What About Using Electric Cigarettes?

Electric cigarettes, also called electronic cigarettes have received quite a bit

of attention recently as alternatives to conventional cigarettes that burn tobacco. Some claim that electric cigarettes are safe, others that they are safer than conventional cigarettes. They can be used in places where conventional cigarettes cannot, but it is not always clear just where they can be used. Their legal status in various parts of the world is complex and confusing. Let's see if we can clarify the situation.

Some electronic cigarettes look like tobacco cigarettes, but they are quite different. Many of them look like cigars or pens. They don't burn anything, and they don't produce smoke. They use heat in a battery powered atomizer to vaporize a nicotine infused liquid. The user inhales this vapor and the nicotine is absorbed by the lungs.

The cartridge holding the nicotine infusion must be replaced periodically. Each cartridge is equivalent to one or two packs of conventional cigarettes. The atomizer, which vaporizes the nicotine infusion, must also be replaced periodically. In three part models, the atomizer and cartridge are separate. In two part models, they are a single unit and thus are replaced together. Most units have a lithium ion rechargeable battery. Some units have an LED that lights up when the user is inhaling. They may be significantly cheaper than conventional cigarettes, depending on the cost of the cartridges.

The health risks of tobacco cigarettes are well known. Breathing problems and lung cancer can result from the tar and other toxins in the smoke. It is less well known that nicotine itself is implicated in stress to the cardiovascular system and thus to risk of heart attacks and strokes. Electronic cigarettes don't have smoke, but since they have nicotine, they are probably not completely safe. Pending the results of medical research, it is plausible that they are safer than tobacco cigarettes.

We don't have room here to completely describe the legal status of electronic cigarettes; it is complex and varies in different areas. For example, they are banned in Australia, but generally allowed in the United States. Some areas treat them as medical devices, others as tobacco products. This issue is still being sorted out in many areas.

Can electronic cigarettes be used in areas where tobacco cigarettes cannot? Yes, sometimes, but not always. Since they do not create smoke, there is no issue of second hand smoke, and less chance of offending people close to their users. However, individual businesses and organizations are making their own policy decision on this, so it is not prudent to make general statements.

Unfortunately I'm not able to answer all of the questions about electric cigarettes; in many cases they answers are still being worked out. They seem like possible alternatives for those who have difficulty giving up tobacco cigarettes. Nicotine addiction can be a very serious problem, and using electronic cigarettes allows one to give up tobacco without dealing with nicotine withdrawal. Unfortunately it is not prudent at this point to say that they are completely safe.

by: Frank Stezzo

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