the juice, vapor, and more. For those who say they can be used as a way to quit smoking, there is no evidence to back up that statement. In fact, there is a study that says, “One study published this year followed 949 smokers reporting their habits online, and found that the e-cigarette users were no more likely to quit tobacco than other smokers” (Cressey 25). E-cigarettes
First time smokers may notice the effects but overlook them, and smokers who switch to smoking e-cigarettes rather than conventional cigarettes may not notice the short term effects because they are familiar with them from their previous smoking experience. A recent study says, “The most frequently reported minor AEs were cough, followed by throat irritation, headache, and dizziness” (D 'Ruiz). The short term effects of e-cigarettes listed are similar to the short term effects of conventional cigarettes, so it would be easy for them to be ignored. In addition to smoking e-cigarettes normally, there is also a method of smoking that is called “dripping” which allows for a stronger hit of nicotine and helps to switch from flavors in an easier way. Short term effects of this was found to be throats becoming dry and scratchy. Some also had to cough or choke and their mouths bled (Raloff). Dripping is a more dangerous way to use e-cigarettes but either way, it still causes short term effects. Short term effects are not to be overlooked, they may seem harmless at the time but could lead to greater problems in the future. In addition to short term effects, there is still a lot of research to be done on potential long term …show more content…
Some people believe that they can be used like patches or gum to quit smoking and they are overall better than normal cigarettes. One study says, “Advocates claim that the devices which use battery power to aerosolize nicotine into a chemical propellant, offer significant harm reduction because they do not create the carcinogenic combustion products found in conventional paper cigarettes” (Chang). This study says that people for e-cigarettes believe that they are better because they do not contain the combustion products that paper cigarettes do. In contrast to that, the FDA says that even though they do not give away toxins associated with combustion like cigarettes, they do still give away chemicals that could possibly be a concern (Kuehn). Even though they are better than conventional cigarettes in the way of not containing combustion products, we do not know if they ‘offer significant harm reduction’ because there is still a vast amount of research that needs to be done on the juice, vapor, and more. For those who say they can be used as a way to quit smoking, there is no evidence to back up that statement. In fact, there is a study that says, “One study published this year followed 949 smokers reporting their habits online, and found that the e-cigarette users were no more likely to quit tobacco than other smokers” (Cressey 25). E-cigarettes