Electric Cigarette Safety
Electric cigarettes are being advertised and sold as an alternative to smoking real cigarettes. They are said, by the manufacturers, to have much less chemicals, and possibly help in quitting smoking. Here are some facts about electric cigarettes to help you in deciding if they may be a safe alternative for you.
Ingredients
Electronic cigarettes may not contain as many chemicals and pollutants as their traditional counterpart, but according to the U.S. FDA, the do contain some carcinogens and other toxic chemicals such as an ingredient used to make antifreeze, diethylene glycol and nicotine.
Function
There is no smoke when using an electronic cigarette, but rather a vapor that is inhaled by the user. There is virtually no smell to others around, and no dangerous second hand smoke, so in theory it may be safer for others who are in the same room with the smoker than traditional cigarettes are.
Theories/Speculation
The FDA reports that there is concern about more of an addiction to nicotine with electric cigarettes in younger people because they are readily available to purchase and use with no warnings such as the Surgeon General's warning on all traditional cigarettes.
Benefits
If electronic cigarettes are used as a substitute for traditional cigarettes as a means to quit gradually, it may work as any stop smoking aid would, if the person using it is determined to continue cutting back and quitting. If not, they may become just another addiction for the person using them.
Conclusion
Electronic cigarettes may be a better choice than traditional cigarettes, but there is still the potential for addiction and health problems because of the toxic chemicals which they are made with. There may be some side effects with them, such as reactions to the diethylene glycol and other carcinogens which the FDA has found in some of the samples they have tested.
Tags: traditional cigarettes, Cigarette Safety, diethylene glycol, Electric Cigarette, Electric Cigarette Safety, electric cigarettes