Wellness

[dooBdoo]

My apologies for the length, but some posters perfer to avoid links:

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"These devices are all the rage—but are they safe to use, and will they help you quit smoking?

Last updated: November 03, 2015

E-cigarettes have been on the market for about a decade and are surging in popularity. But there’s still widespread disagreement about their safety or any benefits they may have.

Proponents say that e-cigs, a $2.8 billion market in the U.S., are potentially less harmful than conventional cigarettes and can help smokers quit. Critics say that their safety hasn’t been proven and that it’s too soon to know what the long-term effects of “vaping” (inhaling the vapor) may be. We spoke with medical experts and reviewed more than 50 scientific studies to find out what’s known.

How They Work

A typical battery-operated e-cigarette contains a cartridge of e-cig liquid, or “juice,” which usually contains nicotine and the chemical propylene glycol. They come in an array of flavors including cola and watermelon, which some say are meant to attract younger users. When used, the battery powers an atomizer that vaporizes the liquid in the cartridge for the user to inhale.

Aside from those basics, e-cigarettes vary widely in terms of ingredients, construction, and factors such as battery voltage. The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates regular cigarettes, has proposed regulating e-cigarettes more tightly, but some politicians and many in the industry oppose the plan.

The Nicotine Issue

Juice from e-cigarettes has different amounts of the addictive stimulant nicotine, from zero to about 72 milligrams per milliliter of liquid. (A traditional cigarette has 10 to 15 mg.)

“Nicotine has short-term negative health effects, like increasing your heart rate and blood pressure, so it can aggravate heart conditions,” says Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., Consumer Reports’ chief medical adviser. “It also interferes with fetal development, making it unsafe in pregnancy regardless of its source.”

Larger doses of nicotine can be more harmful, especially to children, who may be attracted by the sweet flavors and brightly colored packages. Since January 2015, the American Association of Poison Control Centers has received more than 2,000 reports related to e-cigs, many about children who drank the juice or spilled it on their skin.

Chemical Concerns

When propylene glycol, the liquid in most e-cigs, is heated, it can degrade into formaldehyde, a chemical linked to nose and eye irritation, and an increased risk of asthma and cancer.

The Center for Environmental Health recently tested 97 e-cig products and found formaldehyde and the chemical acetaldehyde in more than half of them.

E-cig vapor can also contain lead, cadmium, nickel, tin, and other metals, which can cause nervous system or respiratory problems. And some flavoring chemicals, like those used to create cinnamon flavor, can be toxic.

But unlike conventional cigarettes, e-cigs don’t burn tobacco. So they don’t produce the tar that clogs the lungs or carbon monoxide, which is linked to heart disease.

Overall, experts say more research is needed. But given what we know now, vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco. “If a patient switches from smoking two packs a day to only using e-cigs, it’s not as good as quitting, but it’s undeniably better,” says Douglas Kamerow, M.D., M.P.H., a former assistant surgeon general and a professor of family medicine at Georgetown University. “But if a nonsmoker starts vaping and gets hooked on nicotine, especially if it leads to tobacco smoking, that’s a problem.”

Can E-cigs Help Smokers Quit?

A recent clinical trial found no real difference between e-cigs and nicotine patches in helping people stop smoking: Neither were very effective. Another study found that teenagers who smoke and vape tend to smoke more conventional cigarettes than those who smoke but don’t use e-cigs. In September, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said the evidence was insufficient to recommend e-cigs as a smoking-cessation device."

Source - Consumer Reports. 

Link to article: 

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/e-cigarette-facts-you-need-to-know?EXTKEY=NS0S01511&utm_source...

[hoosieroriginal]

Great article.  In my own experience, I did have a friend who used e-cigs to help him stop smoking and it worked.  I say if people are going to smoke, it has to be their decision to stop - it is a drug and it is addictive.  My mom died from emphysema from smoking.  She smoked even after her diagnosis.  Each person has to make a personal choice.

[June222]

I do not care what anyone does  in the privacy of  their own home... just do not do either e- cigs or regular cigs around me... my state is now working on making e-cigs to be not allowed in public parks, in stores and within 25 feet of any doorway just like regular cigs. If someone needs to quit smoking, the best way is to JUST QUIT. I did it cold turkey 25 years ago... no easy but you just do it. I do not like that young people who would never smoke regular cigarettes are now doing the e-cig because it is considered "cool" to do. 

 They are full of chemicals. 

[40nu20]

my son is in middle school and told me that alot of kids smoke "vape" in the bathroom at school.   He then went on to tell me that "vape" is safe because its only water vapor with flavoring.  I asked him why he thought it was safe and he said "thats what my friend told me".  That my friends is the mentality of a 12 year kid in a nut shell!  These vapor cigarettes are made to be attractive to kids with flavorings like cherry, watermelon and mint.  Makes me want to bang my head against the wall......I tell my children and their friends that the only thing that belongs in their lungs is AIR...

[Southernfriedchick]

Thank you for that article. Very informative!

[dooBdoo]

Thanks for your posts, @hoosieroriginal, @June222, @40nu20, and @Southernfriedchick.

I wanted to add this important information:

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E-Cigarettes and Pets Do Not Mix

"E-cigarettes are sparking heated debates as lawmakers, medical professionals and industry grapple over the relative safety of the nicotine-delivering devices.

But for pet owners, there is no debate. Nicotine poses a serious threat of poisoning to dogs and cats, and e-cigarettes back a powerful punch.

The problem is that many pet owners don’t realize it.

Pet Poison Helpline has encountered a sharp uptick in calls concerning cases of nicotine poisoning in pets that ingested e-cigarettes or liquid nicotine refill solution.

In fact, over the past six months, cases have more than doubled, indicating that along with their increased popularity, the nicotine-delivering devices are becoming a more significant threat to pets.

While dogs account for the majority of cases, nicotine in e-cigarettes and liquid refill solution is toxic to cats as well... "

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Complete article at: 

http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/uncategorized/e-cigarettes-pets-mix/

[mima]

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@40nu20 wrote:

my son is in middle school and told me that alot of kids smoke "vape" in the bathroom at school.   He then went on to tell me that "vape" is safe because its only water vapor with flavoring.  I asked him why he thought it was safe and he said "thats what my friend told me".  That my friends is the mentality of a 12 year kid in a nut shell!  These vapor cigarettes are made to be attractive to kids with flavorings like cherry, watermelon and mint.  Makes me want to bang my head against the wall......I tell my children and their friends that the only thing that belongs in their lungs is AIR...

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If you research, you CAN buy fruit flavored vapor cigs without nicotine (0%).  I'm not saying that is what they are using, but it is possible. 

Of course they are still getting the chemicals from the liquid.

These are probably for people that have quit smoking but still like the hand to mouth action???

[apple1964]

People who smoke do not care who they harming including themselves. Second hand smoke can be almost as deadly as smoking itself. People should stop with all the health problems and warnings and the cost of regular cigarettes would make me stop in a NY city minute.