Electronic cigarettes have begun to become increasingly popular among smokers. Many people believe that the danger from these devices is less than from conventional tobacco products, and there is no addiction. Therefore, more and more often, heavy smokers are changing their usual cigarettes to an electronic equivalent, especially when they are trying to give up a bad habit. Manufacturers say that e-cigarettes have health benefits and are very economical.. It is difficult to say for sure what is more harmful - an electronic cigarette or a regular one; both types have their drawbacks.
What's in the refill liquid?
- propylene glycol;
- glycerol;
- nicotine;
- flavorings.
The chemical compounds propylene glycol and glycerin are used as solvents for flavorings. Thanks to these substances, an attractive vapor emanates from the device, which imitates smoke.
What causes more harm?
Some smokers still sometimes wonder what causes more harm? To understand what harm an electronic cigarette brings compared to a regular one, you need to understand what is included in both. The composition of a regular cigarette includes not only nicotine, but also tar, which is obtained during the combustion of the tobacco mixture and paper casing. The following harmful substances were found in tobacco smoke:
- Various aromatic hydrocarbons, the most harmful of which is benzopyrene.
- Nitrosamines and amines.
- Phenolic compounds, naphthalenes.
- Cyanogen.
- Isoprenes.
- Acetaldehyde.
- Ammonium.
In addition to these chemical compounds, tobacco smoke contains many other dangerous substances, including the radioactive component polonium.
Substances that are included in the smoke emanating from classic cigarettes provoke the occurrence of cancer.
All these harmful elements are absent in the smoking liquid and in the outgoing vapor. And although vaping is safer than a regular cigarette, the harm from it is also noticeable. This can be understood if we consider in detail all the substances that are in the smoking liquid.
What is the danger
Nicotine
Both traditional cigarettes and electronic ones contain nicotine. This element is considered a narcotic, with a pronounced neurotropic effect. Nicotine is quite dangerous for people; it has a bad effect on the functioning of the heart and vascular system.. This harmful element is addictive, both psychological and physical. Its inclusion in the smoking mixture, which is often used to quit smoking, is highly doubtful.
Some e-liquids contain too much nicotine. If these cigarettes are heavily abused, nicotine intoxication will occur and there will be health consequences.
The lethal dosage of nicotine is approximately 100 mg. For some people this figure may be higher, while for others it may be lower, it all depends on the characteristics of the body and immunity.
With constant consumption of nicotine, the following conditions and diseases arise:
- increased blood glucose levels;
- instability of blood pressure;
- atherosclerosis;
- unstable heart function;
- heart failure;
- myocardial infarction.
To get rid of a bad habit you need to have a strong desire and willpower. Even very expensive tobacco substitutes will not work if a person does not have a strong desire to quit smoking.
Whatever you say, electronic cigarettes pose less of a health hazard, which is explained by the absence of toxic resins and other dangerous components in them. But nicotine is also present in the liquid for refilling, so the health hazard is obvious. The only exception is nicotine-free smoking liquid, which contains almost nothing except flavorings. Such liquid only in rare cases causes individual intolerance.
An electronic cigarette is a device that creates a fine aerosol by evaporating liquid. Powered by built-in battery. It was invented in 2004 by Hong Lik in Hong Kong.
In the process of using the device, two characteristic terms arose - vaping and vaping. Both of them refer to the process of inhaling vapor from an electronic cigarette. Let's consider whether there is harm from electronic cigarettes and how to minimize it.
Classmates
The steam generation process will not occur without liquid. It is not included in the vape kit (electronic cigarette); it is purchased separately, like all other consumables. There are two types of substance for electronic cigarettes: nicotine-containing and nicotine-free.
The composition of the liquid for vapers includes:
- Glycerin is a colorless and thick liquid, odorless and colorless. The component is mandatory for vaping, its share is up to 80% of the total volume. The component is the basis of the steam; the more it contains, the thicker the steam.
- Propylene glycol is a non-toxic solvent. The substance allows you to create a puffing sensation, as with regular smoking, due to the fact that its density is several times less than the density of water. If the amount of propylene glycol in the composition exceeds the volume of glycerin, then the greater the difference, the stronger the feeling of the puff strength.
- Distilled water - participates in the evaporation process, makes up no more than 20%.
- Dyes. They give the liquid a variety of colors.
- Flavorings are chemical compounds used in the food industry. They can be synthetic and natural. Used to create flavor.
- Nicotine is part of nicotine-containing liquids. The strength of the liquid depends on the percentage of its content. According to the strength of nicotine content: light (6-8 mg/ml), medium strength (11-12 mg/ml), strong (16-18 mg/ml) and very strong (22-24 mg/ml).
Unlike cigarettes, nicotine-containing liquid does not contain tar or other combustion products. The chemical composition of the liquid is simpler.
The taste of tobacco when vaping liquid is not the taste of nicotine, but a synthetic flavoring. In fact, the presence or absence of tobacco flavor is not an indicator of the nicotine content of the liquid.
What does an electronic cigarette consist of?
Harm from steam evaporation to the human body
Vaping is the main competitor to conventional cigarettes. This raises a logical question - what harm does vaping bring to the body in comparison with a cigarette.
Official organizations first spoke out about the dangers of electronic cigarettes in 2008. The World Health Organization has stated that there is no scientific basis for vaper suppliers' claims about the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in vaping therapy.
In 2014, the WHO presented a number of theses in its report, focusing on the dangers of electronic cigarettes for the human body:
- It is necessary to establish a ban on the uncontrolled sale of liquids with different flavors in order to reduce the attractiveness of electronic cigarettes.
- There is not enough evidence that vaping eliminates nicotine addiction.
- It is necessary to apply the same restrictions to vapor generators as to other tobacco products in advertising, distribution and use.
- It is necessary to prevent smoking among adolescents. The popularity of electronic cigarettes among teenagers is extremely high, which has a negative impact on health.
The American organization FDA (Position of the Food and Drug Administration), after testing 19 varieties of cartridges (brands NJoy and Smoking Everywhere), provided information that as a result of smoking liquid cigarettes, a person consumes the carcinogens they contain, which causes harm. However, the content of these substances is 1000 times less than in tobacco products.
In addition to the disadvantages of the electronic cigarette stated by official organizations, there are also obvious ones that do not require thorough tests and research. Nicotine negatively affects the cardiovascular system, leading to the development of fatal diseases. Nicotine-free mixtures do not cause such consequences. In addition, they do not harm the skin of the face, without accelerating the aging process, as regular cigarettes do.
The device is a fire hazard. It runs on a lithium-ion battery, which in some cases can catch fire, especially if the workmanship is poor or improperly used. It is obvious what harm such devices with liquid can cause.
For e-cigarette fillers, there are no strict norms or production standards. For this reason, the substance may contain impurities harmful to the smoker. The amount of nicotine often does not coincide with the declared amount, which makes it even more toxic and dangerous to use.
Symptoms of nicotine poisoning: lack of coordination, nausea, increased blood pressure, sweating, migraine. Acute intoxication can occur when using liquids containing nicotine.
Poisoning when vaping occurs due to the large absorption area that the vapor covers in the lungs and in cases where the liquid is inhaled directly without forming vapor. This occurs in low-quality devices, in which the substance does not completely evaporate, but contains the liquid itself in the generated steam.
Impact on the health and psyche of adolescents
Electronic cigarettes are considered a fashionable and modern attribute among teenagers. The marketing policy of vape manufacturers is based on the claim that it is absolutely safe. Young smokers are also attracted by the huge selection of electronic cigarette models and the variety of flavors of vaping liquids.
The desire of teenagers to be “adults”, to comply with fashion trends and to be “cooler than everyone else” prompts them to use electronic cigarettes, thereby joining the ranks of smokers. The harm of electronic cigarettes to the health of adolescents consists both in dependence on nicotine, which is harmful to the body, and in the psychological attachment to the process itself, which poses the greatest danger to the weak, fragile psyche of a teenager. Even if a child has not previously smoked tobacco products, vaping can develop a nicotine addiction.
While e-cigarettes may be beneficial for adults (if used to quit traditional tobacco use), for adolescents these devices only cause harm, all aspects of which may still be unknown at this time.
Is there any benefit?
Vaping, like smoking, is a harmful habit. The benefits of vaping are only considered when comparing the benefits of an e-cigarette with traditional tobacco products.
Vape liquid and the vapor generated from it contain fewer harmful substances compared to combustion products of tobacco. A regular cigarette contains hundreds of carcinogens, and the tobacco itself is often of extremely low quality. The vape substance contains only a few components - glycerin, propylene glycol, water and, optionally, nicotine.
Vaping nicotine-free liquids does not cause physiological addiction or dependence. There is no unpleasant tobacco odor from the mouth, hands, hair and clothes.
Review of smokers' reviews
Most often, an electronic cigarette is used as an alternative to a regular cigarette and as a way to quit smoking. Most users do not see any harm in their habit and note that there are obvious benefits: vaping has solved the problem of the unpleasant taste in the mouth that remains after smoking tobacco, and they also speak positively about the fact that the unpleasant smell from clothes has disappeared.
Many reviews note that using an electronic cigarette is several times more economical, even for experienced smokers who smoked 1.5 packs a day.
When switching from regular cigarettes to vaping, the frequency of vaping for the first few weeks is as high as with regular smoking, later it decreases from several times a day to occasional use.
People who switch from tobacco to an electronic cigarette notice an improvement in their physical condition. According to them, shortness of breath decreases, morning cough disappears, blood pressure normalizes and sleep quality improves.
Negative reviews are left by users who decided to quit smoking but did not achieve the desired result. In this context, the device itself is not characterized as harmful or of poor quality. To a large extent, these reviews are emotional rather than constructive.
Useful video
What harm does an electronic cigarette cause to the body? Are there any benefits to vaping? Useful information in the following video:
Conclusions
- The electronic cigarette was created to replace the regular one. It is used most often by smokers to stop dependence on tobacco.
- There are two types of vape liquids: nicotine-containing and nicotine-free. Nicotine-containing products are harmful to health due to their toxic component – nicotine.
- Compared to smoking tobacco, smoking an electronic cigarette causes less harm to the human body due to its composition - fewer carcinogens that are released during the combustion of a regular cigarette.
- Vapes without nicotine are considered relatively safe.
Debating how e-cigarettes affect health is a futile exercise. Depending on who you ask, you may hear that e-cigarettes are the best technological solution to the problem of smoking or global society.
Let's figure out how things really are.
What do we know? E-cigarettes are better for your health than regular cigarettes, but worse than not smoking or vaping at all.
What don't we know? What effect does vaping have on your health in the long term, do e-cigarettes really help you quit smoking, and how do they affect the use of other nicotine-containing products.
What does this mean to you? If you are a chronic smoker, e-cigarettes may be a less destructive way for you to obtain nicotine. If you don't smoke at all, stay away from e-cigarettes. We still don't know how they affect long-term health.
So, if you are a heavy smoker and are trying to quit this bad habit, then most experts agree that e-cigarettes are less harmful to your health.
But non-smokers or former smokers should think twice before starting. Even if e-cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes, this does not mean that they are completely safe. We just don't know. No long-term studies on the health of vapers have been published.
Another review notes that nicotine can have serious negative effects on human health, from increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease to birth defects in children whose mothers consumed nicotine during pregnancy.
There are also several studies that prove the positive effect of nicotine consumption in Parkinson's disease, as well as increased attention and concentration under its influence.
Do e-cigarettes provide enough nicotine to satisfy smokers' needs?
Some studies, such as an experiment published in Nature, show that the delivery of nicotine into the circulatory system through e-cigarettes varies greatly, but still remains less than in the case of conventional cigarettes.
Mike Mozart/Flickr.com
A comprehensive analysis of research published by the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests that vapor from e-cigarettes pollutes the air with nicotine and toxic substances, but its long-term health effects are unknown.
The answer to the question about passive vaping is very important for society. So far there is no ban on smoking electronic cigarettes in public places, because its harm has not been proven. If in the future the negative impact of electronic cigarettes on health is confirmed, special places for vaping will have to be equipped. In the meantime, the health standard is clean air. Until harmful substances are found in it, there will be no bans.
Implications of scientific debate for public health
Now regulators around the world are trying to figure out what to do with e-cigarettes. While some countries have simply banned them, in others the government is trying to regulate the use of these devices.
In the United States, in 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a project equating e-cigarettes to tobacco products. In 2016, this project was completely ready. It makes e-cigarettes subject to the Tobacco Products Control Act. Among other rules there are:
- banning the sale of electronic cigarettes, hookahs, pipe tobacco and cigars to minors offline or online (some states have already passed this law);
- requiring identification to sell these products;
- requiring manufacturers of e-cigarettes and e-liquids marketed after February 15, 2007 to submit their products for FDA review, disclosing ingredients, marketing plans, and product design within 12 to 24 months;
- placement of warning labels by the manufacturer on e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, including warnings about the potential for addiction and the negative effects of nicotine;
- banning the sale of closed tobacco products in vending machines;
- banning the distribution of free samples of electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Some vaping advocates believe it is unnecessary to restrict e-cigarettes in the same way as tobacco products. After all, they don't even contain tobacco. If access to e-cigarettes is too strictly restricted, society will lose devices that could save the lives of many heavy smokers.
Also, some experts believe that strict bans and restrictions can stifle innovation, so enterprises will be less likely to develop new products that are more advanced and safe, with a better supply of nicotine. But this could help to further reduce the smoking of conventional, more harmful cigarettes.
Policymakers must understand the consequences of restricting too much, such as stopping innovation or creating models that are more expensive and less attractive to consumers. It is also important that the public does not misunderstand the bans to mean that e-cigarettes are banned because they are more harmful to health than regular cigarettes.
Peter Hajek, Professor, Queen Mary University of London
As for Russia, it does not currently apply to electronic cigarettes, so they can be freely purchased by people under 18 years of age. There are also no prohibitions or restrictions on vaping in public places. But, since the popularity of electronic cigarettes is growing rapidly, they are going to take a closer look at this.
Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Social Policy of the Federation Council Igor Chernyshev promised to order a study from scientific institutes to determine the impact of electronic cigarettes on human health, as well as to consult with psychologists about the effect of these devices on the return of nicotine addiction in those who have already given up smoking.
Depending on the results of these studies, measures will be taken to restrict the sale of electronic cigarettes. If any harm is discovered, they will either be included in the general anti-tobacco law, equating them to regular cigarettes, or simply set age restrictions.
What do you think about electronic cigarettes? Do you think they should be banned just like regular ones?
The harm from smoking is undeniable, has long been proven and is known to everyone. And yet, the number of smokers is very large, and only a few of them decide to fight this addiction. Some act radically, giving up smoking once and for all, while others try to fight this addiction using various options: pills, patches and folk remedies.
Vaping – vaping electronic cigarettes – is now becoming a popular way to quit smoking. The process feels like smoking, but the steamer inhales not smoke, but the steam produced by this device. Before deciding whether to buy an electronic cigarette as a replacement for a regular one, you need to understand the vaping process and the design of the device. It is also necessary to understand whether this miracle of technology can replace habitual smoking, and to consider all the pros and cons of an electronic cigarette.
An ES is a device that converts liquid into vapor, which the user inhales. The simplest model looks like a regular cigarette with a filter.
The “filling” of e-sig consists of the following elements:
- A cartridge filled with vaping liquid. There is a large selection of e-liquids with different nicotine contents and flavors.
- An atomizer (evaporator, steam generator) is a device with a heating system; it is in it that the liquid is converted into steam, which is inhaled by the steamer.
- Air sensor.
- An electronic device that activates the operation of the device.
- Rechargeable battery or battery.
- Simulator of the smoldering tip of a cigarette.
The vaping liquid contains propylene glycol and glycerin (food additives), as well as various flavors and nicotine. The nicotine content in the liquid varies, including zero. If the steam generator is used as an alternative to cigarettes, then the liquid can be selected based on the usual strength of regular cigarettes.
In the process of classic smoking, many harmful tars, carbon toxins and toxic compounds enter the body along with smoke. During vaping, all these substances are simply not produced, since there is no combustion process. The main benefit of electronic cigarettes is that only nicotine enters the body of the smoker.
Advantages
Let's look at the advantages of electronic cigarettes:
- Smoking EC does not have such a detrimental effect on health as regular smoking. There is no plaque left on the teeth, fingers do not turn yellow, and the skin does not deteriorate.
- There is no unpleasant smell of tobacco from the steamer, which is unpleasant to many non-smokers;
- When switching to vaping, many note a general improvement in their condition, the absence of shortness of breath and heaviness in the bronchi, and the restoration of their sense of smell. The so-called “smoker's cough” gradually goes away.
- Steam from ES is safe for non-smokers, as it does not contain harmful substances.
- Vaping does not cause inconvenience to others, since the exhaled steam dissipates very quickly and has a very light odor.
- There is no risk of starting a fire due to an unextinguished cigarette, the device is fireproof.
- No ashes or cigarette butts.
- Opportunity to reduce smoking costs.
- It is believed that by gradually reducing the nicotine content in the mixture, it will be possible to quit smoking over time, as the need for nicotine will decrease.
Sometimes, having become familiar only with the advantages of vaping, vapers biasedly assess the effect of vaping on the body. Believing that vaping is absolutely harmless, beginners very often vape, forgetting that the nicotine that enters the body is far from a useful substance.
We note their beneficial qualities, but the question still remains open: are electronic cigarettes harmful or beneficial? To answer this, it is necessary to evaluate the disadvantages of smoking EC. First of all, it is worth noting that vaping does not eliminate nicotine addiction, but only helps to gradually reduce nicotine consumption as its concentration in the vaping liquid decreases. When assessing the disadvantages of an electronic cigarette, you should also pay attention to the fact that the intake of nicotine into the body, in principle, cannot be absolutely harmless.
ES is a successful replacement for cigarettes, allowing a person, while observing the usual ritual of smoking, to receive the required dose of nicotine without the addition of harmful impurities.
Flaws
These include:
- The lack of mandatory certification for ES, liquids and flavors leads to a large number of fakes of dubious quality. When purchasing uncertified products, you cannot be completely sure that only approved and tested components were used for its manufacture.
- Since extensive medical research has not yet been carried out, it cannot be said unequivocally that smoking EC does not cause harm. This is especially true for those who have been vaping for a long time.
- The illusion of the harmlessness of smoking EC often leads to an increase in nicotine consumption, which can cause poisoning, the so-called “nicotine hit”, accompanied by deterioration of health, nausea, loss of coordination and headaches.
- The propylene glycol content in ES liquid can cause allergies and, as a result, respiratory problems.
- Often, when you try to quit, you acquire an even more persistent vaping habit. Less harmful, but unsafe. Narcologists and psychiatrists believe that with the help of electronic cigarettes you can quit smoking by using liquids without nicotine and gradually reducing the amount of vaping.
- The passion for vaping can turn into a kind of collecting, and then there is no need to talk about saving money compared to regular smoking. Constantly purchasing new mixtures, flavors and devices for e-cig is not a cheap pleasure.
Differences between electronic and regular cigarettes
These include:
- ES only imitates the process of smoking; in fact, it is inhaling steam, not smoke.
- A regular cigarette is a paper tube filled with shredded tobacco, often accompanied by an acetate fiber filter. An ES is a device with an evaporator that converts liquid into steam.
- ES liquid uses purified nicotine, or mixtures without nicotine are used.
- They do not have a negative impact on others, unlike regular cigarettes.
- Electronic devices can be used in public places, while smoking regular cigarettes is prohibited there.
- They require maintenance, replacement of cartridges or refilling of liquid and regular battery refilling.
- The main thing that distinguishes ES from regular energy is the absence of combustion products, which cause great harm to the body.
Regular smoking definitely harms both the smoker and those around him. If a smoker is unable to give up this addiction, then you can replace your usual cigarettes with electronic ones. After all, an electronic cigarette, the benefits and harms of which cannot be compared with traditional smoking, is less dangerous to health. And since the process of vaping is very similar to smoking, the transition to ES will be almost painless. It can be confidently called a less harmful replacement for regular cigarettes.
To reduce the negative effects of vaping, it is necessary to carefully control the dosage of nicotine in the liquid. You should pay attention to the quality of devices, vaping liquids and flavors.
Video
This video dispels many myths about electronic cigarettes.
An electronic cigarette is a portable device that looks like a regular cigarette and allows you to simulate the process of smoking and cigarette smoke. If the shape of the gadget does not resemble a cigarette, it is called a vape. Let's consider the question of whether e-cigarette vapor is dangerous.
The operating principle of such gadgets is to heat a liquid, which, when the temperature rises, turns into an aerosol. It's called steam. And the inhalation process itself is called vaping, or vaping.
Vape liquid typically contains propylene glycol, glycerin, flavorings and nicotine. There are varieties without nicotine, but they are in little demand. We'll tell you why later.
Is smoke from an electronic cigarette dangerous: the history of the creation of the gadget
Such devices are officially called electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). It is under this name that they can be found in official documents from manufacturers, as well as in studies conducted by medical and scientific institutions on whether smoke from an electronic cigarette is harmful.
ENDS was invented in 2003 by pharmacist Hong Lik from China. In 2018, most gadgets are imported from the Middle Kingdom. There are more than 500 brands of such devices, and their sales exceed $7 billion.
The design of the vape includes a battery and a reservoir for liquid. In terms of safety for others, it should be noted that batteries can ignite and explode. Hundreds of similar videos can be found on YouTube. For this reason, these devices are prohibited not only from being used, but also from being transported on an airplane.
There is little clarity regarding ENDS quality control. Such gadgets have appeared recently, so it is difficult to certify them according to standard standards. However, whether steam is dangerous for smokers themselves and others is beyond doubt.
The only thing that can be assessed in terms of safety standards is the composition of the liquid and the safety of the inhaler itself. But since the electronic nicotine delivery system is not included in the list of goods subject to mandatory certification, manufacturers undergo certification on a voluntary basis.
Before answering the question of whether an aerosol is dangerous, it is worth considering what the liquid for refilling gadgets contains.
What does vaping liquid consist of?
When people talk about ENDS, people use the word “vapor,” but that’s not exactly what comes to mind first. This is not the vaporous state of water that we see when boiling a kettle or using an iron, which is absolutely harmless. Electronic cigarettes do not contain water because its boiling point is too high and the battery power is not enough for it.
The main component of the liquid is propylene glycol. This substance is widely used in dry cleaning and is used in small quantities in the food industry. The doses that a person inhales while vaping exceed permissible standards by hundreds and thousands of times!
The liquid contains flavorings. Naturally, no one uses natural ones, since they are more expensive. It is much more profitable to use artificial flavors: they cost a penny, dissolve well in the mixture and do not burn.
Are e-cigarette vapors harmful to others if they contain such substances? Most artificial flavors are made using diacetyl. It is used in cooking to create a creamy, chocolate and vanilla flavor in sweets. By itself, diacetyl is safe, but when heated and turned into steam it is deadly.
Manufacturers of electronic nicotine delivery systems claim that their products are not harmful because they do not contain carcinogens or toxic substances. Indeed, electronic cigarettes do not contain sulfur, nitrate, or carbon monoxide, but is the smoke from them really harmless? Combustion products from vaping are still released.
In addition to propylene glycol and flavorings, the aerosol contains huge concentrations of formaldehyde, which is formed when the wire of the gadget's heating element glows. It is a toxic substance that negatively affects the respiratory tract, central nervous system, skin, reproductive system and genes.
When talking about whether the smoke from an electronic cigarette is harmful, we cannot fail to mention the main component - nicotine. It is the main one, because without it the very meaning of vaping is lost.
Nicotine is an alkaloid, neurotoxin, classified as a moderate stimulant. It promotes the formation of rapid and sustainable addiction. In other words, it is a poisonous drug (the same one that is present in regular cigarettes and keeps millions of people on a short leash).
Is vapor containing nicotine dangerous for the smoker and for others? Once in the blood, this neurotoxin affects acetylcholine receptors, causing the release of dopamine and adrenaline. This may look encouraging: a surge of strength and good mood. Actually this is not true. As soon as the supply of nicotine stops, the withdrawal phase begins.
Weaning from nicotine, unlike alcohol, is not accompanied by painful sensations. After the concentration of the drug in the body drops, the smoker’s performance decreases, he feels a loss of strength and slight discomfort in the body. People who use nicotine (in any form) feel such alternations of pleasure and depression all the time.
Receiving another dose using an electronic nicotine delivery system, a person again experiences a high, mistaking it for pleasure, which over time is associated with a place, situation, smell, etc. And he no longer cares whether the smoke from an electronic cigarette is harmful to him yourself or those around you.
This is how regular smokers and vapers develop nicotine addiction. This disease has its own code in the international classification - F17. And it makes no difference how exactly nicotine enters the body. This does not reduce its harmful effects.
We hope this information will be enough to understand the harm of actively smoking cigarettes - regular and electronic. Of course, when vaping, the concentration of toxic substances and carcinogens is lower than when smoking. Aerosols contain fewer combustion products, but they are still present, and vapers inhale them.
Are electronic cigarettes harmful to others: doctors' opinion
When smoking regular cigarettes, a person usually smokes a certain amount per day. On average this is 20 pieces. Even an experienced smoker finds it difficult to smoke several cigarettes in a row, since, in addition to nicotine, he inhales about 7,000 more harmful compounds. Tobacco smoke poisoning can be considered a factor limiting the number of cigarettes.
When vaping, this factor disappears. That’s why many vaping enthusiasts simply won’t let the gadget out of their mouths. Based on this, it can be assumed that vapers receive a much higher dose of nicotine than those who smoke regular cigarettes, cigars or hookahs.
Is the smoke from an electronic cigarette harmful? Unfortunately, there is not enough scientific data to answer this question. However, a few studies show that steam deteriorates indoor air quality, and therefore is not harmless to others. This is evidenced by a study by Dr. Wolfgang Huber from Germany, which was published in the scientific journal International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health.
The study notes that the vapor emitted during vaping contains harmful substances in the form of particulate matter, carbonyls and metals, volatile organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
During the experiment, 9 volunteers vaped electronic cigarettes, both with and without nicotine, for 6 hours in a well-ventilated area. After this, the researchers analyzed the level of air pollution in the room, and also assessed the content of harmful substances in the urine of voluntary study participants.
This provided preliminary data to understand whether e-cigarette smoke is harmful. And this is what the experiment showed. Significant amounts of nicotine, 1,2-propanediol, glycerol and a high concentration of PM 2.5 (about 197 µg/m3) were detected. In indoor air, the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons increased by 20% (up to 147 mg/m3). The aluminum content increased by 2.4 times. Nitric monoxide levels increased in 7 of 9 subjects. The concentration of nicotine in the liquids was different (it turned out to be 1.2 times higher than that declared by the manufacturer).
How to quit smoking yourself at home?
Such data answer the question of whether smoke from an electronic cigarette is harmful to smokers and others. These gadgets do not eliminate harmful emissions, and the pollutants pose a health hazard to the smoker and the people around him. In particular, ultrafine particles formed from supersaturated vapor of 1,2-propanediol are capable of depositing in the lungs. And aerosolized nicotine appears to increase the release of an inflammatory signaling molecule.
For consumer safety, electronic nicotine delivery systems and e-liquids must be officially regulated. They should also be labeled with a warning about possible health effects (especially in children).
Is vaping vapor dangerous? Harmful chemicals are dangerous in any quantity. The hazardous compounds present in tobacco smoke or ENDS aerosol are so small that they are difficult to see or smell. Toxic substances from regular and electronic cigarettes can be absorbed into wallpaper, furniture surfaces, and car upholstery.
Since the Association of US Surgeons declared in 1964 that nicotine is a cause of fatal diseases, governments and authoritative international organizations have done a lot to educate people about the dangers of nicotine and limit smoking and the sale of cigarettes.
Today it is not customary to smoke in public places. Attitudes towards smoking change in a negative direction. However, this does not stop the sale of the legal drug - nicotine. But now we see people vaping in shopping centers, cafes and restaurants, and at train stations. And they don't even think about whether e-cigarettes are dangerous. They do not know that the aerosol contains diacetyl, flavorings and the same nicotine (not to mention other chemicals).
The new ENDS business is not regulated. Who will guarantee that a Chinese electronic cigarette will not explode right in the mouth or that the aromatic liquid for refilling does not contain toxic and carcinogenic substances?
The question of whether e-cigarette vapor is harmful to others has another hidden side. Experts around the world agreed that such gadgets are becoming a kind of “loophole” into the world of nicotine addiction for teenagers and children. Young people are attracted not only by bright packaging and the pleasant smell of refill bottles, but also by the fashionable design of electronic gadgets. Some classify vapers as a separate social group, distinguished by their enthusiastic inhalation and exhalation of puffs of smoke.
While the traditional cigarette and secondhand smoke raise public health concerns, electronic gadgets are marketed as safe and even smoking cessation devices.
Over the years, a cigarette has become something banal and unoriginal for people. Another thing is the newfangled electronic cigarettes. They are gaining popularity at an alarming rate. Are you sure that your child is not taking part in the vaping championship? Have you heard of this sport? And he is!
The danger is that young people do not think about whether the smoke from an electronic cigarette is harmful to them or others. They have the impression that such gadgets and such pastimes are completely safe. Children and teenagers are artificially drawn into this madness!
Recently, the mother of a 12-year-old girl contacted the Allen Carr Center in Moscow with a question about the safety of electronic cigarettes. She was going to buy such a gadget as a gift for her daughter.
The danger of electronic cigarettes is that even educated adults believe in their safety. And this is not surprising. They see many floating around them, which means it is not harmful. And this picture is widespread throughout Russia.
But that's not true! Vaping makes some people frivolous and makes others frivolous. Actually, all this is reminiscent of the situation with smoking regular cigarettes.
