The Electronic Cigarette – Better For Your Health?

electronic cigarette

The electronic cigarette or e liquid is relatively new on the market and as such, not very much is known about them. Most people who are new to them will have some basic questions to ask. Hopefully this article will address some of them.

What is an electronic cigarette?

An electronic cigarette are basically nicotine delivery systems, that are marketed toward smokers as an alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. The main reason electric cigarettes have become popular, is because it allows people to consume nicotine in places where otherwise it would be banned. E cigarettes come in a variety of styles. The most popular ecig is known as a mini cigarette, because it looks very like a real cigarette. Electronic cigarettes can be bought online or from a variety of retail outlets. For the more advanced user, it’s possible to purchase, e liquid. This basically allows you to refill the cigarette yourself, which makes it a much cheaper option.

How does the electronic cigarette work?

Electric cigarettes are made up of 3 distinct components. The battery an atomizer and the cartridge which contains the nicotine. The container of an electronic cigarette also contains water and propylene glycol. Basically, when the user draws gently on the electric cigarette, the liquid inside the container is heated, to the extent that some of it turns to vapor. The vapor from the E cigarette is then inhaled into the users lungs. E cigarettes do not produce cigarette smoke as we know it, but some vaporized nicotine. This vaporized nicotine is produced in such small quantities, it is relatively harmless. Most modern electronic cigarettes have an LED lighting system at the end, which mimics that of a real cigarette. As the user draws on the e cig, the LED system lights up which gives viewers the impression that it’s a real cigarette.

Legislation regarding electronic cigarettes?

Currently ecigs or e liquid are not covered by any legislation with regards to health. Additionally they did not fall into the same category as traditional cigarettes. This enables users to smoke an electronic cigarette or e liquid pretty much anywhere. European commission announced towards the end of 2012, there were plans for the regulation of electronic cigarettes. At the moment, manufacturers and resellers are not allowed to market their products as quitting aid. This is because there have been no tests done as yet to prove that they are indeed helpful, when it comes to quitting smoking.

It is believed that the proposed legislation will allow electric cigarette or e liquid below a specific nicotine level, to be sold unregulated but these will come with health warnings. Electronic cigarettes that offer a higher percentage level of nicotine may be regulated in the same way other nicotine replacement systems are such as patches. The e cigs and e liquid industry in the UK (ECITA) have said they plan to challenge any proposals put forward to regulate electronic cigarettes. The medicines and healthcare products regulatory agency, otherwise known as (MHRA) is coming out with its own studies which will examine the impact electronic cigarette regulation will have on public health and existing businesses.

How safe is it to use an electronic cigarette?

To date, there have been no real scientific studies to evaluate any effects electronic cigarettes or e liquid might have on their users. In 2013 the advertising standards Authority banned an advertisement, that claimed its range of electronic cigarette products produced, a ” completely harmless vapor”. They believed that the claims made by the company in question, were unsubstantiated because  of a lack of any scientific research to prove their assertion.

Despite the fact that electric cigarettes are marketed as an alternative to smoking, there is a small amount of evidence to suggest that smoking ecigs may impair lung function. There were some studies done and the results presented to the European respiratory societies yearly Congress, which  found that smoking an ecigarette or using e liquid for short periods may cause resistance in airwaves. This causes the obstruction of air moving to the users lungs. However, nobody is arguing that e cigarettes are worse for you than traditional ones. Indeed, most people who use ecigs as a quitting aid have found that there breathing improved quite rapidly after using them as a quitting aid..

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